suggested links: web sites by topic

Books

1. AbeBooks The world's largest online marketplace for used, rare, and out-of-print books.
2. Alibris Specializes in hard-to-find books, manuscripts, maps, photos, prints, and autographs.
3. Amazon.com New and used books, audio books, videos, music.
4. Armchair Interviews "Connecting authors to their readers." Book reviews and more.
5. Barnes & Noble.com New books, ebooks, college textbooks, out-of-print books, magazines...
6. BookBrowse Provides a substantial excerpt of each and every recommended book. Multiple reviews from newspapers and magazines with no plot-spoilers. Hundreds of author interviews and reading guides.
7. BookFinder.com Compare prices on over 150 million books for sale new, used, rare, out of print, international textbooks.
8. BookSpot.com Everything for the reader: reading lists, award-winning books, an author spotlight section, web sites, and a genre corner.
9. Fantastic Fiction UK site, good resource for finding book series, lists new and forthcoming books.
10. Google Book Search Previews of books, some full text, book reviews and references to titles from other Internet sites.
11. IndieBound Features a monthly selection of eclectic new books chosen by independent booksellers. "Indie Bestsellers" is based on in-store sales from hundreds of independent bookstores across America.
12. NPR: Books Listen to broadcasts, or read transcripts of book reviews and interviews with authors.
13. New York Times Best Sellers
14. Reading Group Choices Offers interesting, informative, fun, and interactive material of interest to book clubs.
15. ReadingGroupGuides.com Created especially for reading groups, providing them with all they need to make their book club experience better than ever.
16. Social networking sites for readers: Share your love of reading and connect with other readers. (For complete access, these sites require registration.)
17. Goodreads| LibraryThing| Shelfari

Looking for more online resources for finding a good book to read? Try our Find a Good Book page.

Community

1. 2-1-1 by the United Way Search for human services and volunteer opportunities in your community.
2. Adams County The official Adams County Government web site, everything from the Assessor's to the Sheriff's office.
3. Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau Attractions, calendar of events, dining & lodging information for Hastings and Adams County.
4. Adams County Fairgrounds Special events, building rentals, camper/trailer parking facility, horse stall rental.
5. Adams County Genealogical Society Contact, resources, and membership information.
6. Adams County Nebraska Historical Society Contact the organization about their extensive collection of birth, marriage and death records including cemetery records and a large photograph file.
7. Amber Alert America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.
8. Children's Museum of Central Nebraska Information about the museum, located at the Imperial Mall in Hastings.
9. City of Hastings Official city Web site.
10. City of Hastings' Community Resource Page provides a comprehensive list of local links.
11. Downtown Hastings Find events and activities as well as information about the Downtown Center Association and the Business Improvement District.
12. Go Green Hastings Site was created to help the citizens of Hastings provide input and continue the vision of making our community the "Greenest City in America."
13. Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce Business directory, calendar of events, contact information.
14. Hastings Community Theatre Hastings Community Theatre, located at Good Samaritan Village, is an all volunteer organization dedicated to producing four or five live shows each season—and giving local and area people an opportunity to have experiences in live-on-stage theatre.
15. Hastings Fire Department Clown troop, photos of vehicles, open burn regulations and more.
16. Hastings Museum & Lied Super Screen Theatre Hours of operation, show times, virtual tour.
17. Hastings Police Department FAQs, arrest warrants, employment and volunteer opportunities, links page and more. See also Accident Reports
18. Hastings Symphony Orchestra Season concert information.
19. Hastings Tribune.com Local newspaper with some articles available online.
20. Hastingslink.com Free classifieds, Partyline recap, local churches, service clubs, local information.
21. Heartland Pet Connection Shelter for homeless animals in the South Central Nebraska region. Includes information about adoptable pets with pictures and volunteer opportunities.
22. HPAC Hastings Public Access Corporation Contact information and weekly schedule for local public access channel 12.
23. Kool-Aid Days Schedule of the celebration. Includes the history of Kool-Aid, which has its origins in Hastings.
24. The Listening Room Schedule of concerts, address and contact information.
25. Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital Local hospital; use Bundles of Joy link to see baby pictures.
26. Nebraska Library Commission Check out the commission's "Best of the Web" links.
27. Nebraska State Patrol: Sex Offender Registry
28. PetAmberAlertNational lost pet recovery system.
29. Prairie Loft Center for Outdoor and Agricultural Learning Offers several programs and festivals throughout the year as well as a site for a community garden.
30. Rise Above Meth Ron Gardner Methamphetamine Coalition Project (a local organization) Drug prevention and awareness web site.
31. Sachtleben Observatory The public is invited to free astronomy presentations and night sky viewings two Saturdays per month, weather permitting.

Also see the Your Community page.

Community – Local Schools & Colleges

1. Adams Central Jr.–Sr. High School Grades 7–12. Home of the Patriots. Calendar of events
2. Central Community College, Hastings Campus Degrees, diplomas and certificates in 28 career and technical education programs, as well as academic transfer courses.
3. Hastings Catholic Schools Online Web site for St. Michael's elementary school and St. Cecilia Middle and High School. Activity calendar
4. Hastings College Private, undergraduate, four-year, residential liberal arts college.
5. Hastings High School Grades 9–12. Home of the Tigers.
6. Hastings Middle School Grades 7 & 8. Home of the Panthers. A new 6–8 middle school building is being built at 2nd and Marion in Hastings.
7. Hastings Public Schools Information about the school district and specific schools. Official school calendar
8. Hastings Public Schools Parent Link Parents may log in to Power School to track student's progress in school. Must obtain log-in information from school.
9. Kenesaw Public School Home of the Blue Devils.
10. Nebraska School Activities Association Information and schedules for high school sports, plays, debate, speech, music.
11. Sandy Creek Jr/Sr High School Home of the Cougars. Calendar, lunch menus, and daily announcements are available from this site.
12. 

Consumer

1. AARP Information, advocacy and benefits for people over age 50.
2. Better Business Bureau File a complaint, check out a business or charity, and get consumer tips.
3. Care for Animals Sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Information from choosing a pet to dealing with the death of a pet.
4. Clark Howard.com Find advice on such topics as travel, cars, student loans, landlords, telephone service, and more. Clark Howard, "America's consumer champion," is a regular on CNN's DayBreak.
5. CNET.com Find reviews and prices on the latest electronics as well as downloads.
6. Consumer.gov Information from the federal government on everything from shopping online to food safety.
7. Consumer Guide Automotive is the leading online consumer-focused, trusted resource for authoritative and objective reports on new and used vehicles.
8. Consumer Publications for Citizens from USA.gov  This Federal Citizen Information Center site offers important consumer information and publications to help you make important life decisions.
9. Consumer Product Safety Commission The CPSC's web site on recalls and product safety news.

10. DTV issues For the latest information about the digital tv transition try these web sites: American Library Assoc., Natl. Assoc. of Broadcasters and the FCC.

11. Fueleconomy.gov The Department of Energy source for fuel economy in cars. En español| Mobile
12. FTC Consumer Information Links to help you avoid rip-offs and exercise your consumer rights.
13. gethuman 500 database Talk to a real person—this cheat sheet gets you around those annoying phone menus.
14. Give.org Find and research organizations for charitable giving.
15. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Supplements NHTSA tests with offset vehicle crash tests.
16. manualslib: The Ultimate Manuals Library One stop location to search for a product manual.
17. National Do Not Call Registry Offers registration for consumers to stop telemarketers from calling; or call 888-382-1222.
18. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Crash tests on vehicles back to 1990.
19. PC Hell When your personal computer is driving you crazy, they may have a remedy.
20. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Explains how to protect your privacy and what to do if your rights are violated.
21. Realtor.com National listing of homes for sale and many other features.
22. Recalls.gov Your online resource for government recalls.
23. Spychecker Not sure if the free software you are about to download is in fact spyware or adware?

Directories

1. 2-1-1 by the United Way Search for human services and volunteer opportunities in your community.
2. AnyWho Reverse lookup for people and businesses.
3. Free E-mail Address Directory Lists and evaluates free e-mail services.
4. Internettollfree.com The online search engine for the National Tollfree Directory.

5. RefUSA A name and address directory for business and residential. (Library-paid subscription service, password is your library card number.) See our Databases page for more information.

6. Switchboard White pages, yellow pages, reverse (search by number), e-mail search and more.
7. Telephone Directories on the Web Business and residential directories for the U.S. and other countries.
8. ThomasNet by ThomasRegister  Directory of manufacturers.
9. United States Postal Service Zip code lookup, track your mail, calculate postage, more.
10. WasteCap Nebraska This guide is intended to assist local businesses in locating service providers to meet all of their waste reduction and recycling needs.

eBooks: What's available for free.

My library, anytime, with Nebraska OverDrive Libraries. With support from the Nebraska Library Commission, HPL now offers audio digital books and eBooks.

Other online resource for eBooks. (Links and descriptions provided by the Public Libraries Online .)

1. Baen Books This science fiction and fantasy publisher is making some of its titles available digitally and includes some well known authors. About 120 titles are currently available but new titles are being added regularly.
2. Book Lending Book Lending is a website that matches lenders and borrowers of Kindle e-books. To participate in lending and borrowing Kindle books, you must first register as a user on the site or connect with Facebook Connect.
3. Digital Book Index Digital Book Index provides links to more than 165,000 full-text digital books. More than 140,000 of these books, texts, and documents are available free although there are some titles that do have a download fee.
4. Free e-books Free standard memberships give members unlimited access to e-books in the HTML format and access to 5 e-books every month in the PDF and/or TXT formats. Free-e-books.net is maintained by a group of bibliophiles whose mission is to promote literacy and share their author's messages with the world.
5. Google Books Google offers nearly 3 million free e-books from the public domain. Some of the most popular free classics can be browsed in the store using the "Free Classics" shelf. In addition, they have partnered with publishers and authors to make hundreds of thousands of e-books available for purchase.
6. Inkmesh This search engine makes it easier to find free e-books and compare e-book prices for the Kindle, iPhone, Sony Reader, Nook and more. Searching only free e-books is possible; limiting to just Sony, Kobo, Kindle, Smashwords, Nook, and Baen books is also an option. Each record indicates the devices that are compatible.
7. Munseys Offering 20,000 titles in 12 formats, Munseys explicitly identifies proper choice for Kindles, Nooks and Sony Readers.
8. The Online Books Page This is a website that facilitates access to books that are freely readable over the Internet. It also aims to encourage the development of such online books, for the benefit and edification of all.
9. Open Library Open Library is an online site of over 1 million books and is part of the Internet Archive. Not all of the titles are available in digital format – some records link to WorldCat where library holdings of physical copies can be viewed. Also available are e-books for users with an OpenLIbrary.org account enabling the borrowing of the lendable e-books using laptops, reading devices or library computers. The Internet Archive and participating libraries have selected digitized books from their collections that are available to be borrowed by one patron at a time for free. These books can be read in an internet browser, and PDF and EPUB formats managed by Adobe Digital Editions (and Daisy for the print disabled). You can choose which format you prefer as you complete the borrowing process. Account holders can borrow up to 5 e-books at a time for up to 2 weeks. Books may only be borrowed by one person at a time.
10. Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg allows download of over 33,000 free e-books to read on a PC, iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone, Android or other portable device. These are high quality e-books previously published by bona fide publishers and digitized with the help of thousands of volunteers. All e-books can be freely downloaded. No registration is required. Note: OverDrive has linked 15,000 titles from Project Gutenberg that patrons can download and transfer to their portable devices. These checkouts never expire and don’t count against loan limits.

Education

1. FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid  The fundamental qualifying form used for all federal and government-guaranteed commercial lenders’ programs—as well as for many state, regional and private student aid programs. Apply online or call 1-800-433-3243 to request a hard copy.
2. Federal School Search Code For students filling out their FAFSA applications.
3. Home School Recources: NebraskAccess Websites and databases for Nebraskans.
4. Nebraska Education Links & Resources Links and resources for educators plus links to Nebraska schools.
5. Search for Schools, Colleges and Libraries from the National Center for Education Statistics  Shows statistics for schools, libraries and colleges.

For students doing research see our Databases page for finding articles and more.

Entertainment

1. CrazyAboutTV.com TV show trivia, episode lists, descriptions, and cast photos.
2. Dead People Server Answers the question, "Is he dead or still alive?" with regards to famous people.
3. ESPN.com Up-to-the-minute sports news, statistics, analysis and scores; live event webcasts; live chat with players, ESPN experts and other sports personalities.
4. IMDb - The Internet Movie Database All the information on big-screen and TV movies, including actor biograhies.
5. Metacritic What movie should you see? Read reviews on new movies, videos, music and computer games.
6. Movie Mistakes Goofs, bloopers, pictures, quotes and trivia from thousands of movies.
7. National Gallery of Art Take a virtual tour of various exhibitions.
8. NPR National Public Radio's site offers information on their programs, trivia quiz and news.
9. Nebraska School Activities Association Find information and schedules for high school sports, plays, debate, speech, music, and other activities.
10. Rotten Tomatoes Movies and videos rated on the "tomatometer", reviews, plot synopses, and links to trailers.
11. YouTube Broadcast yourself.

Looking for more online resources? Try our Databases page.

Español

1. Batanga Escuchar música, ver videos, descubrir nuevos artistas, crear su propia estación de radio para compartirla con sus amigos. En español o inglés.
2. Centro Federal de Información para el Público Noticias de salud y finanzas para el consumidor.
3. CNN en Español Noticias inmediatas y con credibilidad a nivel mundial.
4. ESL—About.com Aprende y practica inglés. Todo en inglés.
5. ESL—Aprender Inglés Varios recursos para el estudiante principiante de inglés.
6. familydoctor.org Información de salud para toda la familia.
7. GobiernoUSA.gov Información y servicios del gobierno de los Estados Unidos en español.
8. HablaConTusHijos.org
9. Inglés para el Latino Un surtido de recursos: ortografía, lectura, redacción, pronunciación, proverbios y más.
10. MedlinePlus Información de salud de la Biblioteca Nacionál de la Medicina.
11. Mundo LatinoTu idioma, tu gente, tu cultura, tu punto de inicio en Internet.
12. Recursos en español "La misión del Departamento de Educación de los Estados Unidos es garantizar igualdad de acceso a la educación y promover la excelencia en la educación por todo el país."
13. Terra.com Noticias, entrenimiento, y más para latinos.
14. Univision.com Canal de televisión con noticias, entretenimiento y deportes en español.

Finance

1. BigCharts Stock quotes, searchable by keyword or symbol; covers NYSE, NASDAQ, Dow Jones averages.
2. Bloomberg.com Market data for all the major international stock indexes.
3. CNNMoney.com Business, financial, and personal finance news.
4. The Investment FAQ Answers to investment and personal finance questions compiled from an Internet Usenet newsgroup.
5. Morningstar Stocks and mutual fund information from the experts.
6. ReferenceUSA Includes links to financial statistics: current stock quotes, Edgar Financial Information, credit ratings, annual reports and much more. (Password required, must have a current library card.) See our Databasespage for more resource tools.
7. Yahoo! Finance Historical stock quotes back to 1980, markets, mutual funds.

Looking for more online resources about finance? Try Reference USA on our Databases —Business Information & Statistics page.

Food

1. Allrecipes More than 40,000 free recipes—all created, tested, reviewed and approved by home cooks worldwide.
2. Epicurious.com Gourmet food site, recipe search, and food and cooking terms.
3. Foodonthetable.com The web and mobile service takes a family's preferences and the sales at local grocery stores to create a customized meal plan and organized grocery list.
4. RecipeSource The new home for SOAR, the Searchable Online Archive of Recipes. Recipes indentified with ethnic cuisines by region, and recipes by type of dish.
5. Top Secret Recipes Brand-name recipes to make at home.

Genealogy

1. Adams County Genealogical Society Contact, resources, and membership information.
2. Adams County Historical Society Information about the history of Adams County and the society itself.
3. Ancestor Search A metasearch engine that lets you search several databases at once, also free printable charts.
4. Ancestry.com Database Explore genealogy, family trees, and family history records online, including census, vital, church, court, and immigration records, as well as record collections from Canada and other areas. Access Ancestry.com from the library. (This subscription database is for use only at the library. Also try our Genealogy page.)
5. Archives.gov from the U.S. National Archives and Record Administration  Find sources for military, immigration, ships' records, homestead, and census-related information.
6. Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet More than 200,000 links, indexed and cross-referenced.
7. Ellis Island Free Port of New York passenger records search, 1892 to 1924.
8. FamilySearch.org Sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints  Searchable indexes of over 360 million names extracted from vital records from the British Isles and North America.
9. Genealogy.com How-to information and megalinks, plus create your family tree online.
10. GenealogySpot Quickly and easily find the best resources to perform ancestor searches by state, country, ethnicity and religion, browse historical records, access reference tools, locate lost family members, join genealogy communities and much more.
11. GeneaSearch Free genealogy look-ups, tips, databases, free searches, photos, links, family newsletters.
12. HeritageQuest Online Your resource for family and local history. This collection assembles genealogies, local histories, primary source materials, and genealogical and local history serials. HeritageQuest Online includes over 25,000 family and local history books and the complete US Federal Census 1790-1930. Access HeritageQuest Online (Password required for home access. Also try our Genealogy page.)
13. Interment.net Cemetery records for 5,000+ cemeteries around the world.
14. NE Health & Human Services Birth, death and marriage certificates.
15. Nebraska State Historical Society Catalog and Databases Search the Historical Society's collection.
16. Nebraska State Historical Society Guide to Genealogical Research Guidelines and resource lists for researching library, archival, and photographic materials that may be used in compiling family histories.
17. NebraskaStudies.org Nebraska history timeline. Offers teachers, students, and history buffs access to archival photos, documents, letters, video segments, maps, and more.
18. NEGenWeb Adams County History, cemeteries, courthouse records, historical markers, more.
19. RootsWeb The oldest and largest free genealogy site. Comprehensive tools and resources for your genealogy research.
20. Saving Your Treasures A Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) web site View videos about how to preserve family treasures: photos, books, quilts and guns. There is also a video to help you decide what to keep. A collaborative effort from the Nebraska State Historical Society, NET, and the Nebraska Library Commission.
21. Treasure Maps Free genealogy search tips, how-to articles, and family tree assistance. Includes tutorials about deciphering old handwriting and doing tombstone rubbings.
22. Top Fifty Websites for Doing Family History List compiled by Alan E. Mann, AG (Accredited Genealogist).
23. U.S. Census Search Surname searching available, but volunteers are transcribing the records so it is incomplete.
24. The USGenWeb Project Links to state and county resources.
25. What’s New in Genealogy on the Internet List compiled by Alan E. Mann, AG (Accredited Genealogist).
26. WorldGenWeb Project Worldwide genealogy links.

For genealogy books and other online resources—including Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online —try our Genealogy page.

Government

1. Department of Motor Vehicles Online practice test for Nebraska Driver's License.
2. NE Department of Economic Development Information of special interest to businesses.
3. Nebraska.gov Nebraska's state government information portal.
4. Nebraska Legislators, Past and Present Provides basic information about State Senators serving in the Unicameral since 1937, and the dates of the Nebraska Legislative Journal that can be consulted for information on bills that they sponsored.
5. Nebraska Legislature Updates, bills, laws, current senators, Nebraska Blue Book.
6. Selective Service System Register online and check a registration.
7. United States House of Representatives Search the U.S. Code, House representatives directory, committees, more.
8. United States Postal Service ZIP code lookup, track your mail, calculate postage, more.
9. United States Senate Track and research bills, contact your senator, visitor's information, more.
10. USA.gov The U.S. Government's official Web portal. En español

History

1. Adams County Historical Society Information about the history of Adams County and the society itself.
2. American Journeys Eyewitness accounts of early American exploration and settlement. Digital library and learning center.
3. American Memory Library of Congress collection of more than 7 million digital items from more than 100 historical collections.
4. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School One of the broadest collections of historical and legal documents available on the Web. Mostly in text format, from pre-18th Century to current. Examples include the 1795 treaty between the U.S. and Algeria and a section of the proceedings from the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials.
5. Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Makes available the Nebraska edition of the Lewis & Clark journals.
6. Lewis, Clark and Beyond Formerly Lewis and Clark gNET  Journals, maps, videos and much more to explore for Lewis and Clark information.
7. Nebraska Memories Includes books from the Hastings Public Library's collection Cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers.
8. Nebraska State Historical Society
9. Nebraska State Historical Society Catalog and Databases Search the Historical Society's collection.
10. NebraskaStudies.org Nebraska history timeline. Offers teachers, students, and history buffs access to archival photos, documents, letters, video segments, maps, and more.
11. Nebraska Western Trails Find a wide range of artifacts, books, documents, maps, and photographs on a variety of topics relating to trails in Nebraska.
12. Omaha Public Library Digital Collections Includes: Early Omaha: Gateway to the West; Early Nebraska; Nebraska Memories; Trans-Mississippi & International Exposition of 1898;and World Stereoview Collection.
13. Penny Postcards from Nebraska a USGenWeb archives web site Find historical photographs printed on penny postcards by county. You may also submit your historic postcards.
14. Prairie Settlement: Nebraska Photographs and Family Letter from the Library of Congress  Part of the American Memory collections. This digital collection integrates two collections from the holdings of the Nebraska State Historical Society.
15. Saving Your Treasures an NET web site View videos about how to preserve family treasures: photos, books, quilts and guns. There is also a video to help you decide what to keep. (A collaborative effort from the Nebraska State Historical Society, NET and the Nebraska Library Commission.)

Also available on our Databases page.

Jobs

1. CareerBuilder One of the largest job listings sites on the Internet. The Salary Calculator compares the cost of living.
2. careerlink.com America Browse by career field and state.
3. CareerOneStop Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor  Find a job, locate career information, assess and upgrade your skills, learn how to deal with layoffs.
4. Glassdoor.com Gives you an inside look at company, salary details, reviews, and interview questions for thousands of companies.
5. JobBank USA Search nationally or by state, for permanent or temporary employment, internships and more.
6. JobSearchUSA.org "Connecting jobseekers and employers."
7. Monster.com National job listings with career advice for all levels and areas.
8. NE Worksby Nebraska Department of Labor Provides job searches, resume services and assistance to job seekers. Formerly Nebraska Job Link.
9. Nebraska Career Connections provides educational and career planning resources for all Nebraskans – students, parents, educators, adult job seekers, and employers.
10. Nebraska Department of LaborOfficial Nebraska website, resources for workers and employers.
11. Nebraska Vocational Rehabilitation Employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
12. Study Guide Zone This site is a treasure trove of free resources for students, beginning professionals, and anyone else who wants to improve his or her score on a standardized test. Tests covered include: the ACT, ASVAB, GED, GRE, LSAT, SAT and many more.

Looking for business contacts or information to help prepare for an interview? Try Reference USA on our Databases —Business Information & Statistics page.

Legal

1. All About Forms Offers more than 2,000 free legal forms, and answers to common legal and financial questions.
2. American Bar Association Public resources page includes practical guides to legal issues as well as an overview of courts and legal procedure.
3. United States Copyright Office Everything you need to know about copyright.
4. FindLaw Legal guides, find a lawyer, Supreme Court opinions, legal forms, U. S. Code, state codes, more.
5. findlegalhelp.org Useful information provided by the American Bar Association.
6. Internet Legal Research GroupSearchable database. Scroll down for forms and links.
7. Legal Aid of Nebraska Addresses of statewide offices, list of services, and handbooks on divorce, bankruptcy and landlord/tenant issues. Their mission is "to promote justice, dignity, hope and self-sufficiency through quality civil legal aid for those who have no where else to turn".
8. Nebraska Appleseed A non-profit, non-partisan law project committed to equal justice for all Nebraskans.
9. Nebraska Judicial Branch Court information, forms, and educational links for students.
10. Nebraska Legislature Information on bills, senators, Nebraska laws (statutes), more.
11. Nebraska Simple Divorce Forms Provided by the Nebraska Supreme Court as a public service to people who want to do their own divorce cases.
12. Nebraska State Bar Association Pamphlets on the topics of bankruptcy, buying a home, child support, contracts and credit, custody and visitation, joint tenancy, and much more. En español
13. Nebraska State Patrol Criminal History ReportsRequest criminal history reports online
14. Nebraska Supreme Court: Legal Forms
15. THOMAS by the Library of Congress  The best place to find federal legislative information for the past few years, including pending legislation.
16. Volunteer Lawyers Project by the Nebraska State Bar Association  VLP seeks to match people who have civil legal problems with attorneys who are willing to provide legal assistance on a pro bono, reduced-fee, contingency fee or full fee basis.

Media

1. HastingsTribune.com Community news, sports, opinions, obituaries, and classifieds. Articles are featured daily for free. Online subscription required for full access.
2. National Public Radio News, program listings, transcripts, more.
3. The New York Times Continuous news updates.
4. Today's Front Pages View the front pages of over 500 newspapers from more than 50 countries, with links to their web sites.

Medical and Mental Health

1. 2-1-1 by the United Way Search for human services and volunteer opportunities in your community.
2. American Cancer Society Significant amount of information, and contacts related to cancer topics.
3. American Dietetic Association Nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.
4. Asbestos.com | Mesothelioma The Mesothelioma Center offers comprehensive and updated information on asbestos exposure and a list of mesothelioma causes.
5. American Heart Association Check out the Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia.
6. BabyCenter For new and expectant parents to provide information, guidance and products for their babies.
7. Bring Change to Mind Change a mind, change a life. 1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Addresses the stigma and issues associated with mental illness as well as support for family members.
8. CAPHIS from the Medical Library Association  Consumer and patient health information.
9. CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. En español
10. CHIRS Consumer Health Information Resource Service  Provides medical information free to Nebraska residents. From the University of Nebraska Medical Center's McGoogan Library of Medicine.
11. ClinicalTrials.gov from the National Library of Medicine  NLM's searchable database of clinical trials.
12. Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs Reports and information to guide consumers and doctors in making more cost-effective prescription drug choices. Information offered in Spanish.
13. Cyberdiet Nutritional profile tool lets you determine your best daily calorie and nutrient intake.
14. DIRLINE Online directory of health organizations, from the National Library of Medicine.
15. Drugfree.org The Partnership for a drug-free America. Many resources concerning drug and alchohol use.
16. familydoctor.org Health information for the whole family, compiled by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
17. FDA US Food and Drug Administration Find information about counterfeit drugs, clinical trials, food safety issues and more.
18. Health & Nutrition from USA.gov  Official information and services from the U.S. government. En español
19. healthfinder.gov from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services  Links to carefully selected web sites from 1500 health-related organizations. En español
20. HIV InSite AIDS information site developed by the University of CA–San Fransisco.
21. Internet Mental Health Ceated by a Canadian psychiatrist. Information on disorders and medications.
22. KidsHealth Created by the Nemours Foundation, with health information for children, teens, and parents.
23. Mayo Clinic "Tools for healthier lives." Find information about diseases, drugs, and health tools.
24. MedicineNet Includes a medical dictionary as well as a procedures and tests section.
25. MedlinePlus Comprehensive consumer health site, from the National Library of Medicine. En español
26. Mesothelioma Support NetworkInformation about symptoms, causes, treatments and more.
27. My Stroke of Insight Video | Brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor studied her own stroke as it happened -- and has become a powerful voice for brain recovery.
28. NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness  "The nation's voice on mental illness." Inform yourself, find support, take action. En español
29. National Cancer Institute Treatment information, clinical trials, coping with cancer, more. En español
30. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Information on making informed choices about integrating alternative therapy with conventional treatment. En español
31. National Institute of Mental Health Information for the public on mental disorders affecting adults and children.
32. National Library of Medicine (NLM) Current health news on hot topics as well as other health-related links and topics.
33. National Network of Libraries of Medicine Basic tutorials about finding online medical information and using MedlinePlus.
34. NeedyMeds.org "Find help with the cost of medicine." Download a free discount drug card. En español
35. NIHSeniorHealth.gov from the National Library of Medicine  NLM's site for older adults.
36. NOAH New York Online Access to Health  Quality-filtered consumer health information. En español
37. Quackwatch Guide to health fraud questions about consumer health will be answered by e-mail.
38. Rise Above Meth Ron Gardner Methamphetamine Coalition Project (a local organization) Drug prevention and awareness web site.
39. RxList Internet drug index gives list of possibilities if you misspell the drug's name.
40. Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator Search this database for treatment facilites by location.
41. Tox Town from the National Library of Medicine  Tox Town gives an introduction to toxic chemicals and environmental health risks you might encounter in everyday life, in everyday places. En español

Parenting

1. Amber Alert America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.
2. BabyCenter See how your baby develops during pregnancy, lullaby library, traditions and celebration ideas.
3. Common Sense Media Source for family-friendly reviews and resource for parents looking for age-appropriate media for their kids. Includes reviews of movies, TV, music, video games, books, magazines, and web sites.
4. DARE.orgDrug Abuse Resistance Education for children.
5. Drugfree.org The Partnership for a drug-free America. Many resources for parents concerning drug and alchohol use.
6. DXMstories.comInformation for teens by teens about the dangers of cough medicine abuse.
7. FamilyEducation Their mission is to "help parents help their kids learn"; tips from experts and parent discussions.
8. Family.com "Media Madness" is an entertainment review finder, party planner, even "Time for You" ideas.
9. Family Watchdog National database of sex offenders. FAQ page
10. Five Moms: Stopping cough medicine abuse
11. The Gateway to Educational Materials by the U. S. Dept. of Education  A free, meta-search engine that lets educators (and parents) search for lesson plans from over 24,480 different Internet resources.
12. Girls and Boys Town Help for parents and kids.
13. Kids-in-Mind Movies rated by violence, sexual content, and language for better informed decisions. Provide parents and other adults with information about a film's content.
14. Math & Reading Help for Kids Homework help, articles for kids and parents.
15. NotinMyHouse.orgSite to help parents learn steps to prevent prescription drug abuse.
16. ParentingScience.com "Parenting Science is your source for cutting-edge research news and practical, science-based tips about child development and child-rearing."
17. Pregnancy and Parenting formerly Parent Soup  Information "for today's mom" regarding all stages of pregnancy and all ages of children.
18. StopMedicineAbuse.orgLearn about medicine about and advice on how to prevent abuse.
19. TimeToTalk provides easy-to-use guides and tips to help you have ongoing conversations with your kids to keep them healthy and drug-free.
20. TimeToTalk/Military Designed specifically for military parents of tweens and teens, the free talk kit addresses issues of military families.
    

Reference

1. Acronym Search Over 40,000 acronyms and abbreviations in many categories, including chat, computer, military, finance, accounting, airports, sports, and classified.
2. Babelfish Free online translator
3. Bare Bones 101 A quick and easy online Internet tutorial.
4. Bartleby.com Search for a quotation, a word in the dictionary, even play an audio pronunciation.
5. BBC Languages Language learning material including beginners', audio and video courses.
6. Common Errors in English Find correct word and grammar usage.
7. Digital Copyright Slider Is it protected by copyright? (For works first published in the U.S.A.)
8. Ditto.com Search for images on the Web or browse images by category. 500 million new pictures are available.
9. FreePatentsOnline Provides fast, free access to all U.S. patents and patent applications, partial European data, free PDF downloading, free account features, more.
10. Grammarbook.comResource for grammar and punctuation.
11. Historic American Sheet Music by Duke University Library  Comprehensive collection of 19th and early 20th century American sheet music in digital reproduction.
12. HowStuffWorks Explains everything from autos to home appliances to the human body to the Internet, and much, much more.
13. Internet Public Library FAQs Don't see an answer to your question? Just ask an IPL librarian. Plus find the all-time best selling books and authors list.
14. LibrarySpot Covers acronyms, how-to sites, literary criticism, ZIP codes and more. Great for students of all ages.
15. OneLook Dictionary Search Search engine that locates terms in online dictionaries, offers a wide variety of sources.
16. OnlineConversion.com Convert over 5,000 kinds of measurements.
17. Polley Music Library Find the music of old Nebraska via a sheet music digitization project from Lincoln City Libraries' Polley Music Library.
18. Quoteland Quotes by topic or author, sports quotes, and quotes for special occasions.
19. refdesk.com "The single best source for facts." Thesauri, almanacs, currency converters, site of the day.
20. RhymeZone Rhyming dictionary, Shakespeare concordance, and quotation finder.
21. Snopes.com"the definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation."
22. U.S. Census BureauFind all kinds of population statistics. Search by city to find the population. Be sure to check out the American Fact Finder.
23. WhatIs.com An encyclopedia of technology terms only. Search by keyword or browse the index.
24. WordReference.com Free online translation dictionaries in Spanish, French, and Italian.
25. YourDictionaryMore than 1800 dictionaries and more than 250 languages, grammar guides and more.

Doing research? Also try our Databases page for magazine indexes and more.

Search Engines

1. AllExperts E-mail an expert in a particular field your question-guaranteed answer within 3 days.
2. AltaVista Limit your search to images, audio, or video, or English only.
3. Ask.com Innovative search technologies deliver fast and relevant information.
4. Blinkx Search for videos in the news, entertainment, business, sports and more.
5. Google Advanced Search Very popular, its advanced search has some great features, including searching over 250 million images.
6. ixquick Search the Web for information, pictures, MP3 files, using regular searches, natural language, or boolean.
7. Internet Archive A digital library of the Internet, also has the Wayback Machine, which can show you a web page that no longer exists.
8. Librarian's Index to the Internet Go right to the good stuff! Good descriptions of the links they include.
9. MetaCrawler Searches several different search engines at once.
10. Monster Crawler Metasearch for auctions, MP3 files, news or just search the Web.
11. NoodleTools A guide to choosing the best search engine for your needs.
12. Search Engine Watch Web searching tips, lists major search engines, MP3 search engines, kid-safe services, and more.

Searching for articles or addresses? Try our Databases page.

Shopping

1. Amazing-Bargains.com Coupons and discount codes for more than 200 major online stores. Browse by store or category.
2. Autoweb.com Covers new and used autos, free lemon check, loan/lease comparison, view interiors.
3. CNET.com Ratings and reviews of computers, electronics, games by computer experts.
4. Consumer Guide Automotive is the leading online consumer-focused, trusted resource for authoritative and objective reports on new and used vehicles.
5. ConsumerSearch Presents reviews on all kinds of products and tells you the reviewer's qualifications.
6. Dealtime Compare products, prices and stores.
7. Edmunds Automobile buyer's guides with dealer invoice prices and ratings.
8. Froogle Comparision shop the Web with the Google product search.
9. Kelley Blue Book Offers a wealth of used car information, back to model year 1980.
10. NADA Guides New, used and collectible autos, recreational vehicles, manufactured housing, snowmobiles and motorcycle values.
11. PriceGrabber.com Comparison shopping plus consumer reviews.

Looking for consumer-related magazine articles? Try our Databases page.

Tax Help/Information

1. 1040.com Federal forms, instructions and e-file refund chart and links to state revenue web sites. E-file for a fee.
2. Free File Links to free e-file services or fill out a quick form to see if you qualify to e-file your federal tax return for free.Forms: Federal
3. Internal Revenue Service from the U.S. Treasury Find and print forms and tax information.
4. Nebraska Department of Revenue E-services, find and print forms and tax information.
5. Tax Forms: Federal | Nebraska (For other states' tax forms search "State" Department of Revenue.)

Travel & Weather

1. Central Nebraska AdventuresLinks to events and festivals, outdoor recreation, history and culture, water fun, reunions and conventions for central Nebraska.
2. Federal Highway Administration Links to national traffic and road conditions.
3. Fodor's Travel Guides Famous for travel books, the online version specializes in foreign travel and languages with a phrase book you can listen to.  Customize a mini-guide for the major city of your choice.
4. Google Maps Dynamic, interactive maps. Includes satellite view, which gives you access to satellite and aerial images.
5. MapQuest Find a detailed street map by address, calculate trip mileage and road travel time.
6. National Geographic's Forces of Nature Find information about volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
7. National Park Service Search for parks by name, state or interest.
8. National Traffic and Road Closure Information
9. National Weather Service in Hastings, NE Get 7-day forecasts and current conditions; see satellite photos.
10. Nebraska Dept. of Roads Reports and Travel Info Road conditions, truck information guide, gas prices nationwide.
11. NebraskaFlyway.comLinks, photos, facts and more for the crane enthusiast.
12. Nebraska Historical Marker Texts Map and Texts of Nebraska Historical Markers from the Nebraska State Historical Society.
13. Nebraska National Register Sites This web page describes the Nebraska properties that are on the National Register of Historic Places from the Nebraska State Historical Society.
14. Nebraska Travel & Tourism The official state government travel site.
15. Orbitz Travel service offering flight, hotel, and car rental information.
16. Rand McNally Road Construction Maps Find maps of the construction projects in each state for more reliable trip planning.
17. Smarter Travel Discount travel, student or senior travel, currency converter, distance calculator.
18. Travel from About.com A great collection of a variety of travel sites maintained by experts.
19. Travelocity One of the premier sites for airline tickets, hotel reservations and car rentals.
20. The Weather Channel 10-day forecast, flu reports, find local average temperatures to plan your packing.
21. The World Time Server Determine what time it is any where in the world; even adjusts for daylight savings.

Looking for businesses or restaurants close to your motel? Try Reference USA on our Databases —Business Information & Statistics page.

Web 2.0

1. Blogger Create your own blog. Blogs in Plain Englishby Common Craft video.
2. Bloglines Manage your RSS feeds, favorite blogs, podcasts, and web sites all in one location.
3. Delicious Social bookmarking. Sign up for a Delicious account and you'll have access to your favorite web sites from any computer. You can also organize your bookmarks with tags and share bookmarks with others.
4. Facebook Social networking site. Social Networking in Plain Englishby Common Craft video.
5. FlickrUse Flickr to back up, organize and share your photos with friends and family. Also check out the Great Flickr Tools Collectionand Flickr Bitssites to optimize your Flickr experience.
6. Google Reader Get all your news and blogs in one place.
7. Instant Messaging: Google Talk | Yahoo
8. Library Thing A community of book lovers. Create book lists, write reviews, find book lovers with similar interests, and book related events.
9. MySpace Social networking site.
10. PB Wiki Easy to use collaboration tools. Create your own wiki. Wikis in Plain Englishby Common Craft video.
11. Podcast directories: Podcastally.com| PodcastDirectory.com | Podcast.com | iTunes Podcasts
12. RSS in Plain Englishby Common Craft video.
13. SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards174 Web 2.0 sites in 41 categories.
14. SlideShare Share your slide show presentation and view other informative and fun presentations.
15. Twitter Stay connected with your network of family, friends and co-workers.
16. Twitter in Plain Englishby Common Craft video.
17. Web-based applications Free web-based options that are available as alternatives for traditional desktop office suite applications.
18. YouTubeBroadcast yourself. Share and search for videos.