RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

Our reference collection includes print materials, online databases and microfilm (Vineyard Gazette from 1846)

The Library provides reference services in person, by telephone or email.

Contact the Reference Librarian:
Phone : (508) 696-4211 ext. 115
Email: [email protected]

GENEALOGY

Genealogy Databases

Access to HeritageQuest Online has been made available to Vineyard Haven library cardholders by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. HeritageQuest Online is designed for genealogy and family history research. It includes over 25,000 books, the entire US Census, and other expanding collections, making it one of the largest collections of genealogy material in the country. 

Anyone who lives, resides part-time to attend school, owns property, or works in Massachusetts can access additional online genealogy resources including by registering for an eCard from Boston Public Library. Online eCard registration is easy and free, and provides access to all of thelibrary's digital resources.

**Temporary Remote Access to Ancestry Library Edition ended January 1, 2022**

Free Online Classes from the Library

Library cardholders who are just beginning to explore family history can learn more through online classes available on-demand and at your own pace.

The "Great Courses" collection on our Kanopy streaming video platform includes "Discovering Your Roots: An Introduction to Genealogy," a comprehensive 15-part introduction to the basics of genealogy research. 

"Genealogy 101" is one of the hundreds of classes available through the library's "Universal Class" online learning center. New users can create an account using your library card number.

Free Internet Resources

Free online resources for local genealogy research include the Dukes County History and Genealogy Web Site, the Tisbury History and Genealogy Web Site, and the Portuguese Genealogy Project of Martha's Vineyard.
 
The USGenWeb Project is a group of volunteers working together and having fun providing free online genealogy help and information for every U.S. state and county. 

American Ancestors is a membership organization, but anyone can register for a free Guest account to watch select how-to videos, webinars and coursesand search more than 20 exclusive databases.

Genealogy eBooks on Overdrive

The CLAMS Overdrive eBook collection provides downloadable reference books that can be read on any device, including the popular titles Genealogy Online, Genealogy Online For Dummies, AARP Genealogy Online, and How to Do Everything Genealogy.

Additional Genealogical materials are available in the library's circulating print collection and Martha's Vineyard Collection.

ONLINE CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES

The library is your guide to free online education. In addition to the Library’s subscription to Universal Class, hundreds of free tutorials and classes are available online without a library card. 

EdX

Access thousands of courses from over 100 universities, including Harvard and MIT. 

CodeAcademy

Learn to code for free. 

GCF LearnFree: 

Tutorials available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. 

Universal Class 

Universal Class can be accessed on any Library computer or from home. A Vineyard Haven library card is required for home access.

The Great Courses on Kanopy

The Great Courses are a series of college-level lecture, perfect for anyone who wants to further their education or take a deep dive into a variety of subjects, at your own pace and based on the topics that interest you. 

LIBRARY DATABASES

All library databases are available from home and within the library unless otherwise indicated. Some databases may require a CLAMS library card number.

Magazines, Newspapers & Journals:

• Boston Globe
• Consumer Reports
• Dukes County Intelligencer (Index)
• New York Times
• Popular Magazines
• Academic OneFile
• General OneFile
  Culinary Arts Collection
• Fine Arts & Music Collection
• Gardening, Landscape & Horticulture Collection
• Home Improvement Collection

Books & Literature:

• Literature Resource Center
• Novelist: Authors, Books and More:
  

From home with VH CLAMS card

In the Library

Business & Investments:

• Career Transitions
• General Business File ASAP
• Small Business Collection

Current Events & Issues:

• Global Issues in Context
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context
  
  

Genealogy:

• HeritageQuest 

Health & Medicine:

• Health & Wellness Resource Center
• Health Reference Center Academic
• Psychology Collection
  

History:

• U.S. History Collection
• U.S. History in Context
• World History Collection
• World History in Context
• Biography in Context
  

Science:

• Proqust Science
• General Science Collection
• Science in Context

More...

Statewide online resources have been provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional resources have been funded by the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library, through community donations to their Annual Appeal.

Anyone who lives, resides part-time to attend school, owns property, or works in Massachusetts can access additional online resources for reading, education, and entertainment  by registering for an eCard from Boston Public Library. Online eCard registration is easy and free, and provides access to all of thelibrary's digital resources including the following:

Hoopla Streaming Media
Movies, TV shows, music, eBooks, and comics for online streaming or download to mobile devices, with no waiting lists. Borrow up to 10 items per calendar month. 

PressReader
Color full-page and article reproductions of thousands of U.S. and international newspapers and magazines, including the Boston Herald back to Nov. 24, 2003. Coverage: usually current 3 months or more.

RBdigital Audiobooks & Magazines
Over 20,000 audiobooks and full-color popular magazines available to stream or download to mobile devices. Most magazines (English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese) are available with no waiting lists, no checkouts, and no limits.

Business and Investing Resources

Morningstar, Valueline, and other business and investment resources are now available to Boston Public library eCard holders, visit https://www.bpl.org/resources/business/

Genealogy Resources

Genealogy and family history resources are now available to Boston Public Library eCard holders, visit https://www.bpl.org/resources/biography-and-genealogy/#sub_term_genealogy

**Temporary Remote Access to Ancestry Library Edition ended January 1, 2022**

Note that some BPL resources such as RBDigital are also available with your Vineyard Haven CLAMS card, and to access BPL content on these platforms that may differ from available VHPL content, you will need to create a separate BPL account for that service.

Register for a BPL eCard:

https://apps.bpl.org/ecard

Discover BLP Resources here:

https://www.bpl.org/resources-types/downloadable-media/

INTERNET RESOURCES

CLAMS Online Catalog
library.clamsnet.org

RefDesk
www.refdesk.com

Switchboard.com
www.switchboard.com

Federal Tax Forms
www.irs.gov

MedlinePlus Health Information from the National Library of Medicine
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

PubMed Home
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/

TAX HELP RESOURCES

Find your tax form by searching IRS.gov 

Use the Free File Online Lookup Tool to determine whether you qualify for any free file online products. 

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program 

Offers free tax help to people who generally make $56,000 or less, persons with disabilities and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.

Find a location near you. 

AARP Foundation

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free, individualized tax preparation for low-to moderate-income taxpayers. Find a location near you. 

MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Vineyard Haven Library's Martha's Vineyard collection includes more than 500 print books, historic Town of Tisbury Annual Reports and early vital records, the Vineyard Gazette newspaper on microfilm from 1846, and bound editions of the Dukes County Intelligencer from 1959 (with online subject index covering the 1959-2017 editions).

Additional resources are available through the Martha's Vineyard Museum in Vineyard Haven.

Town of Tisbury
www.tisburyma.gov

Tisbury Historical Records
http://history.vineyard.net

Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce
www.mvy.com

Martha's Vineyard Museum
www.mvmuseum.org

Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust
www.mvpreservation.org

Martha's Vineyard Online
www.mvol.com

Steamship Authority
www.steamshipauthority.com

Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
www.wampanoagtribe.net

CAPE COD LINKS

Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
www.capecodchamber.org

Cape Cod National Seashore
http://www.nps.gov/caco/

Cape Cod Regional Transit
www.capecodtransit.org

Cape Cod Times
Newspaper Website
Online Database (enter CLAMS card number for home access)

Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands
www.escci.org/

Island Queen Ferry
www.islandqueen.com

Marine Biological Laboratory
www.mbl.edu

Marine Biological Lab/ WHOI Library
mblwhoilibrary.mbl.edu

NOAA- Northeast Fisheries Science Center
www.nefsc.noaa.gov

Peter Pan Bus (Bonanza)
http://www.peterpanbus.com/

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
www.whoi.edu

MASSACHUSETTS LINKS

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov

Massachusetts Hospital Directory
http://www.mhalink.org/public/mahospitals/

Massachusetts Historical Society
http://www.masshist.org

Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
http://www.mlac.org/

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
http://mblc.state.ma.us/

Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
http://www.state.ma.us/rmv

Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us

Massachusetts Tax Forms
http://mass.gov/dor