Research

Research resources let you find accurate information online. Some are focused on specific subjects like genealogy or authors. Others have general information, including newspaper and magazine articles. Learn more about these resources below.

Please note: QPL purchases these valuable resources just for our patrons. That’s why you’ll need to enter your Quincy Public Library card number to access them, or use them at the Library. Don’t have a library card? Click here to learn how to sign up for one.

Quincy Historical Newspaper Archive Historical Quincy newspapers published in the years 1835 to May 1926 are now available online. The newspaper archive can be searched by date, name or keyword, or even using a combination of search terms. Articles can be viewed and printed, saved to a jump drive, pasted into a document, or even emailed to yourself or a friend.

Ancestry Library Provides additional resources for genealogy research, including census, immigration, military, and other vital records. Searches may be conducted by name, location, and range of dates. Available from library computers only.

ReferenceUSA! Residential and business listings of addresses and telephone numbers, plus company information such as officers, sales, etc. You can do custom searching to locate the businesses you need, nationwide, or in a particular location. Now available from anywhere! Just enter your barcode when prompted!

HeritageQuest Online HeritageQuest Online includes Genealogy and Local History information such as census records, Revolutionary War Era Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, Freedman’s Bank records, family genealogies, county, town histories, church and school histories, PERSI index to articles, and more.

Fold3 Military Records Discover your family’s military history with records from the Revolutionary War to recent conflicts.

World Book World Book Web provides a reference center for encyclopedia articles, historical timelines, and research tools as well as child-friendly options for games, activities, science projects, maps, dictionary and people. A QPL library card is required for access from any computer or to download the app to your device.

Historic Quincy Area Photo Collection on Illinois Digital Archives Historical Quincy photographs from about 1850 through 1950, most from the collection of the late Carl Landrum, have been digitized and loaded onto the Illinois Digital Archives. You can browse or search all collections available there, or choose a particular collection. To search only one collection, go to Advanced Search, select the collection, then enter your search words.

Global Road Warrior Be an informed global citizen with Global Road Warrior's information on 175 countries. Research culture, history, language, education, and travel requirements.

Novelist Discover your next great read with NoveList! Scan through recommended lists, or build your own list with the appeal mixer - select the tone, character, and pacing you like and see the results immediately! NoveList offers themed lists for all ages, book club resources, and even curriculum helpers for teachers.

Learning Express Library LearningExpress Library provides a completely interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help patrons, students, and adult learners succeed on the academic or licensing tests they must pass. You'll get immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results. Includes practice modules for ACT and GED exams. When prompted for a Username and Password, you must enter your library card number as your Username, then make up your own unique Password. Remember it for use the next time!

Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) indexes more than 560 core journals, nearly 50 priority journals, and nearly 125 selective journals; plus books, research reports and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.

GreenFILE GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, as well as Open Access full text for more than 4,700 records.