502 Millbrook Avenue, Randolph, NJ 07869-3799
Tel: 973.989.7100 • Fax: 973.989.7076

Randolph Township Free Public Library

Library: Online Resources

Websites—Fact Checking through Lifestyle

More suggestions for websites that are reliable and valuable resources for your Internet searches. Click on a subject heading to reveal the related websites.

Fact Checking

  • FactCheck.org
    A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania that monitors the accuracy of statements made by major politicians.
  • Politifact.com
    A fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida, as is PunditFact, a site devoted to fact-checking pundits.
  • Pundifact
    A project of the Tampa Bay Times and the Poynter Institute, dedicated to checking the accuracy of claims by pundits, columnists, bloggers, political analysts, the hosts and guests of talk shows, and other members of the media.
  • Snopes.com
    The snopes.com website was founded by David Mikkelson, who lives and works in the Los Angeles area. What he began in 1995 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends has since grown into what is widely regarded by folklorists, journalists, and laypersons alike as one of the World Wide Web’s essential resources.

Updated September 2020

Gardening

  • Better Homes and Gardens
    Loaded with articles, slideshows and tools for both beginners and advanced gardeners. An extremely comprehensive guide on where to start and where to plant.
  • Gardening Know How
    Packed with how-to guides and videos to help you if you’re a beginner or advanced gardener. You can even create a personalized magazine, track your garden progress and set reminders with the GKH Gardening Companion app for your iPhone or Android. Very cool!
  • Martha Stewart
    A wealth of gardening information from Martha and her team. They have put together a robust collection of techniques, tips and tricks to help your garden flourish.
  • Smart Gardener
    One of the most comprehensive tools to help you plan, grow and harvest your own food. There’s even an interactive garden planner that helps you drag and drop different beds, plants and layouts based on your garden dimensions.
  • You Grow Girl
    A blog with a contemporary, laid-back approach to organic gardening. It places equal importance on environmentalism, style, affordability, art, and humor.

Updated April 2021

Genealogy

Updated February 2022

General Subject Guides

Government

Counties

  • Atlantic County
    Information about government, activities, county news, visitors and employment.
  • Bergen County
    Information about government structure, services, residents, visitors, business.
  • Bergen County Municipalities
    List of local municipalities within Bergen County and their websites.
  • Burlington County
    Information about government, services, departments, business and community information.
  • Camden County
    List of events, government, theatre, arts, events, services and government departments.
  • Cape May County
    Information about employment, government, services, community, and the county library.
  • Cumberland County
    List of history, departments, services, business and tourism.
  • Essex County
    Information about government structure, services, departments, events. Also lists municipalities and their websites.
  • Gloucester County
    Information about department agencies, history , alerts, officials, directory and services.
  • Hudson County
    Information about government structure, services, departments, events.
  • Hudson County Municipalities
    List of local municipalities within Hudson County and their websites.
  • Hunterdon County
    List of local municipalities within Hunterdon county, employment opportunities, programs, departments and services.
  • Mercer County
    List of community, tourism, government,boards and commission and employment opportunities.
  • Middlesex County
    List of services, events, government, tourism, business and history.
  • Monmouth County
    List of employment, government, departments, services, tourism, current news.
  • Morris County
    Information about government structure, services, departments and events. Also lists programs and the latest news.
  • Ocean County
    Information about government, services, departments, tourism, directories, press releases and directions.
  • Passaic County
    Information about government structure, services, departments, events.
  • Passaic County Municipalities
    List of local municipalities within Passaic County and their websites.
  • Salem County
    List of history, media, news, government, services.
  • Sussex County
    List of directories, tourism,government, departments, employment, news, and events.
  • Union County
    List of parks, government, tourism, events, services.
  • Warren County
    List of elected officials, tourism, government, services, news and employment.

New Jersey

  • State of New Jersey
    Official website of the state of New Jersey containing a wide variety of information including government departments and services.
  • New Jersey State Legislature
    Information on the New Jersey Constitution, legislative activity, committees, bill search, legislator directories, budget information, as well as links to Democratic and Republican staff offices.

United States

  • United States Congress
    Watch legislative activities live, read current bills up for vote,members of each committee.
  • United States House of Representatives
    Information on members of the House of Representatives, links to member websites, bills and committees. Find representatives and schedules for current hearings and legislative activity.
  • United States Senate
    Information on senators and legislative activity, as well as historical and statistical information on officeholders.
  • United States Supreme Court
    Information on the workings of the Supreme Court, member biographies and planning a visit to the court.
  • U.S. Government Manual
    Official handbook for the federal government, providing comprehensive information on agencies of each branch of government. Typical agency description includes lists of officials, statement of agency purpose and history, as well as addresses and phone numbers. Published annually.
  • Whitehouse
    Information about issues, executive offices, initiatives, special events, administration, news, overall government structure.

Updated September 2020

Health & Medicine

General

  • Health Reference Center (InfoBase Learning)
    This database includes more than 550 educational videos on a wide range of health topics, more than 1,100 searchable and browsable color illustrations, and a “Health in the News” section.
  • Mayo Clinic
    Provides information on conditions, treatments, and medical research, including clinical trials.
  • Merck Manuals
    Contains Professional and Consumer versions, plus the Merck Veterinary Manual. Includes information on medical conditions, symptoms, medications, and normal laboratory test values. Also an extensive resource list.
  • Omnigraphics Health Reference Series
    The Health Reference Series provides basic medical information for patients, families, caregivers and the general public. Each volume takes a particular topic and provides comprehensive coverage. This is especially important for people who may be dealing with a newly diagnosed disease or a chronic disorder in themselves or in a family member. People looking for preventive guidance, information about disease warning signs, medical statistics and risk factors for health problems will also find answers to their questions in this series.
  • RxList
    Includes a pill identifier along with information on diseases, symptoms, drugs, and supplements.
  • Salem Health
    Provides access to award-winning health reference works, including Magill’s Medical Guide, that helps bridge the gap between professional medical encyclopedias and popular self-help guides. It is an up-to-date and easy-to-use source of medical information for students, as well as general readers, including patients and caregivers.
  • WebMD
    Consumer oriented, with a physician directory, information on supplements and a section on healthy living.

COVID-19

Finding/Talking to a Doctor

Government Resources

Local Resources

  • Affordable Care Act
    Information collected by the NJ State Library on the ACA.
  • NJ Air Quality
    Check NJ air quality.
  • NJ Healthcare Profile
    Find a NJ Medical Doctor, Podiatrist or Optometrist. Profiles developed by the Division of Consumer Affairs in consultation with the State Board of Medical Examiners and the State Board of Optometrists.
  • NJ Hopeline
    Healthcare professionals say we are all experiencing a grieving process right now...isolation, loss of people, loss of social interaction. Even if you are not experiencing extreme distress, you can find support.
  • NJ Medicaid
    Information concerning eligibility for and health care benefits provided by NJ Medicaid.

Special Health Topics

  • Alzheimer’s Association
    Comprehensive information on Alzheimer’s disease-diagnosis, treatment, and research. Includes support for caregivers.
  • American Cancer Society
    The American Cancer Society provides information on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Written for the consumer.
  • American Diabetes Association
    User friendly site of the American Diabetes Association, providing support and information on living with the condition.
  • American Heart Association
    Information on heart disease and health for patients, caregivers and educators from the American Heart Association.
  • Children’s Health
    Comprehensive information on children’s health and wellness.
  • Ebola
    Fact sheet provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the Ebola Virus Disease.
  • End of Life and Palliative Care
    Includes forms and FAQ concerning advance directives (New Jersey) such as a durable power of attorney for health care and a living will. Also contains information regarding hospice. Provided by the N.J. Dept. of Health.
  • FARE: Food Allergy Research & Education
    Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis.
  • Food Safety
    U.S. government information on food safety, including recalls and alerts.
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
    Reliable information on complementary and alternative medicine from the National Institutes of Health.
  • Women’s Health
    Covers health topics of special interest to women.
  • Work Related Injuries and Diseases
    Information concerning work-related injuries and diseases provided by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Updated September 2020

History

General

  • Salem History
    Includes complete content of The Decades - Salem’s critically acclaimed American history series; Great Events from History - The complete resource for worldwide events; Great Lives from History - The definitive, worldwide biographical resource; and Milestone Documents - A new, primary source series.
  • Whizzpast
    A blog for history lovers.

Local History

  • Historical Society of Old Randolph
    Formed in 1979, the Historical Society of Old Randolph (HSOR) is a non-profit organization created to promote and preserve the unique heritage of Randolph Township. It meets each month to plan activities, discuss projects, and share stories about Randolph’s past.
  • Morris County Historical Society
    They preserve and promote the history of Morris County.

New Jersey History

  • New Jersey Digital Highway
    A collaboration between Rutgers University Libraries, The New Jersey State Library, The New Jersey Division of Archives and Records Management, The New Jersey Historical Society, and the American Labor Museum, NJDH serves as a portal for digital historical and cultural resources.
  • New Jersey Historical Society
    The New Jersey Historical Society collects, preserves, teaches and interprets New Jersey history through their archives, research library and educational programs.
  • New Jersey State Archives
    Access to historic documents including images, genealogical collections, and digital exhibits.
  • New Jersey State Historic Sites
    Maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, this website gives information on state owned historic sites that everyone can visit.
  • Visit NJ: History
    Maintained by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism, this website includes information about NJ historic sites, memorials, and museums. Searchable by ADA compliance, family/pet friendliness, free admission, and other factors useful to travelers.

U.S. History

  • African-American History (InfoBase Learning)
    Features thousands of cross-referenced entries, covering the entire spectrum of African-American history over the past 500 years. You will need your library card number.
  • American History (InfoBase Learning)
    Spans more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history to cover the American experience. You will need your library card number.
  • American Indian History (InfoBase Learning)
    Offers fast access to more than 600 Native American groups and over 15,000 years of American Indian culture and history. You will need your library card number.
  • American Rhetoric
    A database of speeches organized by alphabetically by speaker’s first name.
  • Digital History
    Textbook, primary source, and multimedia American history resources.
  • Digital Public Library of America
    The Digital Public Library of America brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world.
  • Digital Vaults
    The National Archives Experience: Digital Vaults is an interactive exploration of history that examines thousands of documents, photographs, and pieces of history that have been integrated in a digital format.
  • History Channel
    General information on World and American history including articles and video content.
  • Library of Congress Digital Collections
    Primary and secondary source materials, recordings, images, prints, maps, sheet music documenting the history of the United States.
  • National Archives
    The National Archives is the U.S. Government’s collection of documents that records important events in American history. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the Government agency that preserves and maintains these materials and makes them available for research.
  • National Museum of American History
    In addition to museum information, this site has information on may topics, online exhibits and activities.
  • National Register of Historic Places
    Maintained by the National Park Service, this website includes sample travel itineraries, monthly online exhibits, and teaching resources.
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
    The US Holocaust Memorial Museum teaches millions of people each year about the dangers of unchecked hatred and the need to prevent genocide. Their website is an educational resource.
  • United States National Archives and Records Administration
    Historic documents, veterans’ service records, genealogical materials, online exhibits, and more.

World History

  • Ancient and Medieval History (InfoBase Learning)
    Presents the full scope of world history from prehistory through the 1500s, with special topic centers on key civilizations and regions. You will need your library card number.
  • BBC-A History of the World
    This site uses objects to tell a history of the world. You’ll find 100 objects from the British Museum and hundreds more from museums and people across the UK.
  • BBC News Country Profiles
    Features full profiles that provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions.
  • History Channel
    General information on World and American history including articles and video content.
  • History of Royal Women
    An interesting website chock full of facts about royal women.
  • Library of Congress Country Studies
    Electronic versions of 80 books previously published in hard copy as part of the Country Studies Series by the Federal Research Division. Includes books on countries that no longer exist, such as East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union.
  • Modern World History (InfoBase Learning)
    Covers the broad expanse of world history from the mid-15th century to the present, featuring thousands of documents, articles, timelines, images, videos, and maps. You will need your library card number.
  • Rulers
    Lists of heads of states and heads of government, current and historical.
  • Tudor History
    Everything you ever wanted to know about the Tudor Dynasty of England.
  • World Digital Library
    The World Digital Library (WDL), a project of the U.S. Library of Congress, carried out with the support of the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), and in cooperation with libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions, and international organizations from around the world, makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from all countries and cultures.

Updated October 2020

Language

  • Abbreviation Dictionary
    Directory and search engine for acronyms, abbreviations and initialisms.
  • Acronym Finder
    Dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms.
  • Dictionary (Merriam-Webster)
    Provides definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, origins of words and rhyming words, as well as a medical dictionary and concise encyclopedia.
  • Duolingo
    Free language learning platform offers many languages on the web, Android, iOS, and Windows. Claims that 34 hours of independent study on Duolingo is the equivalent of one semester of college language class.
  • Etymology Dictionary
    Online etymology dictionary providing origins and derivations of English words. Includes related terms for alternate meanings.
  • Idiom Site
    Definitions for a limited list of every day idioms in common use.
  • Pronunciation Dictionary
    Online pronunciation reference. Seeks to compile native speaker pronunciations for all the words that exist in the world, including names.
  • Rhyming Dictionary
    Finds rhymes, synonyms, adjectives, and more.
  • Slang Dictionary
    Dictionary is a dictionary of slang words, neologisms, idioms, aphorisms, jargon, informal speech, and figurative usages.
  • Rosetta Stone
    This resource provides a proven language learning immersion method trusted for over 20 years. It is funded by the New Jersey State Library.
  • The TOEFL Test
    Information about the English-language test for study, immigration, and work.
  • USA Learns
    A website that offers free English language learning resources.

Updated October 2020

Law

General

  • Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute
    Not-for profit providing access to laws online, including U.S. Code, Federal Rules, state statutes and international law, as well as free legal documents by state. Resources for locating a lawyer and legal encyclopedia.
  • FindLaw: Find a Lawyer
    A national directory of lawyers with detailed profiles.
  • Findlegalhelp.org
    Offers help with finding a lawyer, using a lawyer and understanding the law. Provided as a public service by the American Bar Association’s DIvision for Legal Services.
  • Guide to Law Online
    Prepared by the Law Library of Congress, a portal of web sites on government and law by region, U.S. State or country.
  • Lawyers.com: Find a Lawyer
    Search for a lawyer by name or location and legal issue. Lawyer profiles, client reviews and ratings provided by Martindale-Hubbell, a legal source for over 140 years.
  • NOLO Legal Dictionary
    A dictionary of legal terms for non lawyers.
  • Justia.com
    Focused on making primary legal materials and community resources free and easy to find on the Internet. The company provides Internet users with free case law, codes, regulations, legal articles and legal blog and twitterer databases, as well as additional community resources.

Federal

  • Core Documents of the United States
    The United States Constitution, Bill of Rights and other crucial documents can be found here.
  • Government Printing Office
    Provides free online access to official publications from all three branches of the federal government. Includes tutorials on how to search the Federal Depository System.
  • New Jersey State Library: Federal Legal Resources
    A compilation of websites where you can find legal documents, information about federal courts, and regulations.
  • Congress.gov
    Legislative information from the Library of Congress. Includes bills and resolutions, access to the Congressional Record, treaties and committee reports. Resources for teachers.
  • United States Code
    Search the US Code by Title or browse the table of contents.
  • United States Supreme Court
    Go here to read what is on the court’s upcoming docket, past opinions, rules of court, and information about the justices.
  • United States Court Map
    Map displaying the geographic boundaries of the U.S. Courts of Appeals and District Courts, with links to web pages for each court.
  • USA.gov
    Official online guide to government information and services.

New Jersey

Updated October 2020

Lifestyle

  • A Beautiful Mess
    A blog highlighting décor, crafts, recipes, and style.
  • CreativeBug
    Thousands of award-winning art & craft video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists. You will need your Randolph library card number.
  • The Frugal Chic Life
    A blog that discusses thrifty living, saving money, cutting the clutter and leading a minimalist yet decent life.
  • Lifehacker
    Lifehacker is a hub of productivity tips, tricks, and downloads. It’s basically an archive of all the information it would be incredibly useful to know, but nobody ever really teaches you. Aside from productivity, they also cover topics such as money-saving tips, clever uses for household items, and so on.
  • Living Well Spending Less
    Suggestions to help you to live life on a budget and yet have a good lifestyle.
  • Love to Know
    Advice on beauty and fashion, health, entertainment, home and garden, technology money and lifestyle and more.
  • The Penny Hoarder
    Practical advice on leading a frugal life and wellness along with lots of personal finance information.
  • Wisebread: Living Large on a Small Planet
    Wise Bread is an extremely popular personal finance community that includes bloggers and experts in its membership. As they like to say, “You don’t have to sacrifice your financial independence to enjoy life.” That’s the driving force behind what they do, and their goal is to help people live well. The most popular areas of the site are the “Personal Finance” and “Frugal Living” sections. It also offers a “Life Hacks” area that covers everything from technology tips to managing an organization.

Updated November 2020

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