Research Databases

Authentication is required to access most databases remotely. Log in with your 14-digit Chester County library card number unless otherwise noted.

Databases A-Z - A complete list of databases available through the Chester County Library System and Pennsylvania's state-funded POWER Library.

Databases by Subject - Databases from the Chester County Library System and POWER Library by subject. Subjects include but are not limited to Arts, Business, Education, Genealogy, Health & Medicine, Newspapers, and Science & Technology.

POWER Library - Enjoy free 24/7 access to newspapers, magazines, journals, historical documents and photos, online databases, and eBooks. Also, chat with a librarian. For all age groups, from young children to adults. (This project is made possible in part by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Library Access funds administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.)

Featured Resources

Comics Plus - Offers unlimited, simultaneous access to thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from your favorite publishers like Dark Horse, IDW, Tokyopop and more. There are three age-appropriate collections you can use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on a phone, computer, or tablet. Please consult Comics Plus Age-Appropriate Guidelines to learn more about each collection and its contents.

• Full Collection - intended for mature young adult and adult readers of all interests.
• Teen Collection - intended for readers in upper elementary, middle school, and high school.
• Children's Collection - intended for kindergarten and elementary school ages

Kanopy - Using your Chester County Library System card, you can access Kanopy, an on-demand streaming video service. Find films, TV shows, Documentaries, and more.

LinkedIn Learning - Choose from thousands of online courses to learn in-demand skills from real-world industry experts. 

Mango - An online language learning tool, offers courses on over 70 languages, including English as a second language courses. Create a profile with your email address and a password, and Mango will track your progress.

New York Times - Includes articles from 1981 to the present and an archive from 1851-1922. To access within a library, create a free account on nytimes.com and log in with your email address and password. Use the link above when in the library or using the library's Wi-Fi network. Use this Remote Access link if you are not on the library wi-fi. View the User Guide (PDF) for detailed instructions. 

Philadelphia Inquirer Current & Historical - Scanned copies of the complete issues from 1829 to 1922 and January 2018 to current, including advertisements, classifieds, obituaries, and more. Export features include citation format, print, e-mail, and download. Full text of articles from 1981 to the present.