Randolph library offers free access to Consumer Reports, other powerful online resources

ASHEBORO – Need a new washing machine? Want to find out which digital camera is best? The best deal on a lawn mower?

The Randolph County Public Library can help as Consumer Reports, along with other new resources, become available online – for free – via the library’s research website, www.randquest.org. They join a host of existing resources that enable user to dive deep into research in almost any field.

All it takes to gain access is a computer ( or tablet or phone), an Internet connection, and a library card or REAL2 student ID.

“Google can answer immediate questions and give you quick answers,” says Library Director Ross Holt. “But the resources the library has to offer give you a depth of knowledge you can’t find on the Internet at large – or that you can find but would have to pay for.”

Students who need the full text of articles from current magazines and academic journals – or those going back many years into the past – can now search two sources, Masterfile  Premier and ProQuest Magazines and Journals. There also are resources covering specific topics – science, literature, biography and current issues – as well as general reference libraries.

A test-preparation and study resource, the Testing & Education Reference Center, is available for those getting ready for academic placement tests or career certification exams.

Mango Languages lets users learn any of 70 languages, or English as speakers of 17 languages.

For the job hunter, Cypress Resume is a handy tool for quickly creating resumes, and Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center profiles 3,400 jobs in 140 industries with information about educational requirements, necessary skills and typical job responsibilities.

History and genealogy researchers can take advantage of the power of Heritage Quest to seek census and other information, and Historical North Carolina Newspapers from Newspapers.com to delve into the events of the past.

Business users will find Reference USA, a massive database of companies along with white page listings for individuals, and Simply Analytics, a powerful demographic research tool. Investors can keep tabs on their portfolio with Morningstar Investment Research Center.

For shade tree mechanics and other car enthusiasts, there’s AutoMate, an auto service and repair resource.

Two streaming video services also are available: the NC LIVE Video Collection, which provides access to most PBS programming, and Films on Demand, which includes documentaries, educational films and instructional videos.

Most of the resources are provided by NC LIVE, the state’s online library, which is available to public library cardholders and those with university system, community college or independent/private college IDs.