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Our librarians have put together a curated list of some of the wonderful online resources and activities you can do while APL is closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
All of these resources are free to use (at least while schools and businesses are closed for coronavirus). Have your library card handy, as you’ll need to input your library card number to access some of these sites.
If you don’t already have an APL card, and live in Albany or Rensselaer counties, you can get a temporary library card that will give you access to some online resources. Sign up for a temporary library card here.
Continue social distancing and enjoy these cultural, entertainment, and education resources from the comfort of your own home!
(Updated April 22, 2020)
BOOKS & AUDIOBOOKS PLUS MOVIES, TV SHOWS & MUSIC
OverDrive — eBooks, eAudiobooks & eVideos (all ages)
Flipster — eMagazines
Hoopla — Stream and download digital movies, TV shows, music, graphic novels, books, and audiobooks. Create a free Hoopla account with your library card number.
#AlbanyReadsHarryPotter — Read “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” with us! We have quizzes, audio recaps of each chapter, and more. Starts April 13 and ends April 29. The audio chapter recaps and quizzes will stay active, so you can still enjoy them if you read the book after we’re done!
AudioBookCloud — eAudiobooks (all ages)
Romance BookCloud — Romance eNovels (adults)
Project Gutenberg — eBooks featuring literature and older works
Planet eBook — Works of literature
CULTURE
U.S. National Parks — Virtual tours of America’s beautiful national parks
Library of Congress National Book Festival — Videos of famous and award-winning authors discussing their work
Live Nation — Live from Home concert series
Albany Institute of History & Art — Online collections & exhibitions
Internet Archive — Digital library of internet sites and cultural artifacts
Metropolitan Opera — Nightly opera stream
Concert Livestreams — List curated by Vulture
Metropolitan Museum of Art — New York, NY
National Museum of Natural History — Washington, DC
National Museum of American History — Washington, DC
National Museum of African American History & Culture — Washington, DC
National Air and Space Museum — Washington, DC
British Museum — London, England
Vatican Museum — Rome, Italy
Museo Del Prado — Madrid, Spain
National Archaeological Museum — Athens, Greece
GENEALOGY & HISTORY
Ancestry — Genealogy research
New York Heritage — State and local history research
NYS Archives — Access records from the NYS and colonial governments back to 1630 through the present
Databases — Newspapers, health information, encyclopedias, and more
FOR KIDS & TEENS
National Zoo Webcams — Watch cheetah cubs, lions, giant pandas, elephants, and naked mole-rats on these webcams from the Smithsonian National Zoo
Find NY Culture — Find organizations (museums, science centers, zoos, planetariums, and more) that have learning resources for your family
“Write. Right. Rite.” Series — “Grab the Mic” video series, writing prompts, and activities from Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds (author of Miles Morales-Spiderman, All American Boys, Long Way Down, more)
America’s Test Kitchen Young Chefs’ Club — Food-related activities and recipes for kids to explore and make at home
U.S. National Parks — Take virtual tours of America’s wonderful national parks
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Albany County — 4-H Youth Family Fun at Home activities
NYS Museum — Facebook Live field trips for youth
Harry Potter at Home — Craft videos, articles, puzzles, games, and more
NASA at Home — Space and STEM activities for grades K-8
MiSci on the Move — Educational videos featuring MiSci educators
Common Sense Media — List of free online events & activities for kids
Tumble Book Library — Children’s eBooks for grades K-6
Tumble Math — Math eBooks for grades K-6
TeenBookCloud — eBooks for grades 7-12
“I’m Bored” Activity Books — Curated collection of eBooks focusing on hands-on activities
Audible — Stories for children
Lunch Doodles — With Mo Willems from The Kennedy Center
Authors Everywhere — With children’s book authors and illustrators on YouTube
Arcademics — Math and language skill building
FunBrain — Games, videos, and activities for grades K-8
Scholastic — Games, stories, videos for parents to do with younger children
StoryPlace — Stories with counting, colors, and animals for preschoolers
Smithsonian Distance Learning — Learning lab
Cincinnati Zoo Home Safari — Animal lessons and activities
Shedd Aquarium Sea Curious — Marine animal lessons
