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Library eResources are reliable and high quality premium websites (sometimes with accompanying apps) which the library subscribes to so that library users can obtain free access. Library eResources listed on this page have an asterisk (*) after their title. Use them from the public computers in the five City of Melville libraries and in most cases also from home. Just login using your library card barcode number. Annual subscription fees for Library eResources are paid for by City of Melville Libraries or the State Library of WA, depending on the eResource.

Freely accessible websites listed on this page are available to everyone, everywhere and have been selected by library staff to complement the Library eResources. Listing links to resources on the Web does not mean City of Melville Libraries endorses the information provided.

Biography 

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition

Articles detailing the lives of over 13,000 people who were significant in Australian history and who died before 1996. The articles are taken from the printed volumes published between 1966 and 2021 with further articles now being added to the online version for persons who died between 1996 and 2000.  From the Australian National University.

Books and Authors

Good Reading magazine

A central place for book lovers to find useful information such as first chapters, reading group notes or book events, but also a place for readers to exchange thoughts and ideas. From the publishers of the Australian magazine Good Reading.

City of Melville Libraries subscribes to the hard copy version of this magazine. Place a hold on the issue you want.

Fantastic fiction

A useful site for readers of genre fiction particularly fantasy, science fiction and horror. Includes bibliographies for over 40,000 authors and makes it easy to find sequels or individual titles from a series.

Whichbook

A new way to choose what to read. This website allows you to enter up to four characteristics for the type of book you want. Just click on each bar and move the sliders. Alternatively, see suggestions based on your choice of character, plot and setting. From Opening The Book Ltd.

Business and Law

National Construction Code (NCC)

The NCC is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) developed to incorporate all on-site construction requirements into a single code. The NCC is comprised of the Building Code of Australia (BCA), Volume One and Two; and the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA), Volume Three.

Individuals can register for access to the free digital NCC by completing a registration form on the NCC website. Login details are based upon a user's email address, which requires verification before access is granted.

Western Australian legislation

Read up-to-date copies of W.A. acts and regulations. From the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.

Children's Resources

Busythings and Story Box Library have been provided through Better Beginnings supporting families in sharing a love of reading.

Busythings  *

Busythings is an online resource for the early years that includes 115+ fun learning activities that help children learn important skills in the key learning areas of creative development, problem solving, reasoning, numeracy, communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world.

Comics Plus: Children's Collection *

Comics Plus, powered by LibraryPass, gives you access to thousands of digital comics, graphic novels and manga titles from your smartphone, tablet or web browser. All titles are available instantly with no waitlists!​​ The children's collection contains content for ages 5 to 14.

Overdrive for kids  *

The eReading Room is a section of OverDrive that displays content only for kids. Kids can browse, sample, place holds and borrow eBooks appropriate for their age range and reading level. No adult content will appear in the search results.

Story Box Library  *

Story Box Library connects children with 300 Australian books read by some of Australia's finest storytellers. The stories are a little bit cheeky, a little bit charming and a whole lot of fun! Each video features a title being read and gives children a vibrant, interactive experience. You can select stories by age group, theme, author/illustrator and reader.

Getting started: Click on the link to Story Box Library, then enter your City of Melville Libraries card number in the box below the message saying "Welcome, State Library of Western Australia". Now click the "login" button.

If you are using Storybox from within any of the City of Melville libraries, you will need to select "State Library of WA" from the dropdown list of libraries before entering your card number.

Computers and the Internet

Be Connected

Free courses on everything from how to access the internet, using your device and keeping in touch with others online. Be Connected is an Australian government initiative committed to increasing the confidence, skills and online safety of older Australians.

Note: City of Melville Libraries can help you sign up to access Be Connected’s online learning resources, plus we're offering free in-person support so you can develop your digital skills and confidence. Bookings are essential, for more information contact library staff on 9364 0115 or visit our Technology Training page.

eSafety

Helps all Australians have safe, positive experiences online. Provides online safety education and a complaints system to help young Australians who experience serious cyberbullying. From the Australian Government's Office of the eSafety Commissioner.

GCF Learnfree

From Microsoft Office and email to reading, maths, and more, GCFLearnFree.org offers more 180 topics, including more than 2000 lessons, 800+ videos, and 55+ interactives and games, completely free. From Goodwill Community Foundation and Goodwill Industries of Eastern North Carolina.

Mousing Around

Exercises for new computer mouse users. Includes an information tutorial, a practical 'mousercise' activity, and games to help you build your mousing skills. From Palm Beach County Library.

Stay Smart Online

Provides simple, easy to understand advice on how to protect yourself online as well as up-to-date information on the latest online threats and how to respond. From the Attorney-General's Department of the Australian Government.

Consumer Information

CHOICE Magazine  *

CHOICE and CHOICE Computer Magazines are available through Flipster and its app. You'll find more information under Magazines and Newspapers.

Product safety recalls

Based on publicly available announcements, newspaper advertisements, or recall notifications that have been submitted to the Commonwealth Minister, by the supplier of the product. The Product Safety Australia website is managed by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission on behalf of Commonwealth, state and territory product safety regulators.

Scam Watch

SCAMwatch provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams. Provided by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Your Home

Your Home is a suite of consumer and technical guide materials and tools developed to encourage the design, construction or renovation of homes to be comfortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable. Also includes a home buyer's guide. A collaborative project of the Australian Government and the building, architecture and design industries managed by the Department of the Environment and Energy.

Encyclopaedias and Reference

Country profiles

Information about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of almost 240 countries. Provided by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Cultural Atlas

A free educational resource providing comprehensive information on the cultural background of Australia’s migrant populations. The cultures published on the Cultural Atlas represent the biggest migrant populations in Australia - from over 65 countries. The Cultural Atlas is a collaborative project between SBS, International Education Services (IES), and Multicultural NSW.

World Factbook

Compiled by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the World Factbook provides frequently updated information, maps, facts and statistics on more than 250 countries and other entities.

Family History / Genealogy

 Ancestry Library Edition *

Ancestry provides access to thousands of information databases including U.K. census returns (1841-1911), Australian electoral rolls (1903-1980), U.S. census returns and much more.

There are some differences between Ancestry Library Edition (free for library members) and Ancestry.com consumer edition (available via subscription). Ancestry Library Edition does not include Creating Trees, DNA and Extras such as Ancestry Apps.

Note: Access to Ancestry Library Edition is only available from within our libraries using the public computers or the free wifi network, melvillewifi. 

FamilySearch

Includes online genealogical resources developed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The most well-known is the International Genealogical Index (IGI) which contains millions of entries (mainly baptisms and marriages) often transcribed from the church parish registers of various denominations in North America, the British Isles and Finland. Records span the years from 1500 to 1900. Individuals have also submitted entries. Inaccuracies are possible so the index information should be checked against the original source. You will need to create a free FamilySearch account in order to search the database and view results.

FreeBMD

Provides search access to the Civil Registration Index of Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales. FreeBMD is a volunteer project to transcribe the index for the period 1837-1983. Good coverage from 1837 until around 1963 with some years after this time still not 100% complete. For more details, visit the site's information pages and view the coverage charts for the years and registration events which interest you.

Games

Clue Detective Puzzle Agency

Discover the benefits of puzzling for lifelong learning, health and wellbeing. Crack the codeword by solving puzzles online or downloading printable versions.

Visit the Clue Detective Puzzle Agency website and select the size of codeword puzzle you want to solve: 13x13, 15x15 or 21x21. There are hundreds of codewords to choose from.

Health and Medicine

Cochrane Library Online  *

The Cochrane Library consists of a regularly updated collection of evidence-based medicine databases featuring over 1,000 journals, major reference works, online books, Current Protocols laboratory manuals, and databases. From Wiley Interscience.

Healthdirect Australia

Trusted health information and advice online and over the phone (1800 022 222), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Funded by the governments of Australia.

Inside Radiology

An Australian site containing up-to-date information about radiology (diagnostic imaging) tests and procedures that you or a family member may require.

Pathology Tests Explained

An Australian site designed to help the patient better understand any one of the hundreds of lab tests used to screen, diagnose or monitor illness and disease.

Homework Help

Past ATAR course examinations

Past ATAR course examinations papers. Provided by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (W.A. State Government).

Languages

AMES - Learn English Online  *

Three courses available:

World Wide English
General English from beginner to intermediate with a work, life and study focus. Equivalent to IELTS 1 to 5.5.

Living in Australia
General English for beginners. Develops the language and cultural skills learners need to settle in Australia and participate fully in social, community and workplace settings. Equivalent to IELTS 1 to 5.

Workplace Communication Skills
Advanced English covering job seeking online, grammar you need, writing for work, pronunciation at work, customer service, negotiating and problem solving. Equivalent to IELTS 5.5+.

Mango Languages  *

Want to learn a language or improve your English speaking skills?

Mango is an online program that makes language learning fun. Each lesson is focused on practical, common conversation skills and includes instruction on vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and culture. Travelling soon? Try Mango before you go! Choose from 72 languages or for those learning English as a Second Language - there are courses for speakers of 21 languages.

Tip: On the "Mango Languages" start page in your browser there are two options:
- To start learning immediately click the "Use Mango As A Guest" button and then pick a language;
- Or to track your learning progress, click the "Sign Up" button to create a profile so you can then log in to a personalised version of Mango.

The Mango Languages app is available for iOS and Android.

Learn English

Learn English is a free service by Australia’s public broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, providing digital content to help anyone learning English as a second language (ESL). 

Explore the different categories on the Learn English website — from grammar to learning tips, from vocabulary to English in Australia — and find content to suit your learning needs.

Library catalogues

Local public libraries

City of Canning Libraries (Branches in Bentley, Queens Park, Riverton and Willetton)

City of Cockburn Libraries (Branches in Coolbellup, Spearwood and Success)

City of Fremantle Library

City of South Perth (Branches in Manning and South Perth)

Statewide

Combined State Library of W.A. / public libraries catalogue

Nationwide

Trove (includes Libraries Australia)

Worldwide

Worldcat

Non-Fiction eBook Catalogue (Ebook Central)

If you can't find the non-fiction eBook you're looking for in the City of Melville Libraries catalogue, you may want to try Ebook Central (EBL). The State Library of WA provides access to this collection of over 200,000 titles across a wide range of subjects.

You will need to be a member of the State Library to search and borrow from Ebook Central. Any WA resident can join. An online membership form is available. For more information, contact the State Library.

Magazines and Newspapers

The Age Digital Edition *

The digital edition of The Age is an interactive and searchable full colour replica newspaper of today's and back issues of the printed edition. 

The archive includes issues from up to six months ago. The collection is fully searchable. You can save articles for later reading, translate into different languages or have them read to you.

The Australian Financial Review Digital Edition  *

The digital edition of The Australian Financial Review is an interactive and searchable full colour replica newspaper of today's and back issues of the printed edition. The AFR reports news from business, finance, investment and politics. It is published Monday to Saturday.

The archive includes all issues from the past three years. The collection is fully searchable. You can save articles for later reading, translate into different languages or have them read to you.

Australian Newspapers : historic Australian newspapers, 1803 to 1954

Try out this evolving website to search the full text of digitised Australian newspapers and view scans of each page. A great resource for history buffs and genealogists. The National Library's Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program has so far digitised over 21 million pages. This includes all issues of The West Australian up to 1954 along with its nineteenth-century predecessors, the Perth Gazette and the West Australian Times. Also, the Sunday Times up to 1954. Recently, all issues of the Australian Women's Weekly between 1933 and 1982 were added. Read more about the project and the newspapers currently included.

CHOICE Magazine  *

Independent and unbiased reviews, product tests, articles, information and buying guides. Library members can access the digital edition of CHOICE and CHOICE Computer Magazine through the Flipster website or its app. For more information, check out our Quick Guide to Choice Magazines.

Fremantle Herald group of newspapers

Read an exact digital copy of the Melville City Herald or other local newspapers published each Saturday by the Herald Newspaper Group: Fremantle Herald, Cockburn City Herald, Perth Voice. Click the "Archives" link on the website to access the different editions of the newspaper back to January 2012.

OverDrive Magazines  *

More than 3000 magazine titles from across the world are available through the Overdrive website or the Libby app. Find full details on our eLibrary page.

PerthNow Digital Editions Archive

Read an exact digital copy of PerthNow Melville or any other weekly suburban newspaper published by Seven West Media since August 2021. PerthNow Melville is the new name for the Melville Gazette published by Community News.

You can also read a selection of articles from PerthNow Melville on the PerthNow website at www.perthnow.com.au/local-news/perthnow-melville

PressReader (formerly PressDisplay) Newspapers and Magazines *

To access PressReader through a web browser, library members should follow these steps:

  • Visit www.pressreader.com/catalog then click Sign In (top right)
  • Click Library and Group and you will be prompted to search for a library. Type in “Melville”, and then select Library – City of Melville Libraries
  • Enter your library card number and PIN, and then click Sign In.

Access to PressReader is also available using the app for mobile devices. For more information, read our Quick Start guide.

PressReader provides you with access to the latest issue of 7000 newspaper and magazine titles from 100 countries in 60 languages. All publications include full text and images and look exactly the same as the printed version. You can also search in back issues from the last two months (depending on the title), read instant translations of articles or listen whilst articles are read to you. Includes Guardian Australia, The Saturday Paper, TechLife Australia, The Straits Times, The Guardian (UK), The Scotsman and many more. Note that due to publisher restrictions, a small number of the titles are not available when accessing PressReader on a mobile device. From NewspaperDirect.

Quick start guide for PressReader

The Sydney Morning Herald Digital Edition  *

The digital edition of The Sydney Morning Herald is an interactive and searchable full colour replica newspaper of today's and back issues of the printed edition. 

The archive includes issues from up to six months ago. The collection is fully searchable. You can save articles for later reading, translate into different languages or have them read to you.

 The West Australian and Perth Sunday Times newspapers - Archive Digital Editions  *

Read any issue of The West from yesterday's edition back to July 2004 in "true to print" digital format - an exact copy of the printed version. You can browse through each page or search the entire archive for particular keywords in articles, pictures, advertisements and classifieds. Ideal for researching a topic or even tracking down a birth, marriage or death notice.

All back issues of the Perth Sunday Times newspaper are included in the digital archive as from Sunday 20 November 2016 onwards.

Science

Cosmos magazine

Cosmos is Australia's number one popular science magazine and includes news, feature articles, opinions and reviews. The Cosmos website provides free access to a range of news items about the latest science topics.

Hard copies of Cosmos magazine are available for loan at City of Melville Libraries, and the current digital print replica edition of Cosmos (with previous issues from the last three years) will continue to be available through Overdrive magazines. You may also view the latest issue in PressReader.

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