Libraries are currently closed state-wide in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Please see Library Services FAQs button below for details.
Tweens/Teens
T.A.B. (Teen Advisory Board)
Youth ages 12-18 meet semi-annually to discuss books, movies, and teen issues and to plan and implement programs in our library. Call 715-273-3209 or stop by the library to sign up and to get further information.
Tween/Teen Programs
Watch the website or follow us on Facebook for dates and times!
Exciting new programs for teens ages 12-18 held throughout the year.
Totally Tuesday
fourth Tuesdays
drop in anytime between 4-7 pm
ages 1-99
kids under 10 – must be accompanied
by an adult
Hands on fun projects for all ages! Get creative and let your imagination run wild!
Reading Programs
Our teen summer and winter reading programs encourage teens to read or listen to books from our library. Each program has a fun theme and winning fabulous prizes is part of all the fun! Watch for details of the Teen Summer and Winter Reading Programs on the website, at the library, in the schools, and in the local newspaper.
Reading Lists
Epic Reads is an interactive website with contests, blogs, polls, reviews, author info, videos and book info.
Young Adult Series and Sequels is maintained by the Bettendorf Public Library. This is the site to go to for an awesome database of YA series titles.
http://www.graphicnovelreporter.com is all about finding out what’s hot in the world of graphic novels. Check the Manga glossary or current reviews for recommended reading. Read creators’ biographies or interviews. Check out “best-of” lists. Find out what books are being turned into movies. Join book clubs and read or post on blogs. Receive newsletters or RSS feeds.
Teenreads.com provides information about what’s new with This Week’s New Releases, and what books have been made into movies. Read reviews, author interviews, book blogs and more.
Reading Rants! has out of the ordinary teen book lists!
Great Graphic Novels for Teens lists are first rate in the marriage of storytelling and art and have appeal for a wide range of teen readers from the Young Adult Library Services Association.
Teen’s Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year!
The Hub site from YALSA offers recommendations for great teen reads, polls about your favorite teen reading topics and YA fun!
Wisconsin’s Digital Library for Teens is the place to download your favorite books!
Digital Library for Tweens/Teens
digital library for students in grades K-8 (choose kids or teens)!
Homework Resources
Easy Bib formats your citations in a variety of styles from a variety of sources.
Calculators allows the user to pick any type of online calculator needed to do your work, from basic to science to trigonometry!
WolframAlpha site computes answers to your questions or calculations. This is a great way to compare statistics and do complex math problems.
Learning Express Library uses your MORE library card to take practice tests, do skill builders and find information.
Merriam-Webster Online Search is four standard resources in one place! It includes an online dictionary, thesaurus, Spanish-English dictionary and a new medical dictionary.
B.J. Pinchbeck’s Homework Helper is a free education and homework resource for students, parents and teachers.
Driver's Education
Driving-Tests.org is a free driver education program that contains: 11 car practice tests, 9 motorcycle practice tests, 10 CDL practice tests, 3 online driver’s manuals (car, motorcycle, CDL), a FAQ section with detailed answers to 100+ DMV related questions, and road sign practice. Spanish versions are also included.
Technology Sites
Curiosity Machine supports students, parents and educators, and mentors to build, learn and teach using the engineering design process.
Tinker Cad is the easiest, fiercest 3D design tool around!
App Inventor is a free, cloud-based service that teaches the basics of programming apps for Android devices.
Made With Code is a google-led initiative to get more girls involved in computer programming.
Computer Science Online connects students with hundreds of MOOCs (college level classes made available, free of charge, for unlimited participation).
Scratch teaches programming language to create stories, games, and animation. It is designed and maintained by the LifeLong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. Kids have an option to join or refrain from sharing creations online with others.
Language Learning
Transparent Language Online is a free interactive, online language program that is accessed with a MORE library card.
Rocket Languages is a free interactive, online language program that is accessed with an Ellsworth Public Library card. Choose from 15 languages including English courses designed for Spanish speakers!
- Language Lessons to help you speak naturally
- Culture Lessons so you can understand the people
- Hear It Say It!, Know It!, and Write It! self-testing technology, so you can test your new language skills
- Rocket Record voice comparison technology for every word and phrase used in the course
- My Vocab; a feature that lets you store words for future reference
- My Notes; a feature that lets you add notes and reminders to a lesson
- My Forum, the online space where you can interact with other learners and your Rocket Languages teachers
- The Rocket Languages iOS and Android apps so you can use your course wherever you are
Learn About the World
Khan Academy provides over 3,300 video tutorials and interactive exercises in math, science, computer programming, history, economics, art, music and more.
TED Talks for Kids features videos of inspiring and informative speakers for teens.
Historical Resources
Reading like a Historian– “The Reading Like a Historian curriculum engages students in historical inquiry. Each lesson revolves around a central historical question and features a set of primary documents designed for groups of students with a range of reading skills.”
Atlas of the Geography of the United States – A dynamic map of the United States showing not only how states have changed and grown, but also the growth of churches, population and much more have moved throughout the early days of our country. There is an introductory video showing how it works, I’d recommend taking a glance before diving in.
American Panorama – Similar to the above atlas, but with a more diverse selection of maps encompassing everything from canal growth and use to the changes in our House of Representatives.
Reading like a Historian– “The Reading Like a Historian curriculum engages students in historical inquiry. Each lesson revolves around a central historical question and features a set of primary documents designed for groups of students with a range of reading skills.”
Atlas of the Geography of the United States – A dynamic map of the United States showing not only how states have changed and grown, but also the growth of churches, population and much more have moved throughout the early days of our country. There is an introductory video showing how it works, I’d recommend taking a glance before diving in.
American Panorama – Similar to the above atlas, but with a more diverse selection of maps encompassing everything from canal growth and use to the changes in our House of Representatives.
Zoo Live Cameras
Atlanta Zoo – Has a live camera feed of Pandas.
Houston Zoo -Has live camera feeds of Chimps, Elephants, Giraffes, Gorillas, Leafcutter Ants, and Rhinos.
Kansas City Zoo – Has live camera feeds of Giraffes, Penguins, and Polar Bears.
Maryland Zoo – Has live camera feeds of Flamingos, Giraffes, Goats, Lions, and Penguins.
National Zoo– Has live camera feeds of Elephants,Lions, Naked Mole Rats, and Pandas.
San Diego Zoo – Has live camera feeds of Apes, Baboons, Burrowing Owls, Condors, Elephants, Giraffes, Koalas, Penguins, Polar Bears, and Tigers.
Aquarium Live Cameras
Aquarium of the Pacific – Has live camera feeds of Jellyfish, Penguins, Sharks and large aquarium views.
Georgia Aquarium -Has live camera feeds of Beluga Whales, Jellyfish, Penguins, Piranhas, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, and the Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef.
Monterrey Bay Aquarium -Has live camera feeds of Aviary, Coral Reef, Jellyfish, Kelp Forests, Penguins, Sea Otters, and Sharks.
Other Live Cameras
Explore.org – This site has multiple live streams covering everything from nature cameras to animal sanctuaries.
Art Museums
Van Gogh Museum– “The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam houses the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) in the world.”
MASP – “The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a private, nonprofit museum founded by Brazilian businessman Assis Chateaubriand, in 1947, as Brazil’s first modern museum.”
Uffizi Gallery – “The Uffizi was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de’Medici to house the Granducal Magistratures of Tuscany.
Musée d’Orsay – “The Musee d’Orsay, … displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914.”
Louvre – “Visit the museum’s exhibition rooms and galleries, contemplate the façades of the Louvre… Come along on a virtual tour and enjoy the view, thanks to the sponsorship of Shiseido.”
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – “The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy.”
The J. Paul Getty Museum – “The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center features works of art dating from the eighth through the twenty-first century, showcased against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views of Los Angeles.”
The Art Institute of Chicago – “The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-renowned art museum housing one of the largest permanent collections in the United States. “
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – “Modeled after a Venetian palazzo, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston houses one of the world’s most remarkable art collections.”
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston– “The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world with a collection that exemplifies the breadth, richness, and diversity of artistic expression, from prehistoric times to modern day.”
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston– “Established in 1900, the MFAH is the largest cultural institution in the region. The majority of the museum’s presentations take place on its main campus, which is located in the heart of Houston’s Museum District .”
Science and Natural History Museums
National Museum of Natural History – “The Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History virtual tours allow visitors to take self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum from their desktop or mobile device.”
Zoology Museum of Barcelona – While also containing a panoramic view of their collections, this museum also contains 360 digital renders of over 500 animal bones to explore. Not all of the website is fully translated, so be careful.
History Museums
Canadian History Museum – Head up north and learn more about the history of our neighbors.
Arizona State Museum– Go to Arizona and take a tour of four different exhibits from their pottery vault to woven arts.
Other Museums
Boston’s Children’s Museum – “Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest, and one of the most influential children’s museums in the world.”
Music Live Streams
NPR Music – NPR offers up not only a large collection of music to listen to, but a large collection of live streamed and recorded jam sessions, concerts and events.
NPR’s List of Free Livestreamed Concerts – NPR is constantly updating this list of free live streamed concerts that are happening during the pandemic.
Berliner Philharmonic – Free access to live streamed concerts and recordings for the next 30 days.
Göteborgs Symfoniker – “The Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra will be available to all music lovers on GSOplay. The concerts can be enjoyed for free for anyone on the web or through [their] app – wherever you are.”
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
All three organizations above provide recordings and live streams of their performances at no-cost year round.
Metropolitan Opera – “Every day for the duration of the Met’s closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series will be made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 20 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 3:30 p.m. the following day.”
Free Coloring Pages
Coloring Nature – This website focuses mainly on animals and natural scenes.
Just Color– This website will provide multiple themed coloring pages for you to print off.
Super Coloring– This website will provide multiple themed free coloring pages for you to print off. Does contain ads.
Crayola– The absolute classic coloring medium provides free coloring pages for adults and kids.
#ColorourCollections – Launched by The New York Academy of Medicine Library in 2016, #ColorOurCollections is an annual coloring festival on social media during which libraries, museums, archives and other cultural institutions around the world share free coloring content featuring images from their collections.The coloring books from 2020 and previous years remain accessible year-round for free download
Digital Libraries and Collections
NASA – If you are interested in space and science, NASA has an e-book collection available to the public for free. Their website also contains multiple educational resources to explore.
International Children’s Digital Library – This online library has over 4,000 children’s books from around the world in a multitude of languages. If you are looking for tales from around the world or if you are learning a new language this is a place to stop by.
Poet.og – Produced by the Academy of American Poets, Poet.org has a large selections of poems available to read, including poem-a-day. Check out their selection, fall in love with a few new poems and maybe sign up for their poem-a-day newsletter. April is National Poetry Month, so maybe you should start thinking of how to celebrate.
The Internet Archive – Not an archive of the internet, but an archive on the internet. It’s a “non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.” Access old radio shows, early computer games, T.V. shows and over 23 Million books.
Digital Public Library of America – A collection of digital copies of original materials from various university libraries around the US.
Project Gutenberg – Project Gutenberg “is a library of over 60,000 free eBooks. Choose among free epub and Kindle eBooks, download them or read them online. You will find the world’s great literature here, with focus on older works for which U.S. copyright has expired.”
University of Wisconsin-Madison Digital Collections – “The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections (UWDC) contain millions of images, books, maps, recordings, documents, and more from across the UW, Wisconsin and the world.” Enjoy learning more about our state’s past by browsing this collection.
HaithiTrust – “HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.” While many books on HaithiTrust requires an institutional membership, reading online is free.”
American Archive of Public Broadcasting – “Discover historic programs of publicly funded radio and television across America.”
Virtual Field Trips
discoveryEducation– Take a field trip with Polar Bear researchers, blast off into space at the Johnson Space Center, go behind the scenes with the NFL or any number of behind the scene tours with Discovery Education. Includes teaching guides and curriculum for interested parents and adults.
OK360– Go to Oklahoma and take a virtual hike. When you’re stuck inside with nothing to do and it’s a grey day, enjoy a scenic hike. With 360 views and multiple videos of nature trails in OK, you can learn more about nature in the panhandle state.
360 Cities– 360 Cities is a large collection of panoramic interactive photographs that allow you to virtually travel around the world.
Star Atlas– An online planetarium that will show the stars from any location in the world and where the constellations are in the night sky. The site tells you how far the stars are away from earth, for information on the constellations head here.
Nature Works Everywhere– Take a field trip into nature. Nature Works Everywhere has 11 virtual field trips for multiple age ranges, alongside videos and lesson plans for parents and teachers.
ASU Virtual Field Trips– Arizona State University offers up virtual field trips for high school and college students, covering everything from the Mars rover, prehistoric times to the rain forests.
Mount Vernon– Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America. Come and visit George Washington’s home virtually.
Buckingham Palace – Take a virtual tour of some of the rooms in the Buckingham Palace and learn more about the history surrounding the British Monarchy.
Online Games
Horse Isle is set in a fictional world that centers on horses. Includes capture and care, mini games and arena competition.
Wolfquest is a 3D wildlife simulation game that challenges players to learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park.
HoodaMath is filled with addicting math games.
College Resources
CollegeBoard.com offers a full length SAT practice test and scoring guide.
ACT Test Prep includes ACT prep, sample test questions, calculator tips, career planning and more.
BLS Career Information helps teens get information about careers that might interest them based on their favorite subjects in school.
Private College Zone is an online resource to help students and their families select a college, apply for admission and plan to finance higher education.
UCAN is a site to explore hundreds of private colleges and universites.
University of Wisconsin links to Wisconsin’s public university system.
Tech Schools is a resource to learn about Wisconsin’s technical colleges.
Knowhow2Go encourages young people to prepare for college using four simple steps.
Learning Express uses the MORE library card to take practice ACT and SAT tests.
Edutrek is a database of over 7,000 colleges and universities.
Emergency Information for Teens in Crisis
Positive Alternatives/Teen Care – Where Teens and Families Get Help Fast
Sites in River Falls and Menomonie offer a wide range of youth and family services.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 1.800.491.8336
River Falls Location:
Positive Alternatives
2860 Williams Avenue – River Falls, WI 54022 – 715.426.2224 – http://positive-alternatives.org/
Menomonie Location:
Positive Alternatives
603 Terrill Road – Menomonie, WI 54751 – 715.235.9552 – http://positive-alternatives.org/
Pierce County Human Services
http://www.co.pierce.wi.us/Human%20Services/Mental_Health.html offers outpatient, prevention, crisis intervention, emergency care, and referrals. Immediate assistance is available 24 hours a day for all emergencies.
24 hour help: 888.552.6642.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day and will connect you to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
24 hour help: 1.800.273.8255