Homework Help

African American Experience Art and Music Biography Careers and College Encyclopedias and Dictionaries Health and Consumer Information History Literature, Myths, and Legends News Media and Magazines Math Multi-Subject Homework Sites Politics and Government ScienceShow All

Homework Help is a Digital Library of free Internet resources sorted by subject. The JMRL teen librarians have done the work of searching the Internet and evaluating these resources, so you can use them with confidence for your homework, or for answers to general questions you may have. No library card required.

Digital Library: Databases The Library subscribes to these databases, which means they are available to all library card holders. They contain valuable information on a lot of subjects that you might need for research, homework assignments, or just things you want to know about. They include news articles, excerpts, biographies, current events, and more.

Ask a Librarian: You can also get personalized help from a JMRL librarian by text, online chat, phone or email. Text and chat options are available any time the Central Library is open.

  • African American Experience

  • African-American History Timeline
    A chronology of African-American History from the early slave trade through Affirmative Action
  • African-American Inventors
    A to Z list of African-American inventors with biographies, images, timelines, and other media.
  • The African-American Migration Experience
    Created by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.
  • Black History Month
    Official Library of Congress site, created in cooperation with the National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

  • Art and Music

  • Artchive.com
    More than 2000 high quality scans of works by more than 200 artists  Includes links to other sites.
  • ARTCYCLOPEDIA: The Fine Art Search Engine  
    The guide to great art online. 9,000 artists listed; 2,900 art sites indexed; 160,000 links.
  • ArtHistory Resources on the Web  
    Explore the history of art throughout the ages. Organized by date and region.
  • Essential Music Theory
    Designed as both a reference and a teaching tool, this site has explanations of theory concepts, lessons on how to read music, and downloadable sheets and short quizzes to test your understanding of the concepts.
  • The Louvre
    Explore one of the most well-known museums in the world. Take a virtual tour and view such famous works of art as the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa.
  • Music Dictionary
    An online dictionary of musical terms.
  • Music Education
    Learn about (and listen to) different musical instruments, learn to read music, find out about musical genres, or discover what happened on this day in music history.
  • Music History 102
    A guide to Western Composers and their music from the Middle Ages to the Present. An Internet Public Library Special Collection.
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum
    Visit online exhibits, access webcasts of museum events, view videos, take a virtual tour, or play an interactive online game.

  • Biography

  • Achiever Universe/Academy of Achievement
    Biographies of achievers of all fields from around the world.
  • Authors
    Author profiles, news, and interviews from Bookreporter.com
  • Biography.com  
     Searchable database from the A&E Biography program site.
  • Dead or Alive
    Ever wanted to know if a famous person was alive or dead? This website can help you find out.
  • Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography
    Search alphabetically or by branch of science, gender/minority status, historical period, or nationality.
  • Famous Inventors
    Research any famous historical inventor. Includes biographies, A to Z directory, timelines, sections on Australian, Chinese, Hispanic, Native American and more nationalities.
  • Historic Figures
    Biographies of selected historic figures on the BBC History website.
  • Infoplease - Biography
    The biography section of the Infoplease.com website boasts over 30,000 biographies of historical and contemporary figures. Searchable by name or by category (including sports, presidents, and world leaders).
  • People Index
    Short biographies of people in world history with clickable timeline.

  • Careers and College

  • Charlottesville Community Scholarship Program
    CCSP offers college scholarships to Charlottesville High School seniors and adults. Applications for scholarships are accepted twice a year. High school seniors and adults may apply by March 1 for the following fall semester. Adults over 25 may also apply by October 1 for the following spring semester.
  • Campus Tours
    Multimedia tours and interactive campus maps for thousands of colleges and universities.
  • The College Board
    Information about the SAT, PSAT, AP, and CLEP examinations including dates, fees, test preparation, registration, and scores. Search for colleges using various criteria such as degree program or religious affiliation.
  • Mapping Your Future
    Information for everyone from Middle School students to Graduate School applicants and parents. Explore careers, plan to take the right classes is high school, learn about ways to pay for college, and play "Show Me the Future!"
  • My Future
    Figure what's right for you. Find a career, get help applying to college, or explore the military as a career option. Produced by the U.S. Department of Defense with data from the Departments of Commerce, Education, and Labor.
  • O*Net Resource Center
    A career exploration tool sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. This site will help you match your skills and interests with possible jobs.
  • Peterson's Education Portal
    College Information guide, includes college and scholarship search functions, admissions timelines, test prep information, and a guide to paying for college.
  • Test Prep
    Offers free online test preparation for ACT, GRE, and SAT plus a vocabulary tutorial.

  • Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

  • Dictionary.com
    Includes a link to Roget’s Thesaurus.
  • Encyclopedia.com
    Encyclopedia.com has more than 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses with facts, definitions, biographies, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations.
  • The Free Dictionary
    A comprehensive dictionary with English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, Greek, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, Russian, Medical, Legal, and Financial Dictionaries, thesaurus, acronyms and abbreviations, idioms, encyclopedia, a Literature Reference Library, and a search engine all in one!
  • Infoplease
    An encyclopedia, almanac, dictionary, thesaurus, and atlas, all in one!
  • Library of Congress Virtual Reference Shelf
    A collection of online resources selected by the Library of Congress
  • Scholarpedia
    Scholarpedia improves on the anyone-can-edit idea of Wikipedia by making sure that the original author of all of its articles is an expert on the subject, that each article is peer-reviewed, and that any revisions of an article are first approved of by the original author.

  • Health and Consumer Information

  • Consumer Jungle
    Clear your way through the financial jungle --master your money. Maintained under the supervision of the University of Arizona's Take Charge America Institute.
  • Go Ask Alice
    Health information site produced by Columbia University's Health Education Program.
  • Teen Health
    Site for teens ages 12-17, sponsored by the Women's and Children's Health Network. Topics include: Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Relationships, Society and You, and Drugs and Alcohol.
  • Teens-Family Doctor
    Site operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Includes information on safety and wellness as well as diseases and conditions common in teens.
  • TeensHealth
    Health and medical information for teens from the Nemours Foundation.

  • History

  • American Presidents
    A reference resource from the University of Virginia Miller Center of Public Affairs.
  • Best of History Web Sites
    An award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1200 history web sites, created by EdTechTeacher Inc.
  • Eyewitness to History
    History through the eyes of those who lived it.
  • Information Please -- Timelines
    A year-by-year compilation of headlines, award winners, population figures, and more.

  • Literature, Myths, and Legends

  • Dictionary of Symbolism
    Explanations for commonly used symbolism in literature. Searchable.
  • Encyclopedia Mythica
    An online encyclopedia on mythology, folklore, and legends. Entries cover gods and goddesses, heroes, legendary creatures and beings from all over the world and many include illustrations, pronunciation keys, and genealogical information. Features annotated links to related resources.
  • Greek Mythology Link
    Comprehensive guide to myths of Greece, containing sections on major events in Greek mythology; individual entries for divine, mortal, and semi-divine characters; genealogical tables; maps; a bibliography of ancient and modern sources; and an extensive set of links to sites of Classical interest.
  • Literary Criticism Special Collection
    The Internet Public Library's Literary Criticism Special Collection contains over 1,000 critical and biographical websites about authors and their works that can be browsed by author, by title, or by literary period.
  • Norton Topics Online
    A Web Companion to the eighth edition of The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Explore English literature and culture.
  • eBooks and Audiobooks through JMRL
    Download audiobooks and eBooks from JMRL with Libby by Overdrive and Freading.

  • News Media and Magazines

  • The Daily Progress
    Charlottesville, VA daily newspaper.
  • National Public Radio (NPR)
    News and more on the official website of National Public Radio.
  • Newslink
    Newspapers of the world. Includes a state-by-state index.

  • Math

  • Brightstorms Math
    This site has over 2,000 videos covering concepts, sample problems and shortcuts for Algebra, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, PreCalculus, and Calculus.
  • Fact Monster: Math
    Fact Monster's Math page is a product of Information Please and includes math, money, measurements, conversion calculator, roman numerals and assorted math topics that help you with your math homework.
  • Khan Academy
    Khan Academy is a multi-subject website with a very strong Math section and Test Prep section.
  • Math Help and Tutorials
    Links for Math Help and Tutorials by subject or topic. Part of About.com
  • Purple Math
    Purple Math has Algebra lessons that focus on the practical side of problem solving, warn how to recognize trick questions and point out common mistakes. Forums staffed by volunteers allow students to ask for help if they get stuck.
  • WebMath
    A math help website that generates answers to specific questions in real time and shows how to get the correct answer yourself.

  • Multi-Subject Homework sites

  • Hippocampus
    A web site offering multimedia content for a variety of core Middle School and High School subjects including Math, Science, Social Science, and Humanities.
  • Information Please
    Information on a wide variety of subjects, from the owners of INFORMATION PLEASE Almanac.
  • Smithsonian
    Resources in the area of art, history, science, and more from the Smithsonian Institution.

  • Politics, Government

  • Elections

  • Federal Election Commission
    The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces federal campaign finance laws. The site includes a Disclosure Portal, a Candidate and Committee Viewer, Educational Videos, Reporting and Compliance FAQs, and information on recent developments in the law.
  • League of Women Voters
    Formed from the movement that secured the right to vote for women, the League is a nonpartisan organization that seeks to expand participation and give a voice to all Americans.
  • Project Vote Smart
    Find the biography, voting record, issue positions, ratings, speeches, and campaign finance information for any elected official.
  • Rock the Vote
    Building political power for young people. 

  • Government

  • Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
    Resources for grades K-12 on how the U.S. Government works, broken down by grade level. Includes information on using the primary source materials provided by the Government Printing Office.
  • House.gov
    Official site of the U.S. House of Representatives. Find your Representative, check out what Congressional Committees are doing, see current Legislative activity, or just learn more about how the House works.
  • Senate.gov
    Official site of the U.S. Senate. Learn about Senators, Committees, Senate art and history, or take a virtual tour of the Capitol.
  • USA.gov
    The U.S. government's official web portal, USA.gov makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web.
  • Virginia: The Commonwealth's Home Page
    The official website of the Commonwealth of Virginia
  • The White House
    The official site of the U.S. White House. Check the President's schedule or the status of current issues, find out about White House staff, or find about about events at the White House.

  • Science

  • Multi-Subject Science Sites

  • How Stuff Works
    Ever wonder how a Segway works or want to understand the science behind solar sails? This site provides easy-to-understand answers and explanations for topics ranging from Animals to Engineering to Space.
  • Internet Public Library Science and Technology Resources
    The Internet Public Library is a collection of free Internet resources chosen and maintained by librarians and library school students. Sites are evaluated for authority, timeliness, and appropriateness before being added to the Internet Public Library.
  • NOVA Online
    NOVA, the PBS series explores the exciting side of science with a focus on adventure and exploration. This site offers links and sources related to topics covered in the series and includes a searchable database.
  • Science Daily
    Your source for daily updates on research in science. Explore by general topic or search for more specific subjects.

  • Aerospace and Astronomy

  • Ask an Astronomer
    Search through previously answered questions and if yours hasn’t been answered, you can ask an astronomer yourself. Staffed by volunteers in the Astronomy Department at Cornell University.
  • NASA
    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is a great place to start your research into all things Outer Space, from information on how to become an astronaut to the history of space exploration . Don’t miss the Image of the Day gallery.
  • National Air and Space Museum
    Everything that flies, and the places where you can fly, on earth or in space. Teachers: Also an order form for free publications about aviation and space.
  • Webstars: Astrophysics in Cyberspace
    A list of astronomical resource sites of general interest in topics ranging from various NASA projects to the history of astronomy and astrophysics.

  • Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science

  • Chemical Elements.com
    Learn about the chemical elements with this interactive periodic table.
  • Geology.com
    From plate tectonics to fossil and volcanoes to gemstones, this site is an excellent source of Geoscience news and information.
  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    NOAA is the government agency responsible for weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring as well as fisheries management, coastal restoration, and support of marine commerce.
  • U.S. Geological Survey
    This website of the largest water, earth, biological science and civilian mapping agency in the U.S. provides information on natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.

  • Computers, Technology, and Engineering

  • Computer Science: A Guide to Web Resources
    A compilation of links for web resources in computer science compiled by the University at Albany. Most resources are freely available. However a few are limited to members of the University at Albany community.
  • Make:
    Your source for projects, news, videos, events, and all things related to the Maker Movement.
  • Superconductors.org
    Created by an electrical engineer, this site is recommended by universities and experts as a first stop for learning more about superconductors.
  • Try Engineering
    News, activities, and more related to engineering. Learn what it's like to be an engineer and how to become one. Find out about colleges and scholarships or play games
  • W3Schools.com
    Tutorials and examples for learning to code in Html, CSS, and Javascript with resources for web building and server coding.

  • Life Sciences and the Environment

  • Animal Diversity Web
    Animal classification and more, created by the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
  • Cells Alive!
    Get inside living cells on this detailed site
  • Chesapeake Bay Program
    Information about the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Restoration Partnership.
  • EPA Student Center
    The Environmental Protection Agency's site has plentyof environmental science topics and links, geared toward middle and high school students.
  • Get Body Smart
    Learn about human anatomy and physiology through interactive animations and practice quizzes.
  • National Aquarium in Baltimore
    Interactive displays, information about many species of animals, and more.
  • Neuroscience for Kids
    Information and links on the brain and nervous system, for kids of all ages.
  • National Library of Medicine
    The world's largest biomedical librar with information on medical research, medical history, biotechnology, and HIV/AIDS resources. Includes access to many medical databases.

  • Science Projects

  • Steve Spangler Science: The Lab
    Extensive collection of science experiments, videos, hands-on science activities and science fair project ideas.