Service Alert

The Anacostia Library will be closed from Monday, July 22 - Sunday, Aug. 4 for a scheduled facilities project. Learn more on the Anacostia Library page.

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.

QuickSearch

Discover what our collection has to offer and search across many of our databases for journals and articles.

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

African American Experience

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

Library card required
African American Experience 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

B

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

D

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

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

G

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: Global Issues

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

Library card required
Gale in Context: Global Issues 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.

Library card required
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints logo

Gale in Context: U.S. History

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

Library card required
Gale in Context: U.S. History 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

H

History Reference Center

Historical documents, biographies of historical figures, and historical photos, maps and videos.

Library card required
History Reference Center logo

N

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

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

S

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

V

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

Help & Support

Reserve a room or hold an event 

Explore eBooks and online resources

How to borrow and place holds

Contact Us

Send us a message

Find a library location

Subscribe to our newsletter