All of these resources are FREE to use with your library card. Provided by the Seneca Library District and/or the Pennsylvania’s POWER Library project. Need instructions to gain access to any of the databases? Please feel free to call us for help at (814) 929-5639.

ALL RESOURCES (A – Z)

A

• Academic Search Main Edition : This resource provides full-text scholarly content for major college courses. Designed specifically for academic institutions, this database provides full-text and peer-reviewed journals essential for undergraduate and graduate studies.
• AP Newsroom : This database captures the greatest events in history and brings them to life with photographs, audio sound bites, graphics and text. AP Newsroom is a primary source database from the Associated Press, one of the oldest and largest news organizations in the world.
• Auto Repair Source : Powered by the automotive experts at MOTOR, Auto Repair Source provides the most accurate, authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles. All content comes from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and includes step-by-step repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts and labor estimates, service bulletins and recalls.

B

• Black Freedom Struggle : The Black Freedom Struggle website presents primary source documents from several of the time periods in American History, and contains approximately 1,600 documents focused on six different phases of Black Freedom.
• BookFLIX : Watch videos and read books about Animals and Nature, Earth and Sky, People and Places, ABC’s and 1, 2, 3’s, Family and Community, Music and Rhyme, Adventure, and more. Enjoy read aloud with words highlighting and interactive games. Some films and books are available in Spanish too!
• Britannica School – PreK to 5 : is a comprehensive source of informational text for younger learners pre-K to grade 5. It includes encyclopedia articles, images, videos, and magazine articles. There is a Britannica Fundamentals section for children Pre-K through grade 2.

C

• Contemporary Authors : offers continuous access to current biographical and bibliographical data on more than 164,500 modern authors. Each entry contains the most complete and up-to-date entry, accessible through an easy-to-use interface with a variety of search paths to help you locate the information you need quickly and efficiently. You can easily search for an author by name, title of work, subject/genre, nationality, date and place of birth, and much more.
• Cricket Media Collection : This collection includes hundreds of e-books from renowned family publisher Cricket Media. It can help build strong literacy skills in students from grades pre-K to 8 by offering digital access to award-winning, short-form fiction and nonfiction titles.

E

• EBSCO eBooks : Select from over 16,000 eBooks from the world’s leading publishers across all major subject areas. Perform full-text searches of a single eBook, search thousands of volumes simultaneously, browse topic categories, or read eBooks directly online. Additionally, you may download selected eBooks to portable devices.

G

• Gale eBooks : Explore encyclopedias, specialized reference resources, and e-books on a variety of topics from biography, diversity, environment, equity, government, history, law, math, science and more!
• Gale in Context – Elementary : Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five will find age-appropriate content covering a broad range of educational topics such as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, technology, etc. Kids InfoBits includes full-text proprietary content from Blackbirch Press®, U-X-L, KidHaven Press™, and more!
• Gale in Context – Middle School : Discover reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues. Research In Context offers cross-curricular content aligned to national and state standards, and presents material organized into a highly visual and topic portal approach to quickly find answers.
• Gale OneFile – High School : Secondary school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.
• Gale OneFile – News : Browse and read full-text newspapers from more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, plus leading titles from around the world, or search articles instantly by title, headline, date, author,
• newspaper section, or other fields. The News e-resource also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts, and transcripts.
• Gale UDEMY : This online learning platform offers access to thousands of self-paced, on-demand video courses for the most in-demand skills across business, technology, design, and personal interest.
• GreenFILE : This comprehensive e-resource draws on the connections between the environment and a variety of disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology.

L

• Libby : Did you know your local library has thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines? We also offer a couple of extra resources through Libby (Kanopy, Craftsy, Ground News & Kovels Antiques). Download the Libby (Overdrive) app on your smartphone or tablet!
• LISTA : This e-resource indexes more than 700 journals in library science & technology plus books, research reports and proceedings. Coverage extends back as far as the mid-1960’s.

M

• MyHeritage Library Edition : This multilingual family history research database includes billions of historical documents from 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes, and additional resources that span the past five centuries.

N

• Newspaper Archive : Search billions of old newspaper articles from all over the world for free with your library card. You can find newspaper articles, births, deaths, and more. Powerful search tools to help you find exactly who or what you are looking for.

O

• Overdrive : The Seneca Library District offers OverDrive’s eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines and they are available to Wilcox Public Library cardholders. This service is compatible with many devices—including iPads and iPhones, Androids, Kindles, Nooks, PCs, and Macs. 

P

• Pennsylvania Job Resources : Discover job resources for Pennsylvania job seekers and employers. These Pennsylvania government provided resources are designed to help you find a good career, review job openings, and match you with employers. Resources for veterans are available too that will help veterans transition into the work force by translating their existing military skills into civilian terms.
• PA Online Learning : PA Online Learning is a FREE growing collection of tutorials on how to use software, social media, and library resources, such as POWER Library! Explore now and check back later to see how it grows!
• PA Photos & Documents : Explore millions of digitized photographs, documents, and newspapers from Pennsylvania’s rich and varied history. The collections are provided by libraries and other organizations across the Commonwealth.
• ProQuest eBook Central : This resource includes 112 titles on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and cover subjects such as business, education, fine arts, history, political science, social science, juvenile literature, and sports and recreation.

S

• Science Reference Center : Perform research from hundreds of full text science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other reliable sources. View more than 280,000 high-quality science images from sources such as UPI, Getty, NASA, National Geographic and the Nature Picture Library.
• Science Reference eBook Collection : Explore science from over 230 full-text eBooks! This collection of reference titles covers a wide variety of topics such as animals, biology, climate change, computing, engineering, experiments, life science, nature, oceans, physical science, and weather.
• SIRS Discoverer : This database provides coverage in areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology. All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected and indexed from over 2,200 reliable, high-quality global sources, including 400 full-text nonfiction books and around 300 full-text book chapters from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.
• Small Engine Repair Reference Center : Find detailed repair guides for all types of small engines. Offers assistance in providing routine maintenance (tune-ups, brake service) as well as extensive repairs such as engine and transmission disassembly. Search by product type, brand, model/engine type, specific area of model/engine type and model numbers.

T

• • Teacher Reference Center : This e-resource for teachers provides indexing and abstracts for 280 peer-reviewed journals.
  • Transparent Language Online : Whether you’re a true language learning beginner, dusting off your old high school Spanish, or eager to tackle your tenth language—Transparent Language Online will help you get started and stick with it. Learn any of the 120+ languages, including: American Sign Language, English (ESL/ELL) learning content for speakers of over 30 languages, 30+ endangered North American and world languages (with more added every year!)
  • TrueFLIX : Learn about people, places, nature, history, and science from videos and eBooks on topics such as American Indians, Ancient Civilizations, Farm to Table, The Civil War, Continents, The Thirteen Colonies, U.S. Government, Disasters, Earth Science, Experiments, Extreme Science, Nature, and many more.

GENEALOGY RESOURCES

Online Databases

• MyHeritage Library Edition : This multilingual family history research database includes billions of historical documents from 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes, and additional resources that span the past five centuries.
• Newspaper Archive : Search billions of old newspaper articles from all over the world for free with your library card. You can find newspaper articles, births, deaths, and more. Powerful search tools to help you find exactly who or what you are looking for.
• PA Photos & Documents : Explore millions of digitized photographs, documents, and newspapers from Pennsylvania’s rich and varied history. The collections are provided by libraries and other organizations across the Commonwealth.

Local, State & National Resources

• Elk County Historical Society : 109 Center Street, Ridgway, Pennsylvania | Phone: (814) 776-1032
• Historical Society of St. Marys & Benzinger Twp. : 99 Erie Avenue, St. Marys, Pennsylvania | Phone: (814) 834-6525
• Elk County vital records :
  • The Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records houses all copies of birth and death records since 1906. There is no online search for these records, a request must be submitted to the PA DVR. There is a fee for each copy requested.
  • The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) houses copies of birth records for the years between 1906 – 1913 and death records for the years between 1906 – 1968. Explore their website for even more genealogical records, and there is even access to Ancestry.com for Pennsylvania residents.
• The Elk County Clerk of the Orphan’s Court : Is responsible for marriage records from October 1885 to present, along with the Birth and Death Records from 1893 to 1906. Copies are available upon request at the Orphans’ Court division. Please see their website for the current fees and where you can gain access to the request forms.
• If you are a Pennsylvania resident you can search online for Elk County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records [and more] at Ancestry.com Pennsylvania.
• PA GenWeb – Elk County : Elk County PA Genealogy Website is designed to help in your genealogy search for your ancestors and families in Elk County Pennsylvania.
• National Archives : A collection of great resources and tools for genealogists to research their heritage.

Other Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) : Find out how to obtain vital records from across the country.
• Cyndi’s List : Discover genealogy resources from all over the internet; includes general and highly specialized sources.
• Digital Public Library of America : Access local history and genealogy eBooks shared by libraries across the U.S.
• FamilySearch : Provides billions of digitized records, user-submitted lineage information, and family history books.
• RootsWeb : Find and share information with others searching for genealogy information.

General Education Development (GED) Test

Passing the GED examination is considered equivalent to earning a high school diploma. The test covers writing, social studies, science, reading, and math. Use the resources below to register and prepare for the GED.

• GED Testing Service : at GED.com you will find study materials, tips, and classes. You can also learn more about the test subjects and schedule your test.

Preparing for the GED

• Books, eBooks & More : The Library has a few materials for GED test preparation. Please Contact Us for assistance locating these items.
• Community Education Center of Elk & Cameron Counties : The CEC is a certified testing center for GED tests. Contact them for more information on test prep and scheduling your test.

College Research

These tools will help with writing, researching, and formatting college papers. For career resources, please see our Job Seekers & Career Exploration page; access our High School Students tab for information about preparing for college.

• Library research tools : Find articles from academic journals and popular magazines, books, primary documents, and more through the library’s subscription databases. You need to have a Wilcox Public Library card to access these tools remotely. When prompted for your Patron ID, enter the barcode number from your card.

Writing

• Writing a Research Paper: This guide from Purdue University provides information on different types of research papers, choosing a topic, and preparing an outline.
• Writing College Research Papers (How It Differs From Writing in High School): This overview from the University of New Mexico helps you choose a topic, frame your argument, and structure your paper.

Formatting & Style Guides

• Penn State Library writing & citation guides – curated by the librarians at Penn State University.
• American Psychological Association(APA)
• Chicago Manual of Style(also known as Turabian)
• Modern Language Association(MLA)

High School Student Resources

• POWER Library resources for Teens : These resources are available remotely or in the library with your library card for FREE.
• Newspaper Archive : NewspaperARCHIVE.com, the largest historical newspaper database online, contains tens of millions of newspaper pages from 1607 to present. Every newspaper in the archive is fully searchable by keyword and date, making it easy for you to quickly explore historical content. NewpaperARCHIVE.com provides genealogists, students, historians and other researchers access to millions of newspaper pages. This resource is available remotely with your library card, as well as in any of the District’s Libraries. After entering your library card number and pin, you will be directed to the resource. Please contact the library if you do not know your pin.
• Education Planner.org : One-stop career and college planning website. Education Planner provides practical and easy-to-understand advice to help prepare students for the important decisions they will face in the future. Education Planner is a public service of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and its student loan servicing operation, American Education Services (AES).
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau : Whether you are preparing for college, attending school, or already repaying your student loans, CFPB has tools and resources to help you make the best decisions for you.
• Tuition Funding Sources : Tuition Funding Sources is a private non-commercial website designed to help students find scholarships and college and career information. TFS offers students the largest scholarship database in the world with over $41 Billion in scholarship awards along with a career personality test and detailed college and career information.

More information to come…

Job Seeker & Career Exploration

These resources are for those who are searching for jobs, contemplating a career change, or interested in professional development.

The Library offers a wide range of resources on job seeking, interview preparation, and writing cover letters and resumes. Please Contact Us for assistance.

Career Research & Preparation

• Bureau of Labor Statistics – Occupational Outlook Handbook : Locate information on educational and training requirements, salaries, and hiring trends for a wide variety of careers.
• PA Workforce Statistics : find timely, objective and credible workforce and economic statistics and analysis to help users make informed policy, business and career decisions that strengthen Pennsylvania’s economic security.
• Career OneStop : Find self-assessment materials and license requirement information.
• O*Net Online : Provides summaries and statistical information on a wide range of occupations and industries.
• Education Planner : This is a public service of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and serves as your one-stop career and college planning website. Education Planner provides practical and easy-to-understand advice to help prepare students for the important decisions they will face in the future.
• Pennsylvania CareerZone : Register to use this secure web-based platform to take assessment tests, learn about occupations, and use job application tools. This resource is powered by Headed2 through a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
• PA Career Guide : Whether you are a student, an educator, a first-time jobseeker, a parent or a person considering a career change, you will find that the Pennsylvania Career Guide is a valuable resource as you make those all-important career decisions. Information in this publication can be used by all individuals who are preparing for continuing education and/or entrance into the workforce.

Job Skill Training

• Gale UDEMY : Online job skills training courses for Wilcox Public Library patrons; gain access for FREE with your library card and pin number. Registering for a free account with UDEMY is necessary to keep track of your progress in your training. Don’t know your pin number? Contact us at the library for a pin reset.
• SkillUp™ PA : Provides access to FREE online job skills training to Pennsylvanians. Courses and certification programs are available to help build your skill set and meet the needs of our workforce. Register for a free account on the PA CareerLink® website to access courses.

Job Applications

You will probably be asked to provide an active email address when applying for jobs. Creating and using an email account is free. Popular providers include: Gmail, Microsoft and Yahoo.  Please visit the Library if you need assistance registering for your account.

Resume & Cover Letter Templates

• Microsoft Office Templates : Resume and cover letter templates can be downloaded at no cost from Microsoft’s Office website.
• Resume Builder : Use this mobile-friendly tool to build your resume. The easy fill-in-the-blank process allows you to add your information (contact information, experience, education, etc.) and leads to a finished resume in PDF format that you can save or email.

Assistance for Job Seekers

• PA Career Link® : The state’s premier job-matching tool developed to transform the landscape of how job-seekers find jobs and how employers find talent. The user-friendly job-matching system was created to connect employers and job seekers all in one place, free of charge.
• PA Employment : Many employees are headquartered in and around the capitol city of Harrisburg and a significant percentage of the workforce calls Central PA home. However, you can find commonwealth employees doing a variety of jobs across the state.
• PA Office of Unemployment Services : Learn about Pennsylvania’s UC program, how to apply, maintaining eligibility, and more.

Job Search Sites

• Indeed: This job search engine has a wide range of positions from numerous industries.
• Glassdoor: Useful resource for researching job opportunities, companies, salary information, and more. (Most of these jobs are not local)
• ZipRecruiter: Useful resource for researching job opportunities, and applicants.

Interview Preparation

• How to Answer the 50+ Most Common Interview Questions
• Interview Cheat Sheet & Prep Tips
• The STAR Method: How to Ace the Interview

Local Resources

• Jones Township Senior Center : The Senior Center is open Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Senior lunches are available for those who are 60 or older. It is recommended that you make reservations by 12:30 pm the day prior to the meal you wish to order. Contact the center at (814) 929-5443 for more information about more program at the center and senior lunches.
• OHS Area Agency on Aging : Services for Older Adults in McKean, Cameron, and Elk Counties include nutrition services, caregiver support programs, insurance counseling, domiciliary care programs, and more.

Assistance & Benefits

• PennDOT’s FREE Transit Program for Seniors : This program supports ATA’s FREE Fare for Seniors. Seniors riding on fixed routes in their community ride for FREE! Senior citizens age 65 or older can ride ATA fixed route buses for free at all times. Find out more information about the fixed routes, bus schedules, and the application on ATA’s website.
• Shared Ride for Seniors : ATA’s Shared-Ride Program for Senior Citizens enables persons 65 years of age and older to use shared-ride, demand-responsive services and pay only a small portion of the regular shared-ride fare.
• Pennsylvania Department on Aging: Locate information and resources related to caregiving, health, and other issues.
• PennDOT Services Flyer : PDF fact sheet on Pennsylvania Senior Citizens Non-Commercial Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration Services.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) : helps eligible individuals and families in Pennsylvania to increase purchasing power at the grocery store, giving them access to more nutritious foods.
• Senior Food Box Program : The Senior Food Box Program works to improve the health of low-income seniors by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods. In Pennsylvania, eligible participants include low-income individuals who are at least 60 years old and whose household income is at or below 130 percent of the U.S. poverty level.
• Farmers Market Nutrition Programs : The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provide WIC recipients and low income seniors with fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs from approved farmers’ in Pennsylvania.
• Benefits.gov : Use the Benefit Finder to help you determine if you are eligible for government assistance.
• Medicare.gov : Obtain forms and find information on benefits and health care providers.
• Social Security Administration: Access information, obtain statements, and manage your Social Security benefits.
• Safety Tips for Seniors (brochure) : Pennsylvania has one of the highest senior populations in the country and our seniors are more active than ever. The Office of Attorney General has developed this brochure to help protect and educate seniors on what to watch out for when they are out socially, traveling or simply enjoying their home life.
• Submit a Complaint to Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General’s Senior Protection Unit : investigates and prosecutes those who cheat, deceive or abuse older Pennsylvanians.  The Section is comprised of prosecutors, agents and support staff.  A special section within the Unit educates the public about senior fraud and teaches them how to avoid being victimized.
• Northwestern Legal Services (NWLS) : is a non-profit law firm that provides free legal aid to eligible clients in Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Mercer, McKean, Potter, Venango, and Warren Counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. We offer resources in a variety of civil legal matters to low-income residents, including public benefits, family law, housing, healthcare, education, and employment.

Tax Assistance & Information

• PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program : The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvania residents age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

Additional Resources

• AARP : Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information and services for people who are 50 and older.
• Administration on Aging – Eldercare Locator : Obtain information on health topics, finances, and housing options.
• Caring Connections : Provides information on hospice care, as well as power of attorney and living will forms.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Physical Activity : Obtain fitness guidelines for seniors.
• Medicare.gov – Nursing Home Compare : Contains information on staffing and inspections for all Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes.
• Moving Services for Seniors : Contains information about different moving services available for seniors to utilize.
• AGS Health in Aging Foundation : provides expert health information for older adults and caregivers about critical issues we all face as we age..
• USA.gov : Locate resources on a variety of topics, including health, government benefits, consumer issues, housing, help for veterans and service members, travel, and more.

More information to come…