As summer ends and the new school year quickly approaches, now is the perfect time to discover all of the wonderful resources our library has for students! Whether you’re looking for homework help, a new book to read or exciting technology to learn, we have you covered.

Use Your Student Success Card

Back-to-School Resources 2021In December 2020, we issued more than 15,000 Student Success library cards to all Valley View students through our partnership with Valley View Community Unit School District 365U, in conjunction with White Oak Library District. Student Success library cards provide the same access to books, movies and video games as a regular Fountaindale Public Library card. Students can check out materials in our building, at Bookmobile stops and at any other Pinnacle libraries in Joliet, Shorewood, Lemont, Plainfield, Crest Hill, Lockport and Romeoville. Your Student Success card is still valid this upcoming school year, so please be sure to use it!

And don’t forget… we’re fine free! We no longer charge daily late fines on overdue items. Even though we no longer charge late fines, we encourage you to please return materials in a responsible and timely fashion so others may enjoy the shared resources we provide.

Have a new student joining Valley View this year? They will receive their Student Success card this fall. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

eResources

We have an excellent variety of eResources to help students from PreK through graduation. Whether you’re looking for online tutoring, sources for a research paper or videos on topics you’re learning in school, our tools will keep students engaged and learning.

For Early Learners

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Scholastic Teachables
Explore lesson plans and activity sheets covering all major subjects for children in pre-K–eighth grade.

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TumbleBooks
Enjoy a large selection of English, Spanish and French eBooks and games for children and tweens.

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TumbleMath
Access the most comprehensive collection of math stories available anywhere to help students of all ages learn.

 

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World Book Early World of Learning
Preschoolers and early elementary school students will develop reading fluency and phonemic awareness by reading, playing, watching and doing.

For Elementary School Students

Back-to-School Resources 2021BookFlix
Reinforce reading skills and develop essential real-world knowledge through fictional video storybooks paired with nonfiction eBooks.

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CultureGrams
Get an insider’s perspective of the history, customs, daily life and culture of people from around the world.

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NoveList K–8 Plus
Find your next great read, get suggested read-a-likes, read reviews and more on hundreds of books for children.

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Primary Search
Search an expansive collection of full-text magazines, reference books, biographies and more designed specifically for elementary school students.

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Scholastic Go!
Explore credible, accurate and reliable research content via nonfiction texts, world newspapers, videos and more on almost every subject.

Back-to-School Resources 2021Scholastic Teachables
Explore lesson plans and activity sheets covering all major subjects for children in pre-K–eighth grade.

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ScienceFlix
Discover earth science, space, health and the human body, engineering and more topics ideal for students in grades 4–9.

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TrueFlix
Find excellent science and social studies videos, eBooks, games, quizzes project ideas and more perfect for elementary school students.

Back-to-School Resources 2021Tumblebooks
Enjoy a large selection of English, Spanish and French eBooks and games for children and tweens.

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TumbleMath
Access the most comprehensive collection of math stories available anywhere to help students of all ages learn.

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World Book Students
Explore the entire World Book Encyclopedia online with thousands of additional articles, learning resources and research tools.

For Middle School Students

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Brainfuse Help Now!
Access live online tutoring, writing labs, group collaboration classrooms and more.

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CultureGrams
Get an insider’s perspective of the history, customs, daily life and culture of people from around the world.

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FreedomFlix
Bring history to life with eBooks, featuring dynamic popup maps, timelines, virtual tours, videos and audio clips.

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Middle School Search Plus
Search an expansive collection of full-text magazines, reference books, biographies and more designed specifically for middle school students.

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NoveList K–8 Plus
Find your next great read, get suggested read-a-likes, read reviews and more on hundreds of books for children.

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Scholastic Go!
Explore credible, accurate and reliable research content via nonfiction texts, world newspapers, videos and more on almost every subject.

Back-to-School Resources 2021Scholastic Teachables
Explore lesson plans and activity sheets covering all major subjects for children in pre-K–eighth grade.

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Science Reference Center
Access reliable information on life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, technology and more ideal for middle school and high school students.

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ScienceFlix
Discover earth science, space, health and the human body, engineering and more topics ideal for students in grades 4–9.

Back-to-School Resources 2021

TumbleMath
Access the most comprehensive collection of math stories available anywhere to help students of all ages learn.

Back-to-School Resources 2021

World Book Students
Explore the entire World Book Encyclopedia online with thousands of additional articles, learning resources and research tools.

For High School Students

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Brainfuse Help Now!
Access live online tutoring, writing labs, group collaboration classrooms and more.

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CultureGrams
Get an insider’s perspective of the history, customs, daily life and culture of people from around the world.

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Literary Reference Center Plus
Explore an expansive collection of author biographies, plot summaries, title overviews, literary reference books, book reviews and much more.

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LinkedIn Learning (Lynda.com)
Learn business, creative and technology skills to achieve your personal and professional goals with thousands of expert-led, online video tutorials.

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MasterFile Premier
Discover thousands of full-text general reference magazine articles including business, health, education, general science, multicultural issues and more.

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Mango Languages
Explore more than 70 foreign languages, American Sign Language and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and resources to gain real world conversation skills.

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NoveList Plus
Find your next great read, get suggested read-a-likes, read reviews and more on hundreds of books.

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Scholastic Go!
Explore credible, accurate and reliable research content via nonfiction texts, world newspapers, videos and more on almost every subject.

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Science Reference Center
Access reliable information on life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, technology and more ideal for middle school and high school students.

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Something About the Author
Explore the lives and works of thousands of authors and illustrators for children and young adults.

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US Newsstream
Access full-text articles from more than 1,300 newspapers, news websites and blogs from leading publishers throughout the world.

If you need assistance with using these or any of our eResources, please view our Niche Academy tutorials, ask our staff or watch our staff-made demos on YouTube.

Books, Movies & Music

Need to unwind after a day of studying? We have tons of books, movies and music you can check out for sheer entertainment.  Search our catalog or check out these exciting platforms from our digital collection.

 

Back-to-School Resources 2021Freegal
Browse, download and stream more than 9 million songs and 15,000 music videos, including current hits and Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists.

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hoopla
Access thousands of movies, TV shows, music, eBooks, audiobooks and graphic novels when and where you want.

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Libby by OverDrive
Borrow from a robust collection of eBooks, audiobooks and magazines all on one easy-to-use app.

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Kanopy
Stream thousands of popular films, children’s movies and TV shows and titles from The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses and PBS.

Studio 300

Studio 300, our state-of-the-art digital media and maker lab, is full of media creation software and other resources available for our patrons to use. In order to take advantage of Studio 300’s equipment collections, Maker Lab and unique, creative spaces, you must first attend our mandatory online orientation. Once completed, and after getting verification from Studio 300 staff, you can fully use all of our amazing resources. Access the virtual orientation now!

Please note, in addition to completing the orientation on their own, patrons 12–17 years of age must have a parent/guardian complete the training and also grant permission before the child/teen can access Studio 300.

Just for Teens

The Vortex

The Vortex is our dedicated space for teens in grades 6–12 to read, study or hang out with friends. The Vortex is home to our young adult fiction and audiobook collections, as well as our brand new, CREATE collection. Right outside the Vortex, you can browse books displays featuring popular materials, genre fiction and anime as well as our entire graphic novel and teen nonfiction collections. But we are more than just books!

In the Vortex, teens can play board games and video games, use the computers or reserve a study room with a library card or school ID. You can use our maker cart and kits to create your own blackout poetry, duct tape wallet or beaded bracelets. We also host regular programs just for teens, like movie screenings, anime nights, arts and crafts and much, much more! Visit our events calendar to view a complete list of our programs including dates and times for video game open play.

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New Collections

Explore. Make. Create.  Our new collection of CREATE books will inspire you to think outside of the box and spark your creativity to produce wonderful results. The collection includes DIY books on drawing, science experiments, manga, face painting, screenwriting, costume design, nail art and much more!  If you’ve been wanting to learn how to draw your favorite manga characters, make a duct tape wallet or build your own robot, stop by the Vortex and explore.

Our new Teen Test Prep collection brings together the most up-to-date study guides needed for school exams all in one place. We own over 100 test prep books that will help prepare you for the ACT, SAT, SSAT, ISEE and the PSAT.  We also have guides in a variety of AP courses, including biology, chemistry, computer science, English, European history, U.S. history, Spanish and U.S. government.

Fall Reading Programs

Read-A-Palooza

Are you ready for our new, fun-filled reading program? Beginning October 1, Bolingbrook elementary school students in grades K–5 can play Read-a-Palooza bingo to help their school win some cool books! The top three schools with the most bingo cards turned in will win a collection of this year’s Monarch & Bluestem Award books. Every school that participates will receive a variety of new books. All participants will also get a prize, certificate and entry into our grand prize drawing for a Fire HD 8 tablet!

Great Reading Race

Bolingbrook middle school students in grades 6–8, join our fall reading adventure where you can win books and cool prizes for your school and yourself. From September 13 through October 25, track your reading time to earn vouchers, free books and grand prize drawing entries for a $50 gift card.

Teacher Services

Our services are not just for students! Valley View teachers who teach in our district can apply for a library card and request materials for their classes, create eye-catching bulletin boards with our Ellison Dies and much more. To learn more, visit our teacher services page.