Emancipation Day Hours

A neighborhood library will be open in each ward on Tuesday, Apr. 16 in observance of Emancipation Day. Neighborhood libraries will be open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will be open from 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

  • Ward 1 – Mt. Pleasant Library
  • Ward 2 – Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library* 
  • Ward 3 – Tenley-Friendship Library
  • Ward 4 – Petworth Library
  • Ward 5 – Woodridge Library
  • Ward 6 – Southwest Library
  • Ward 7 – Benning/Dorothy I. Height Library
  • Ward 8 – Anacostia Library

The DC Public Library is open online for customers 365 days a year! Access digital resources and watch live and pre-recorded virtual programs on Youtube. 

Learn More About Library Hours

Research & Learn

Find trustworthy information, explore history, or learn a new skill. We have dozens of online resources to help. 

Popular Guides & Resources

Tutorials for Online Resources

Learn how to use our popular online resources through video tutorials.

The People's Archive

Learn how to use unique resources that illustrate D.C.'s local history and culture.

Support for Educators

Learn about services for educators, educator cards with special borrowing privileges, class visits, and online resources.

OverDrive & Libby

Borrow eBooks, Audiobooks, and digital magazines to read on your phone, tablet, Kindle or computer.

Kanopy

Stream movies and TV shows on your computer, Smart TV, or download the app on your phone or tablet.

PressReader

Stay connected with the world with unlimited access to more than 7,000 publications from over 120 countries, in 60 different languages.

Find the Resources You Need

A

ABCmouse

ABCmouse helps children 2 and older learn to read through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music and more.

Library card required
ABCmouse logo

Academic OneFile Select

Research academic topics ranging from art and literature to economics and the sciences with Gale Academic OneFile Select.

Library card required
Gale Academic OneFile Select

Accedia Noticias

Encuentre artículos actuales y archivados de periódicos, revistas, y agencias de noticias de todo el mundo en español. Proporcionado por Newsbank.

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Newsbanks Accedia Noticias logo

Access Video

Stream documentaries, award-winning educational films, and instructional videos.

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Access World News

Full-text access to newspapers from around the world. Provided by Newsbank.

Library card required
Access World News logo

Accessible Archives

African American Newspapers, including Washington, D.C. resources, emphasizing eyewitness accounts of events during the 19th century.

Library card required
Accessible Archives Logo

African American Experience

Articles on African American history and culture; includes slave narratives.

Library card required
African American Experience logo

African American Music Reference

Essays and images on blues, jazz, spirituals, gospel, rhythm and blues, hip hop and rap and other forms of African American musical expression. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street African American Music Reference logo

America's Newspapers

Search American newspapers and other sources of current and archived articles on issues, events, people, government and more. Provided by Newsbank.

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Newsbank America's Newspapers logo

American Song

Stream music from America's past including songs about Civil Rights, Prohibition, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, anti-war protest & much more. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street American Song logo

Ancestry Library Edition

Get started with genealogy and explore the amazing history of you.

Library card required
Ancestry Library Edition logo

Architectural Digest Archive

Access the Architectural Digest Archive starting from its first issue in 1920.

Library card required
Visit Architectural Digest Archive logo

Archive-It

Selected archived websites from The People's Archive. Find archived websites that document the culture and history of Washington, D.C. including music, artists, blogs, obituaries, politics, and government.

Archive-it logo

Archives of Sexuality and Gender

Explore LGBTQ history with primary source content on social, political, health, and legal issues impacting LGBTQ communities around the world with Gale Primary Sources.

Library card required
Gale Primary Sources: Archives of Sexuality and Gender logo

Atlantic, The

The Atlantic features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.

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The Atlantic logo

B

Baltimore Sun, The

Full page and article images of The Baltimore Sun newspaper from 1837-1991.

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The Baltimore Sun logo

Black Freedom Struggle in the United States

Website focused on Black Freedom, featuring select primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history.

Black Freedom Struggle website logo

Bookflix

Kids can explore educational topics through animated books, read-alongs, puzzles and games.

Library card required
Bookflix logo

Brainfuse HelpNow

Connect to live online tutors for homework help, writing lab, test prep and more.

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Brainfuse HelpNow logo

Brainfuse JobNow

JobNow provides live interview coaching, award-winning resume creation software, a writing lab, and helpful tips and tricks for landing the perfect career.

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Brainfuse JobNow logo

Brightstorm

Fun and engaging online videos teaching math and science. Supports high-school age curriculum.

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Britannica Academic

Comprehensive research tool and fact-checked online encyclopedia.

Library card required
Britannica Academic logo

Britannica Enciclopedia Moderna

Enciclopedia destinada a estudiantes de secundaria completa con un diccionario, atlas y líneas de tiempo.

Library card required
Britannica Enciclopedia Moderna logo

Britannica Escolar

Britannica Escolar está diseñado específicamente para estudiantes Primaria & Secundaria e incluye artículos, imágenes, videos y un atlas.

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Britannica Escolar logo

Britannica Fundamentals!

Engaging and fun learning experience for students in kindergarten through second grade.

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Britannica Fundamentals logo

Britannica Image Quest

Images from the world’s leading collections including Getty Images, National Geographic Society, and National Portrait Gallery of London.

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Britannica Imagequest logo

Britannica School

Find information for homework and school projects by reading level, grade and age.

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Britannica School logo

Business Source Complete

Provides coverage of business, management, and economics journals. Includes titles such as Forbes, Fortune and Harvard Business Review.

Library card required
Business Source Complete logo

C

Chilton Library

Access repair, maintenance and service information on the most popular cars, trucks, vans and SUVs with Gale Chilton Library.

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Chilton Library logo

Classical Music in Video

Stream classical music performances, masterclasses and interviews with master teachers from around the world. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Classical Music in Video logo

Classical Music Library

Stream classical music from the earliest times to the 21st century. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Classical Music Library logo

Classical Music Reference Library

Learn more about the history of western classical music. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexandria Street Classical Music Reference Library logo

Classical Scores Library

Find and print more than 45,000 classical music scores covering major classical genres and time periods from medieval to contemporary. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Classical Scores Library logo

Comics Plus

Digital comics, graphic novels, and manga for all readers.

Library card required
Comics Plus logo

Consumer Reports

Research thousands of products with test results, ratings, recommendations and buying guides.

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Consumer Reports logo

Consumers' Checkbook

Research and compare local products and services with regional reviews.

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Consumers' Checkbook logo

Contemporary World Music

Stream contemporary music from every continent around the world. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Contemporary World Music logo

Creativebug

Experience unlimited access to craft classes. Paint, draw, sew, knit, bake, and design today.

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Creativebug logo

D

D.C. Regional Newspapers

Full-text access to D.C. Metro newspapers (excluding The Washington Post). Provided by Newsbank.

Library card required
DC Regional Newspapers logo

Dance in Video

Stream dance productions and documentaries by the most influential performers and companies from the 20th Century. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Dance in Video logo

DCist Archive

Web archive, captured by The Wayback Machine, of local Washington D.C. online news source, DCist. DCist covered news, politics, arts, culture, and events in Washington, D.C., and is owned by WAMU 88.5.

DCist Archive logo

DemographicsNow

Access demographic reports on any geography for information including income, race, age, education, retail spending, businesses and more with Gale Business: DemographicsNow.

Library card required
Gale Business DemographicsNOW logo

Dig DC

Selected digital collections from The People's Archive. Find photos, maps, oral histories, and newspapers documenting the history of Washington D.C.

Dig DC logo

Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867–1970

Digital Sanborn Maps (1867-1970) delivers detailed property and land-use records that depict the grid of everyday life in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Library card required
Sanborn maps logo

E

Ebony Magazine Archive

Access the Ebony Magazine Archive starting from its first issue in 1945 through 2014.

Library card required
Ebony Magazine Archive logo

EBSCO Discovery Service

Discover what our collection has to offer and search across several of our databases for direct access to full-text articles, videos, music and more.

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EBSCO Discovery Service logo

Ethnic Newswatch

Full-text coverage from ethnic and minority press publications.

Library card required
ProQuest Ethnic Newswatch logo

Evening Star

Research local news and history in the long considered "hometown paper of record" for the nation's capital from 1852-1981. Provided by Newsbank.

Library card required
The Evening Star logo

F

Federal Surveillance of African Americans

Collection of Justice Department's and its Federal Bureau of Investigation's widespread investigation of those deemed politically suspect.

Library card required
Federal Surveillance of African Americans logo

Fight For Racial Justice And The Civil Rights Congress

Learn more about the Civil Rights Congress (CRC) involvement in civil rights and civil liberties.

Library card required
Fight For Racial Justice And The Civil Rights Congress logo

Freegal Music+

Download and stream music twenty-four hours every day from popular music labels such as Sony Music.

Library card required
Freegal Music+

G

Gale Business: Entrepreneurship

Resources to help you start your new business.

Library card required
Gale Business: Entrepreneurship logo

Gale Business: Insights

Research global companies and industries with in-depth analysis through current news, statistical data and comprehensive reports.

Library card required
Gale Business: Insights logo

Gale Business: Plan Builder

A step-by-step approach to completing a business plan.

Library card required
Gale Business: Plan Builder logo

Gale eBooks

Digital encyclopedias and reference resources on a range of subjects from art, business, history, literature, medicine, multicultural studies and science.

Library card required
Gale eBooks logo

Gale in Context: Biography

Learn about the people who make history. Searches can be based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, or gender.

Library card required
Gale in Context Biography logo

Gale in Context: Elementary

Social studies, science, language arts and more for grades 1-5.

Library card required
Gale in Context Elementary logo

Gale in Context: Global Issues

International viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics and current events.

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Gale in Context: Global Issues logo

Gale in Context: High School

Browse topics to help with papers, projects and presentations.

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Gale in Context: High School logo

Gale in Context: Middle School

Research cultures, history, science and social issues for students in grades 6-8.

Library card required
Gale in Context: Middle School logo

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints

Brings together all the information that's needed to fully understand an issue.

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Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints logo

Gale in Context: Science

Current and up-to-date science topics. For middle school and high school learners.

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Gale in Context: Science logo

Gale in Context: U.S. History

Discover American history from pre-colonial times to the present.

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Gale in Context: U.S. History logo

Gale Literary Sources

Explore literary works, authors and movements.

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Gale Literary Sources logo

Gale OneFile: High School Edition

Research content for high school students.

Library card required
Gale OneFile: High School Edition logo

Gale OneFile: Informe Académico

Una colección de revistas hispánicas con textos completos.

Library card required
Gale OneFile: Informe Académico logo

Garland Encyclopedia of World Music

Learn more about the music of the world's peoples. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Garland Encyclopedia of World Music logo

General OneFile

Search articles in a wide range of general and academic topics with Gale General OneFile

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Gale General OneFile logo

Government Documents

DC Public Library serves as a Federal Depository Library. Depository libraries provide free access to U.S. Government information.

Government Documents logo

H

Harvard Business Review

Access full text historical and current Harvard Business Review articles from 1922 to the present.

Library card required
The Harvard Business Review logo

HeritageHub

Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research, 1704 – today. Previously named America's Obituaries and Death Notices by Newsbank.

Library card required
HeritageHub logo

HeritageQuest

Get started with genealogy and discover your family history.

Library card required
HeritageQuest logo

Historical Black Newspapers

Historic content from five major newspapers: Chicago Defender, New York Amsterdam News, Atlanta Daily World, Baltimore Afro-American and LA Sentinel.

Library card required
ProQuest Historical Black Newspapers logo

History Reference Center

Historical documents, biographies of historical figures, and historical photos, maps and videos.

Library card required
History Reference Center logo

I

Internet Archive

Internet Archive is a non-profit online library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.

Internet Archive logo

J

Jazz Music Library

Stream jazz music from every genre and time period. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Jazz Music Library logo

Jet Magazine Archive

Access the Jet Magazine Archive starting from 1970 through 2014.

Library card required
Jet Magazine Archive logo

Job & Career Accelerator

Everything you need for a successful job search. Explore occupations, search for jobs, create resumes, and improve skills.

Library card required
Job & Career Accelerator logo

JSTOR

JSTOR contains the full-text of more than 2,300 journals from 1,000 publishers, available in more than 60 disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences and mathematics.

Library card required
JSTOR logo

Just for Kids Access Video

Stream popular children videos and TV shows including Sesame Street, Arthur, Reading Rainbow, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Franklin and more.

Just for Kids Access Video logo

K

Kanopy

Stream over 30,000 movies & documentaries from hundreds of popular producers as well as thousands of independent filmmakers.

Library card required
Kanopy logo

Kanopy Kids

Stream a selection of educational and enriching videos on Kanopy Kids with developmentally appropriate, age-based ratings from Common Sense Media.

Library card required
Kanopy Kids logo

Khan Academy

A free online resource offering practice exercises and videos in math and science. Videos for Kindergarten through High School.

Khan Academy logo

L

Learning Express Library

Practice tests for improving skills and passing academic and licensing exams.

Library card required
Learning Express Library logo

Learning Express Library: Recursos para Hispanohablantes

Desde mejorar sus habilidades de lectura, escritura y matemáticas hasta prepararse para el GED, estos recursos lo ayudarán a alcanzar sus metas.

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Recursos para Hispanohablantes logo

Legal Forms

Access customizable standard legal forms, specifically drafted by attorneys for the District of Columbia, with Gale Legal Forms.

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Gale Legal Forms logo

Life Magazine Archive

Access the Life Magazine Archive starting from its first issue in 1936 through 2000.

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Life Magazine Archive logo

LinkedIn Learning

Learn business, technology, computer and creative skills to meet your personal or professional goals.

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LinkedIn Learning logo

Literature Resource Center

Access biographies, literary criticism, and reviews on writers of all disciplines, from all time periods, from around the world with Gale Literature Resource Center.

Library card required
Gale Literature Resource Center logo

M

Mango Languages

Learn new languages and cultural skills.

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Mango Languages logo

MedlinePlus

National Library of Medicine’s database of health information. Includes information on over 750 health topics, drugs and supplements, medical encyclopedia, dictionaries, interactive tutorials and surgery videos.

MedlinePlus logo

MedlinePlus (en Español)

MedlinePlus tambien le ofrece mucha informacion sobre medicamentos, una enciclopedia medica ilustrada, programas interactivos para el paciente y las mas recientes noticias acerca de la salud.

MedlinePlus Español logo

Mergent Archives

Complete archive of the Mergent/Moody's Manuals of corporate and securities information from 1909-present.

Library card required
Mergent Archives logo

Mergent Online

Business descriptions, corporate histories, and financial statements from active and inactive U.S. and international public companies.

Library card required
Mergent Online logo

Morningstar Library Edition

Make the most of your investments. Identify stocks, mutual funds and ETFs that meet your needs.

Library card required
Morningstar Library Edition logo

Music & Dance Online

Music and Dance Online delivers a large, diverse catalog of music content for students, scholars and patrons of the arts. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Music & Dance Online logo

N

National Geographic Virtual Library

View the complete archive of National Geographic Magazine and National Geographic Traveler.

Library card required
National Geographic Virtual Library logo

National Newspaper Core

Includes Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Library card required
ProQuest National Newspaper Core logo

New York Times

Access The New York Times articles from 1851-present.

Library card required
The New York Times logo

New York Times Digital

Unlimited access, both onsite and remote, to The New York Times website and app.

The New York Times Digital logo

Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers

Gale Primary Sources: Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers provides a window into events, culture and daily life in nineteenth-century Washington D.C. & America.

Library card required
Gale Primary Sources: Nineteenth Century Newspapers logo

NoveList Plus

Discover new book titles based on your interests or reading preferences.

Library card required
NoveList Plus logo

NoveList Plus K-8

Discover new book titles based on your interests or reading preferences, with recommendations for grades K-8.

Library card required
NoveList Plus K-8 logo

O

O'Reilly for Public Libraries

eBooks and videos on topics such as business, career development, data, design, hardware, security, software development and system administration.

Library card required
O'Reilly for Public Libraries logo

Opera in Video

Stream opera performances from staged productions, interviews and documentaries. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Opera in Video logo

OverDrive & Libby

Borrow eBooks, Audiobooks, and digital magazines to read on your phone or tablet using the Libby app, by OverDrive.

OverDrive-Libby logo

Oxford African American Studies Center

Biographies, maps, images, and timelines of African American life, history and culture.

Library card required
Oxford African American Studies Center logo

Oxford English Dictionary

Get English language definitions, origins and history.

Library card required
Oxford English Dictionary logo

P

Peterson’s Test and Career Prep

Search college and graduate schools, identify scholarships, take practice tests, create resumes and explore careers.

Library card required
Peterson’s Test and Career Prep logo

Popular Music Library

Popular Music Library contains a wide range of popular music from around the world. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Popular Music Library logo

PressReader

Stay connected with the world with unlimited access to more than 7,000 newspapers & magazines (including The Economist) from over 120 countries, in 60 different languages.

Library card required
PressReader logo

ProQuest eLibrary

ProQuest eLibrary is a user-friendly general reference tool that provides content, context and pathways to beginning researchers.

Library card required
ProQuest eLibrary logo

Publication Finder

Search our collection of Journals, Periodicals, and Newspapers by title or browse by discipline.

Library card required
EBSCO Publication Finder logo

PubMed

A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 16 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s.

PubMed logo

R

Ralph J. Bunche Oral Histories Collection on the Civil Rights Movement

Interview transcripts of individuals who made history during the Civil Rights Movement.

Library card required
Ralph J. Bunche Oral Histories Collection on the Civil Rights Movement logo

Reference Solutions

Research and analyze U.S. public and private businesses by geography, sales volume, industry and size.

Library card required
Reference Solutions logo

S

ScienceFlix

Enhance STEM learning with films and online books.

Library card required
ScienceFlix logo

Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries

Stream over albums from a virtual encyclopedia of the world's music and aural traditions including Smithsonian Folkways albums. Provided by Alexander Street Press.

Library card required
Alexander Street Smithsonian Global Sound for Libraries logo

Social Sciences Full Text

Learn about human society and social relationships.

Library card required
Social Sciences Full Text logo

T

TrueFlix

Explore true facts through video and online books. For ages 8-11.

Library card required
TrueFlix logo

TumbleBooks

Enjoy animated books, read-alongs, eBooks, language learning, educational videos, puzzles and games for grades K-5.

Tumblebooks Logo

U

Universal Class

Learn something new with Universal Class. Continuing education credits available.

Library card required
Universal Class logo

V

Value Line

Get the tools to make profitable investment decisions.

Library card required
Value Line logo

Very Short Introductions

Discover a new topic or subject with these intelligent and serious introductions written by authors who are experts in their field.

Library card required
Very Short Introductions logo

W

Wall Street Journal

Full-text access, from 1984-present, to The Wall Street Journal, the financial newspaper of record.

Library card required
The Wall Street Journal logo

Washington Blade

The Washington Blade has been Washington, D.C.’s principal LGBTQ newspaper since 1969. Dig DC contains digitized editions from 1969-1996.

Library card required
Washington Blade logo

Washington Business Journal

Washington Business Journal provides comprehensive business coverage of Washington, D.C., and neighboring cities & counties in Virginia & Maryland.

Library card required
Washington Business Journal logo

Washington Post

Full text access to The Washington Post, from 1877-present.

Library card required
The Washington Post logo

Washington Post Digital

Unlimited access to The Washington Post website and app.

Library card required
The Washington Post logo

Washington Times

The Washington Times, established in 1982, covers events in Washington, D.C., the nation and the world.

Library card required
The Washington Times logo

Watch & Learn Library

Watch & Learn Library is made especially for young learners, pre-k through 3rd grade, to help expand their vocabulary and comprehension.

Library card required
Watch and Learn Library logo

Women in the Life Magazine

Magazine for lesbians of color published by Women in the Life Association focusing on culture, politics and health.

Library card required
Women in the Life logo

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