The following list of educational resources is available for free from anywhere that you have access to an internet connection or mobile data.

By the way, all of our library branches offer free WiFi. The WiFi service is available during and after hours – no password needed.

This list will be updated frequently, so check back regularly.

JHLS-supported Programs:

EBSCO LearningExpress
The LearningExpress suite of eLearning solutions provides interactive tutorials, practice tests, e-books, flashcards and articles for academic skill-building, standardized test preparation, career development and more. Register for a free account to begin.
Start Here

Free Driver Education
Driver Education program for Mississippi: 11 car practice tests, 8 motorcycle practice tests, 3 Commercial Driver’s License practice tests, 3 online driver’s manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL), and a FAQ section with detailed answers to more than 100 DMV related questions.
Start Here

Get2College
Geared to students who may be preparing to go to college, the site sponsored by ESF has information about free ACT and SAT classes, financial aid, FAFSA preparation and a wealth of other topics.
Start Here

Universal Class for Libraries
Access over 500 online non-credit Continuing Education Courses. Attend class and do assignments on your schedule. Each course has a real instructor who you may communicate with using email. Sign up today. (Library card required.)
Start Here

Jackson/Hinds Library System on Pinterest
In addition to library updates and book recommendations, we also have boards such as Homework Help, Links for Kids and Craft and Game Ideas for Kids to help keep the little ones busy. Most items listed are totally free! You do not have to have a Pinterest account to view the pins.
Pinterest Page

Outside Resources:

For Kids, Tweens and Teens

These links are courtesy of Common Sense Education:

Biblionasium
Site for reviewing and sharing books makes reading a social adventure.
https://www.biblionasium.com/

ClassDojo
Handy management and portfolio tool that can promote student growth.
http://www.classdojo.com/

LearnZillion
Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers.
https://learnzillion.com/

MathGames
Fabulous free games, quiz questions address Common Core standards.
https://www.mathgames.com/

MetKids
Whimsical, kid-friendly intro to the wide world of art.
https://www.metmuseum.org/collection/metkids/

National Geographic Kids
Stunning photos and in-depth stories of Earth’s peoples and wildlife.
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

PBS KIDS
One-stop shop for a wealth of fantastic PBS KIDS educational content.
https://pbskids.org/

ReadWriteThink
Excellent free resource for all things reading and writing.
http://www.readwritethink.org/

Scholastic Learn at Home
Parent and educators can use these tools to keep kids learning and growing even when not in school. Email address required for access.
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html

Scratch
Creative sandbox opens the door to coding in any subject area.
http://scratch.mit.edu/

STEAM-y Wonderful Wednesday
STEAM-Y Wonderful Wednesday is a video series posted on the Los Angeles Public Library’s North Hollywood Regional Branch’s Facebook page every Wednesday. The videos show fun science experiments using everyday household items. Kids and their parents are strongly encouraged to follow along with the videos.
https://programminglibrarian.org/programs/steam-y-wonderful-wednesday

Storybird
Social storytelling site helps kids create, publish storybooks.
https://storybird.com/

TIME for Kids
Although the magazine requires a subscription, the website has free articles with stories and activities according to grade level (K-6).
https://www.timeforkids.com/

FunBrain Jr.
Funbrain Jr. helps preschoolers and kindergarteners jumpstart their journey of learning with engaging games, stories and printables.
http://www.funbrainjr.com/

Girls Who Code – Code At Home
Access weekly online and offline computer science activities to try. Each activity will include a feature of a woman in tech who pioneered innovative technology.
https://girlswhocode.com/code-at-home/

Highlights Kids
Play games, learn new jokes, get craft and recipe ideas, listen to podcasts and much more. Available on iOS and Android.
https://www.highlightskids.com/

Historians 4SC
Students who participate write an editorial (op-ed) article on an event in history as if they are currently living in that period.
https://historians4sc.org/

iCivics
iCivics is now the largest provider of civics curriculum in the nation, reaching nearly 200,000 teachers and more than 5 million students, in all 50 states.
https://www.icivics.org/

International Children’s Digital Library
Includes free e-books, games, creative writing prompts and other activities in several languages.
http://en.childrenslibrary.org/books/activities/index.shtml

Into the Book
Into the Book is a reading comprehension resource for elementary students and teachers.
https://reading.ecb.org/

Junie B. Jones Printables and Activities
From printable cards and bookmarks to themed activity packs, kids will delight as they go through mazes, connect-the-dots, and practice their writing with Junie B.
https://www.readbrightly.com/junie-b-jones-activities-printables/

Khan Academy
Created by experts, Khan Academy’s library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more. It’s all free for learners and teachers.
https://www.khanacademy.org/

MathScore
Includes assessment tools to learn math fast and worksheet generators.
http://www.mathscore.com/

Mississippi Children’s Museum at Home
These activities focus on our three primary initiatives: health and nutrition, literacy and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math).
https://mschildrensmuseum.org/athome

Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Kids Corner
This page offers games, puzzles, and other fun activities related to the museum’s permanent and special exhibits for Pre-K through high school students.
http://www.mdwfp.com/museum/learn-teach/kids-corner/

MPB At-Home Learning
This page of free resources from Mississippi Public Broadcasting will help parents and educators keep children and students learning at home.
https://education.mpbonline.org/mpbathomelearning/

NASA Kids’ Club
On this site, you will find games of various skill levels for children pre-K through grade 4. These games support national education standards in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

Prodigy
Easily motivate 1st to 8th grade students to learn and practice math. Accessible at home or in class.
https://www.prodigygame.com/

Scholastic
Read, play and connect with other online users. Be sure to check out The Magic School Bus page!
https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/home/

Seussville
Read, play games, and hang out with Dr. Seuss and his friends.
https://www.seussville.com/

Solitaire Bliss
Build critical thinking and problem-solving skills with this classic card game. Includes 36 free online versions of strategic games such as Yukon, 40 Thieves, and Mind Games.
https://www.solitairebliss.com/

Starfall
Practice your phonics skills with read-along stories. Most options with a low-cost membership program.
https://www.starfall.com/

Storyline Online
Thanks to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, have some of your favorite stories read to you by movie stars.
https://www.storylineonline.net/

Switch Zoo
Make new animals, play animal games, solve animal puzzles, take a guided tour, and join a zoo quest. Listen to music performed by animals, build a biome and online habitat,  and more. Includes lesson plans.
https://switchzoo.com/

A Tour of Mississippi with Marshall Ramsey
You can download and print each sheet and color your way through Mississippi.
https://mississippitoday.org/2020/03/23/a-tour-of-mississippi-with-marshall-ramsey/

Wonderopolis
What does “once in a blue moon” mean? What are field trips called field trips? Get answers to these questions and more, or submit your own question to the Wonder Bank for a team member to answer.
https://wonderopolis.org/

For Adults

Academic Earth
Their curated lists of online courses are hand selected by their staff to show you the very best offerings by subject area.
https://academicearth.org/

Coursera
Choose from hundreds of free courses, or get a degree or certificate at a breakthrough price. Learn at your own pace, 100% online.
https://www.coursera.org/

edX
Access 2500+ online courses from 140 top institutions.
https://www.edx.org/

freeCodeCamp
Learn to code. Build projects. Earn certifications. Also check out the freeCodeCamp Jackson page on meetup.com to connect with locals who are learning to code.
https://www.freecodecamp.org

HowStuffWorks
Easy-to-understand answers and explanations of how the world actually works.
https://www.howstuffworks.com/

Mr. Robertson’s Corner
Meaningful reflections, stories, ideas, advice, and resources for high school and college undergraduate students. Topics include history, philosophy, critical thinking, the trades, business, careers, entrepreneurship, college majors, financial literacy, the arts, the social sciences, test prep, and more.
https://www.mrrobertsonscorner.com/

NASA
Explore NASA’s online activities, e-books, podcasts and other content.
https://www.nasa.gov/

Skillshare
On the Basic plan, access nearly 1,700 free courses, which includes videos and tutorials. Collaborate with other students via the online community. Available on iOS, Android and Apple TV. Want to support the instructors? Upgrade to premium for a small monthly fee.
https://www.skillshare.com/

For All Ages

Clio
Clio guides you to 30K museums and historic sites and now offers 500+ free walking tours! New sites and tours added daily by historical societies and universities nationwide. Allow the website to use your location to get a list of local options.
https://theclio.com

Duolingo
Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, Dutch, Danish, and English with bite-sized lessons. Earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up. Also available on Windows, iOS and Android.
https://www.duolingo.com/

GCFLearnFree.org
From Microsoft Office and email, to reading, math, and more—GCFLearnFree.org offers more than 200 topics, including more than 7,000 lessons, more than 1,000 videos, and more than 50 interactives and games, completely free. The program is offered by the Goodwill Community Foundation.
https://www.gcflearnfree.org

Healthy and Fun Choices
Healthy and Fun Choices is a platform of digital and printed materials that educate the concept of whole health (social, emotional, physical, environmental, and economic) in easy-to-understand ways.
https://www.healthyfunchoices.com/

Library of Congress E-Resources Online Catalog
Licensed and recommended free databases, indexing and abstracting services, and full-text reference resources.
https://eresources.loc.gov

Mindful Poetry Moments
Participating schools, individuals and organizations are offered recordings of poets reading their work. The audio will be accompanied by mindful prompts and meaning-making questions.
https://www.thewell.world/mindful-music/mindful-poetry-moments

Seacoast Science Center’s Learning Connection
Enjoy new lessons, activities, and resources to support at-home learning, empower children to investigate nature, and help families find respite from today’s challenges.
https://www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/explore-and-learn/your-learning-connection/

Voices of the Civil Rights Movement Video Collection
Comcast NBCUniversal’s Voices of the Civil Rights Movement platform honors the legacy and impact of the men and women who championed racial equality in the United States.  Watch short historical videos from the past and from current events.
https://voicesofthecivilrightsmovement.com/Video-Collection