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Spotlight Features

Some features are intended for a certain time of year
(e.g. Black History month or Earth Day).

World Through a Lens

man with cabbages from Ansel Adam's Manzanar Photographs at the Library of Congress

Looking for public domain Ansel Adams photographs? Take a look at his photos from a Japanese internment camp, and learn more about the art of photography

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress's Ansel Adams’s Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar Collection, Prints and Photographs Division.

Celebrate Black History Month

Mahalia Jackson at the May 17, 1957, Prayer Pilgrimage of Freedom in Washington, D.C. Silver gelatin print.

Black History Month was first organized by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 to focus national attention on the contributions, the struggles and the history of African-Americans. "Negro History Week," as it was originally called, was scheduled to occur during the second week of February in order to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The event has since evolved into a month-long commemoration. Take some time to explore our African-American history resources:

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress NAACP Collection, Prints and Photographs Division, and the NAACP.

What's For Dinner?

onions, tomatoes, cheese, and bread

The IPL has resources for every cook, whether you're planning a gourmet ethnic feast or a simple supper for friends:

Photo by Michael Connors and courtesy morgueFile.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

woman carrying basket of vegetables

Gardens give us beautiful flowers and bountiful harvests. Dig into our gardening resources and grow a green thumb.

Literature and Poetry on the Internet

Stacked books in a library

Libraries aren't the only place you can find books! Browse the shelves of the Internet Public Library and find electronic texts by Leo Tolstoy, Omar Khayyam and more...

Lunar New Year

'Dragon - 2002-02-09.' From a Chinese New Year Celebration

The Chinese New Year begins on the day of the second new moon after the day on which the winter solstice happens. Explore different calendars and holidays observed by different cultures:

Photo by Jon Sullivan and courtesy PDPhoto.org.

The Sound of Music

Portrait of Joe Mooney and Andy Fitzgerald, Dixon's Steak House(?), New York, N.Y., ca. Oct. 1946

Looking for something new to listen to? Trying to find the name of a piece of music? Find it here:

Image:"Portrait of Joe Mooney and Andy Fitzgerald, Dixon's Steak House(?), New York, N.Y., ca. Oct. 1946," courtesy of the Library of Congress William P. Gottlieb - Photographs from the Golden Age of Jazz Collection.

Science In The World Around You

scientist with test tube

What are viruses? Why is the sky blue? What does a water molecule look like? Explore your world through the eyes of a scientist:

Explore the Works of the Bard

Hilliard portrait of William Shakespeare

Beware the Ides of March! This line is from a Shakespeare play, but which one? Find the entire text of Shakespeare's plays online and much more...

The Future of Space Exploration Looks Bright!

rocket taking off

...from Cassini exploring Saturn to Spirit and Opportunity roving over Mars to Stardust capturing comet debris to launching New Horizons towards Pluto (and is Pluto really a planet?) to space tourism, look here to find out more...

Banned Books Week

2007 Banned Books Week
Ahoy! Treasure Your Freedom to Read and Get Hooked on a Banned Book

September 29 – October 6 is Banned Books Week. A link to ALA's Banned Books Week site is above. Explore these other resources below to learn about books that have been challenged and banned, why, and what you can do about it. Exercise your freedom to read!

How To Vote
And How To Find What You're Voting For

vote button

Whether you need to know how to vote, where you're voting, who the candidates are (at local, county, state, or federal levels), or what the issues are, our Election page gives you links to sites with the answers.
Get Voting Help Here!

Think Manga Is Plural For Mango?

cover to A Contract with God

The Graphic Novels exhibit in the IPL Teenspace chronicles the rise of the graphic novel, gives help for finding age-appropriate graphic novels, and provides links to many other resources on the graphic novel.
Books with pictures this way...

Happy Birthday, IPL!

birthday cake

March 17 is not only St. Patrick's Day but also the anniversary of the launch of the Internet Public Library (back on March 17, 1995)! We're celebrating with a look back at IPL history as we also move forward into the future with the IPL Consortium and our IMLS Grant project. Thanks to all those who have participated in the IPL over the years!

Lighthouses: A Photographic Journey

Baker's Island Lighthouse

Lighthouses: A Photographic Journey is the work of photographer and lighthouse enthusiast Donald W. Carter. The collection is a comprehensive guide to the lighthouses of Michigan, The Great Lakes, America, and the world. Discover the world of lighthouses...

Music History 102

sketch of Antonio Vivaldi

The Music History 102 exhibit gives a concise overview of the history of classical music, including contemporary art like the sketch of Antonion Vivaldi above and real audio music samples of many of the composers discussed such as the 3rd movement of Vivaldi's Concerto in F "Autumn".

View the exhibit...

Need Some Direction?

compass

"Pathfinder" is a reference site to help you find the way to various subjects.

IPL expert guides to help you get started doing research on a particular topic, both online and at your local library. Click here to find out more...

Bottled Up?

eye in glass, a photo by EMiN OZKAN

The IPL Teenspace Poetry Wiki is a great place for you to express yourself. Post your poems & poetic inspirations or respond to others' work.
Release your inner poet...

Pueblo Pottery

Water jar. Zuni. Ca. 1700 to 1850. Diameter: 12 inches. From the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

The Pueblo Pottery exhibit displays a collection originating from the Southwestern United States and contains over 60 items. View the collection...

Image courtesy of Larry Frank, the author of Historic Pottery of the Pueblo Indians, 1600-1880.

THING OF THE WEEK


What are young people thinking...?

If only there was someone we could ask!


Wait a minute, we could give them a theme, a space to write, and the promise to post the moderately relevant responses.

And then...we'd still have no idea. But it'd be fun.

Sub-20 folks, go to our THING of the Week form on the IPL's Teenspaceand tell us what you think about this week's theme!

Good Answers to Good Questions

What a Question!!!!!!

The IPL’s "Ask a Question" Service answers questions every day from people around the world. Here’s one recent question:

What airlines fly to Tonga?

Read OUR RESPONSE!

Learn more about the "Ask a Question" Service.

Hot on top, cold on the bottom...

Cartoon sun

Why is it summer in the northern hemisphere, but winter south of the equator?  Weather experts give you the cold facts...

Women's History Month

'Suffragettes, London,' courtesy of the Library of Congress George Grantham Bain Collection, Prints and Photographs Division

March is Women's History Month. Take some time to explore the experience of women throughout history and around the world...

Image: "Suffragettes, London," courtesy of the Library of Congress George Grantham Bain Collection, Prints and Photographs Division.

Updated on 15 Apr 2008
 
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