Main Library
60 South High Street, Akron, OH 44326
 (330) 643-9075
If you think Science & Technology means biology, math, and engineering - you're right, but our knowledgeable librarians
also answer questions about:
Let us help you find the information you
need.
Consumer Health
Need consumer health information? Use our many new electronic resources and/or our extensive, up-to-date book collection. Whether you're interested in the latest diet/fitness program or have just received a new diagnosis from your doctor, we're just the people to help you find timely and relevant information.
Science Projects and Reports
For students, we have information on science fair projects (in fact, we publish the Science Fair Project Index on our web site). We can help with reports on the elements, constellations, wildflowers, or endangered species - to name a few of our most requested assignments.
Computers and Electronics
Come and choose from our large collection of computer books. You'll find help whether you're figuring out how to buy your first computer or working with an older operating system. We have computer and electronics repair including schematics for television, radio and other home entertainment equipment.
Vehicle and Home Repair
Sometimes we think our middle name is repair. Whether it's a lawn mower, boat motor, or home appliance, we have information to help you fix it (or keep it running.)
Auto, motorcycle, and truck repair books circulate like crazy from our large collection. We also have electronic resources to help you find just the right information to fix your vehicle.
Cookbooks and Recipes
For cooks, we have thousands of cookbooks. From fast food imitations to vegetarian, from good old-fashioned American home cooking to international, from low-fat to scrumptious desserts, one of our cookbooks has the right recipe for you.
Projects Around the House
We often help woodworkers, gardeners, and pet owners with their do-it-yourself projects. We have plans and instructions for building, growing or caring for everything around your house.
Patents and Trademarks
The Library was named a Patent & Trademark Depository Library in 1995. We offer access to resources from the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), in a variety of formats, including full images of patents granted since 1790. Sign up for one of our classes, check USPTO databases or patent and trademark information or check out some of our books on how to secure a patent or trademark, and/or develop and market your idea.
Specifications and Standards
Our collection of specs and standards includes U.S. federal and military as well as selected industry standards. We will fax to Ohio area codes. Call us if you have questions.
Magazines & Newspapers
The Science & Technology desk is the reference point for questions about the magazine and newspaper collection at Main Library. Please use the links for specific information on accessing the titles available both online and in print.
Newspapers
At the Science & Technology desk library customers will find the daily papers for Akron, Cleveland, and New York as well as the USA Today and the Wall St. Journal. The dailies have to be picked-up from and returned to the desk. Back issues of these papers are kept in print for six months. The library receives many other cities’ daily and/or Sunday papers however they are received through the mail not delivered daily. Most major cities’ daily papers can be read online, but back issues usually require a fee. To access the Los Angeles Times, for example, open the internet and type in the address bar www.latimes.com. Another way to find a city’s newspaper if you do not know the web address is to “google” it. At www.google.com type in the search bar Phoenix newspaper, then near the top of the results page click where you see The Arizona Republic.
Newsbank
The library subscribes to a database called Newsbank which can be used for newspaper article searches. Newsbank covers most Ohio daily papers and some out-of-state papers. This source would be used when one wants to find articles on a particular subject, person, or event in a specific city or region. To access Newsbank begin at the library’s home page, www.akronlibrary.org , on the left click on Databases & Websites. One can choose to search the Akron or Cleveland paper exclusively. The Akron Beacon Journal is online from 1/1/1984, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer from 6/1/1991. The Special Collections division at Main Library has the Akron Beacon Journal on microfilm from Dec. 1840. To search for news outside Northeast Ohio click on America’s Newspapers. The Akron Beacon Journal is available for full text access in the library only. The others can be accessed from PCs outside the library using a current Akron library card with barcode and PIN number. From America’s Newspapers one can also link to America’s News Magazines. Some popular magazine titles are available here for a subject search and offered in full text. Please ask a librarian if you need help with your article search.
Infotrac &
OPLIN
Patrons who want magazine and journal articles can be assisted by any librarian at the Main reference desks or at branches to access the library’s article search database called InfoTrac. This system can be accessed in the library anytime and from PCs outside the library using a current Akron library card with a barcode and PIN number. To access
InfoTrac click on Databases & Websites in the left column. The next page lists the library’s databases and InfoTrac can be opened by clicking on it in the right column. InfoTrac is user friendly. Words or terms can be entered as a subject or key word search. In many cases the full text article can be printed from the database. Another article search database available through the library is OPLIN OneSearch. This can be a good source when more academic sources are needed for research projects.
Magazines Print Collection
The library continues to maintain a large collection of current and historical periodicals in print. Access to this material is available at the Science & Technology desk as well. To search for magazine sources by title or subject use the library’s catalog at the keyword search page which allows a search to be limited to magazines. The Magazines & Newspapers Division on the first floor of Main Library has three areas. The part of the collection that can be checked out is shelved by title down the long back wall. Facing the computers in the Information Commons is the current Reference Magazine collection. The most recent issues of the library’s subscriptions are found here. Between these current titles is the historical collection of bound periodicals. The number of years the library owns a particular title will vary. The span of years for a magazine title is found on its catalog record. There are many titles that have been retained for decades. The bound collection on the first floor will go back to 1990. Ask a Science & Technology librarian to retrieve from storage any issues earlier than 1990.
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ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
ASCPL Resources:
- A Walk in the Woods
- Geek Gadgets for the
Home Workshop
- Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks
- What's the Difference?
- Polly Paffilas' Recipe Index
- Science Fair "How To"
- Science Fair Project Index
- Science Fair Resources
Magazine Indexes & Articles:
- ASCPL
- Infotrac
- Newsbank
- Akron Beacon Journal
- Cleveland Plain Dealer
- America's Newspapers
- America's News Magazines
- OPLIN
Internet Resources:
- Anthropology
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Building
- Calendars & Time
- Chemistry
- Climate
- Collectibles
- Computers & Internet
- Construction
- Electronics
- Engineering
- Environment
- Food Service
- Geology
- Handcrafts
- Health & Medical
- Home & Family
- Mathematics
- Patents
- Physics
- Science Fair
- Technology
- Trademarks
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