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Category: PDL Recommended

Explore the databases and resources provided by the Portage District Library.

PDL Recommended Databases

This database of newspapers provides content from Michigan and newspapers, including the Kalamazoo Gazette (back to 2005). It also contains articles from USA TODAY, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Washington Post, and a wide variety of other papers. Genealogists will also find the America’s Obituaries & Death Notices collection very helpful. Most content is provided through the Michigan e-Library, including the Detroit News, Grand Rapids Press, and Traverse City Record Eagle, with the Kalamazoo Gazette content provided through the Portage District Library.

Learn How to Use Access World News

 

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Ancestry Library Edition contains federal census information, genealogies, and family histories. The world’s largest online family history resource with instant access to hundreds of years of history in billions of historical documents and millions of historical photos from all over the world.

Learn How to Use AncestryLibrary

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ASLdeafinedPDL Database

***NEW***
ASLdeafined is a learning platform that provides access to over 18,000+ instructional videos to equip you with the tools to learn and communicate in ASL. This resource offers content for learners of all levels.

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***NEW***
This is an upper-level Spanish language database, intended for high school students through adult learners. It’s a comprehensive Spanish database with more than 170,000 articles, images, and videos designed for native Spanish-speaking researchers and advanced bilingual and ESL students. Features include a virtual museum, an audiovisual history of Spain, STEM resources, and more.

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CreativebugPDL Database

Creativebug offers online video arts and crafts workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screen print, and more!

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We are currently unable to reliably access this service and are transitioning to a new digital archive that will be available Fall 2025.

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Gale eBooksMEL Database

This is an extensive set of online reference books available to you from home from any computer with your library card. It includes multiple encyclopedias of different types, biographies, directories, and other types of reference materials for all ages. There is a base collection of works purchased by MeL which has been augmented by additional titles purchased by the Portage District Library.

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Explore pages from the Grand Rapids Press in PDF form from 2018 to the present. Peruse text from articles going back to 2000.

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Heritage HubPDL Database

Discover the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for genealogical research, 1704 – today.

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Peruse pages from the Kalamazoo Gazette in PDF form from 2018 to the present. Explore text from Kalamazoo Gazette articles going back to 2005.

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