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Middle School

Middle Ground

Grades 6-8

Events

Middle ground

A place for middle schoolers to connect, create and collaborate.

Hours:
Monday-Friday, 3-9 pm (when school districts 21 and 96 are in session)
Monday-Friday, 9 am-9 pm (when school districts 21 and 96 are off)
Saturday, 9 am-5 pm
Sunday, 12-5 pm

Meet us in the Middle Ground, where you’ll find:

  • Fully-stocked craft table
  • Lounge seating area
  • 12 Mac computers
  • Two to four-person gaming stations with Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch
  • Computers with Launchpad software, Fortnite, and Minecraft

What to Read Next?

100 Books Before High School

Are you looking for a challenge? Register at the Kids Desk to read and earn prizes. New! Now you can sign up online for this awesome program. Get reading and start earning prizes.

E-books and E-audiobooks

Check out with an ITPLD card
CloudLibrary
Hoopla
Overdrive Kids & Teens
RB Digital (magazines)
TeenBook Cloud

Caudill Award Nominees

The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools.

Novelist K-8

Read-alikes, lists of award-winning books and recommended books.


Book TAlk lists

During the school year, we bring the library to you to talk about programs and books, tell stories and answer questions to get children excited about the library. Students are given handouts listing books for their grade level:

Grades 6-8


Research and Homework Help

Resources for all your research and learning needs. Need help using one of these services? Check out Niche Academy for easy-to-follow guides.

Gale Courses
Six-week online continuing education classes. Classes cover many topics from computer software and COMPTIA preparation to Genealogy, PMP and more.

Learning Express Library

Books and sample tests for SAT and ACT test preparation, GED, workplace skills and citizenship exams.

LinkedIn Learning
Learn technology, creative and business skills. Was Lynda.com.

Reference Solutions
A national directory with powerful search tools built in. Was called Reference USA.

 

Value Line 

Investment data, tools and analysis.
How to find company reports

 

Creativebug

Tutorials for DIY crafters, creators and artists. Includes patterns and some project lists.

Driving Tests
Rules of the Road and sample driving tests for cars, motorcycles, and the CDL.

Gale Courses
Six-week online continuing education classes. Classes cover many topics from computer software and COMPTIA preparation to Genealogy, PMP and more.

Learning Express Library

Books and sample tests for SAT and ACT test preparation, GED, workplace skills and citizenship exams.

LinkedIn Learning
Learn technology, creative and business skills.

America’s Historical Newspapers
Historical newspaper articles and obituaries search.

America’s Obituaries and Death Notices
Search for obituaries and death notices from newspapers around the United States.

Ancestry

Search for ancestors in census and other genealogical records from around the world. 

Chicago Tribune Historical
Archives from 1849 to 1984.

Heritage Quest

Search for American ancestors.

Driving Tests
Rules of the Road and sample driving tests for cars, motorcycles, and the CDL in English, Spanish, and Russian.

 

Driving Tests
Rules of the Road and sample driving tests for cars, motorcycles, and the CDL in English, Spanish, and Russian.

Learning Express Library

Books and sample tests for SAT and ACT test preparation, GED, workplace skills and citizenship exams.

Points of View Reference Center

A guide for debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and devloping critical thinking skills by providing full scope discussions of controversial subjects.

Tutor.com

One-on-one homework help from certified tutors in a variety of subjects.

APS Journals

American Physical Society journals. NOTE: APS Journals is only available within the library.

ClasePeriodica (español)

Science and humanities from Latin American journals.

Eco

Scholarly journals

Eric

Education and teaching journals

Medline

Medicine, dentistry and nursing journals; most aimed at medical professionals.

Duolingo
Language learning tool.

Mango Languages

Learn to speak over 70 languages with self-paced lessons.

Become fluent in 80+ different languages. Includes an English language module for ESL students. Guided and free form lessons; live conversation opportunities.

Explora

One-stop, first-step in a research project. Simultaneously search six sources. Full text Middle Search Plus article database.

Learning Express Library

Books and sample tests for SAT and ACT test preparation, GED, workplace skills and citizenship exams.

Scholastic Teachables
Ready-to-use worksheets and forms for parents and teachers to use with their K-8 students.

 

Points of View Reference Center

A guide for debating, developing arguments, writing position papers, and devloping critical thinking skills by providing full scope discussions of controversial subjects.

Access World News
Article and topic search drawing from newspapers around the world.

Tutor.com

One-on-one homework help from certified tutors in a variety of subjects.

ArticleFirst

Full text and citations from journal articles.

Chicagoland News Sources
Articles from Chicago area papers.

Chicago Tribune Historical
Archives from 1849 to 1984.

Explora

One-stop, first-step in a research project. Simultaneously search six sources. Full text Consumer Reports.

First Search

Includes ArticleFirst, ClasePeriodica, Eco, Eric, Government Publications Office, Medline and WorldCat

NewsBank
Newspaper archives including the Daily Herald, Post-Tribune, Wheeling Countryside and more.

Newswires

Updated Associated Press news.

Proquest Newsstand

Articles from many U.S. major dailies, including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

 

Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia

Includes 25,000 references with easy to access full text records.

Legal Forms, Gale
Sample legal forms; available in several editable formats.

Novelist Plus

Find read-alikes for your favorite books, book discussion guides, lists of award-winning novels and more.

Record Information Services

Chicago area information on real estate transactions, new businesses, foreclosures and bankruptcies.

Reference Solutions

A national directory with powerful search tools built in. Was called Reference USA.

Mango Languages

Learn to speak over 70 languages with self-paced lessons.

Novelist K-8

Read-alikes, award-winning titles and more.

Scholastic Teachables
Ready-to-use worksheets and forms for parents and teachers to use with their K-8 students.

 

Tumble Book Library
E-books, puzzles, videos and games for youth.

Tutor.com

One-on-one homework help from certified tutors in a variety of subjects.