Unless you’re enrolled at a top university or are an elite member of the science and engineering inner circle, you’re probably left out of most of the exciting research explored by the world’s greatest scientists. But thanks to the Internet, and our list of 100 incredible lectures, you’ve now got access to the cutting edge theories and projects that are changing the world.

General

Let the world’s top scientists explain exactly how they do their job when you listen to these lectures.

1. Richard Dawkins on our "queer" universe: Listen to this talk from biologist Richard Dawkins to consider the strangeness of our universe, and how there are so many things out there we can’t comprehend.
2. Kary Mullis on what scientists do: Biochemist Kary Mullis references the 17th century as he talks about the nature of discovery and experimentation.
3. Explanation of objective, issue and element of strategy: Nadine Hilgert discusses research ethics and experimentation in this lecture.
4. Lee Smolin on science and democracy: Physicist Lee Smolin discusses how democratic (or not) the scientific community it.
5. A Passion for Discovery: Peter Freund of the University of Chicago considers the entanglement of physics experiments and their effect on the behavior of scientists.
6. A New Age of Exploration: From Earth to Mars: This video isn’t just about space exploration: it’s about the new age of experimentation and research.
7. Dr. Hugh Ross PhD. Lectures on "Creation as Science": Dr. Ross blames the science education crisis for all the hostility in creation vs. evolution debate.
8. A New Kind of Science – Stephen Wolfram: Stephen Wolfram’s talk A New Kind of Science, credits simple computer experiments with challenging him to look at research in a new way.
9. Science and the University – An Evolutionary Tale – The Endless Frontier: Donald Kennedy reflects on how modern research universities and programs were founded.

Science and Engineering

From materials science to the study of thermodynamics, learn more about the science of engineering here.

10. WTC Lecture – collapse of WTC Buildings: Steven E. Jones discusses the collapse of the World Trade Towers from a physics perspective.
11. Aircraft Systems Engineering: Jeffrey Hoffman of MIT lectures about the origins of the space shuttle, thermal protection systems, main engines and more.
12. Symmetry, Structure and Tensor Properties of Materials: Learn about crystallography, 2D symmetries and other materials science principles.
13. Machine Learning: Discover how machines "learn" due to statistical patterns, learning theory, adaptive control and more.
14. Innovation Design: In this lecture series, you’ll learn about environmental innovation and the innovation process in general, as it’s related to engineering and science.
15. Introduction to Biomedical Engineering: Mark Saltzman from Yale discusses then nature of biomedical engineering, including cell culture engineering.
16. Nanophotonics: Discover the Magic of Light in Nanostructures: Evelyn Hu discusses optical materials and beyond in this lecture.
17. The Second Law and Energy: Listen to Steven Chu’s talk about thermodynamics.

Biology and Medicine

From drug research to evolution to writing the genetic code, watch these lectures for the latest developments in biology and medical research.

18. A Paradigmatic Complex System: The Immune System: Irun Cohen of the Weizmann Institute of Science is a physician and researcher who is trying to understand the complex immune system.
19. Bioinformatic, Structural Biology and Structure Based Ligand Design in drug discovery: Discover how drugs are researched and developed.
20. Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function: Qiang Zhou from Berkeley discusses new findings in DNA research.
21. Evolution of the Human Species: The discussion about evolution is still active. This lecture considers evolution from genetic and fossil records.
22. Ventricular fibrillation in the human heart. Why is it different from the dog and pig heart?: Kirsten ten Tusscher looks at the structure of the human heart in this talk.
23. Craig Venter on DNA and the sea: Biodiversity and genomics scientist Craig Venter talks about starting to writing the genetic code instead of just reading it.
24. How Bacteria Cause Disease: Warren Levinson explains how bacteria are transmitted.
25. The Origin of the Human Mind: Insights from Brain Imaging and Evolution: Find out how the human mind continues to evolve.
26. Engineering New Approaches to Cancer Detection and Therapy: Find out what’s on the brink of cancer research.
27. Principles of Systems Biology illustrated using the Virtua Heart: Denis Noble from the University of Oxford discusses complex organisms.
28. Biological Principles of Swarm Intelligence: Guy Theraulaz discusses animal psychology and swarm intelligence.
29. How the body fights infection: Discover the processes that occur when your body tries to protect you when you’re sick.
30. Biological Large Scale Integration: Here Stephen Quake discusses his theories on tiny "plumbing tools" he uses to analyze DNA sequences.
31. Psychology, Sex and Evolution: This lecture combines psychology and biology to find an answer to how preoccupied we are with sex.
32. Dynamics on and of Biological Networks: Case Studies on the Machinery of Life: Stefan Bornholdt discusses molecular networks in this lecture.

Chemistry

These chemistry scientists discuss the atomic theory of matter and other mind-boggling principles in the following lectures.

33. Graphite: a new twist: This University of Sussex scientist talks about carbon, diamond and graphite.
34. Thermodynamics and Kinetics: Learn about work, heat, internal energy and more.
35. Principles of Chemical Science, Normal Track: This course from MIT scientist Sylvia Ceyer covers atomic theory of matter, radiation and more.
36. The simulation of structures in modern materials with the theory of density functional calculations: Karlheinz Schwarz takes on the theory of density functional calculations.
37. Liquid Crystal Elastomers: Professor Heino Finkelmann talks about rubber elasticity and inducing the liquid crystalline state of elastomers.
38. Janine Benyus shares nature’s designs: This lecture covers chemistry, nature and biomimicry.
39. Penelope Boston says there might be life on Mars: Listen to Penelope Boston reveal the possibility of chemical and biological properties that may indicate life on Mars.
40. General Chemistry: Kristie Boering introduces shape matters, chemical bonds and equilibrium in this series.
41. Monodispersed particles in technologies and medicine: These scientists from Clarkson University discuss the chemical properties and use of monodispersed particles.
42. Chemical Structure and Reactivity: Peter Vollhardt from Berkeley gives listeners an introduction to organic chemical structures, organometallics and more.
43. Introduction to Solid State Chemistry: This MIT course lecture introduces you to solid state chemistry.
44. The Families of Sugars and Chemistry of Aldoses: This lecture serves as an introduction to organic chemical structures.
45. Properties and Chemistry of Heteroaromatic Compounds: Learn about heterocycles here.

Physics and Astronomy

Turn to this list of lectures to discover how scientists are harnessing the infinite wonders of the universe.

46. The Physical World: Topics in these lectures from The Open University include quantum physics, Einstein, helicopter flight and more.
47. Astronomy Lecture 1: What is a star?: Finally learn what a star really is and how we all fit into the universe.
48. Quantum gravity in three dimensions: Andrew Strominger discusses quantum gravity.
49. Challenge in Astrophysics: Sarah Bridle introduces the challenge to measure and identify the shapes of distant galaxies.
50. X-rays from comets – a surprising discovery: Watch this talk to learn how comets can be X-rayed and what the images reveal.
51. The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy: Nobel Prize-winning Charles H. Townes talks about what’s next in terms of deep galaxy exploration.
52. An overview of the United State government’s space and science policy-making process: Find out what driving forces control the government’s policy-making decisions in regards to science and space exploration.
53. Loop Quantum Gravity: Carlo Rovelli discusses superstring theory here.
54. Forty years of high energy string collisions: Gabriele Veneziano reviews what’s been going on during string collisions for the past forty years.
55. What is the simplest quantum field theory?: In this lecture, Freddy Cachazo brings forth ideas of simpler quantum field theories.
56. Physics III: Vibrations and Waves: Learn about forced oscillations and other physics properties here.
57. Stephen Hawking asks big questions about the universe: Stephen Hawking asks questions about the beginnings of the universe, where humans came from and more.
58. The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether and the Unification of Force: Anticipating a New Golden Age: Frank Wilczek introduces listeners to his new physics theory.
59. Transitioning from the Space Shuttle to the Constellation System: In this talk, you will learn about the future of space exploration.
60. The Second Law and Cosmology: Max Tegmark asks questions about entropy, temperature and equilibrium when studying the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

Earth and Environment

Discover deep sea ecosystems, global warming and other Earth science phenomena here.

61. David Deutsch on our place in the cosmos: Scientist David Deutsch urges the greater scientific community to seriously consider global warming.
62. Nature, not human activity, rules the climate: This controversial opinion gives nature all the credit in our changing climate.
63. Stanford Experts on Climate Change and Carbon Trading: Dr. Schneider, one of the leading experts on climate change, talks about the crisis.
64. The Invisible Forest: Microbes in the Sea: Learn about these key ocean organisms.
65. Planet Water: Complexity and Organization in Earth Systems: Rafael Bras is credited with launching the science of hydrology and discusses water complexity here.
66. E.O. Wilson on saving life on Earth: Biologist E.O. Wilson entreats society to become more educated on natural life on Earth.
67. The U.S. Energy Crisis and the Role of New Nuclear Plants: Thomas A. Christopher considers the effects of nuclear plants on the energy and environmental crises.
68. CO2 beyond tomorrow: a fundamental approach: This panel featuring Helmut List aims to predict future CO2 emissions effects.
69. Sea Levels and Climate Change: David T. Pugh is a physicist who is concerned with sea level rise and coastal flooding.
70. Importance of Science in Conservation: Conservation isn’t just a social or political issue: Peter Seligmann argues that science is also a strong part of the picture.
71. In Antarctica: The Global Warming: Sebastian Copeland explains how Antarctica is a microcosm for what will happen to the rest of the world due to global warming.
72. Climate change from the scientific point of view: Listen to a scientist’s view of what’s going on in the development in climate change.
73. Robert Ballard on exploring the oceans: Discover the new research projects going on underwater.

Technology

For the latest in technology and computer science, see what these top lecturers have to share.

74. Saul Griffith on everyday inventions: Listen to inventor Saul Griffith discuss the importance and elegance of designing everyday materials.
75. Energy Efficient Transistors: Alan Seabaugh from the University of Notre Dame explains how transistors are becoming more energy efficient.
76. Bounding nanotechnology: Deconstructing the Drexler-Smalley Debate: Sarah Kaplan dissects the Drexler-Smalley debate in this lecture.
77. Introduction to Robotics: Stanford’s Oussama Khatib covers the history of robotics, spatial descriptions, kinematics and more.
78. Computer System Engineering: Learn the basics of computer system engineering as explained by MIT’s Hari Balakrishnan.
79. Ray Kurzweil on how technology will transform us: Ray Kurzweil introduces the idea of a future populated with nanobots.
80. Technology and Social Responsibility: Larry Page and Sergey Brin hold technology projects, researchers and companies to a higher standard in this lecture.
81. Living with Catastrophic Terrorism: Can Science and Technology Make the U.S. Safer?: Lewis M. Branscomb is actually a public policy professor and co-chair at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, but this lecture takes on a critical debate about the importance of science and technology in government.
82. Steve Koonin- Chief Scientist BP: Steve Koonin talks about his job’s challenge to plot long-term technology strategy.
83. The Inner History of Devices: Sherry Turkle combines a study of psychology with physical science and technology in this lecture.

Science in the Future

These scientists share a glimpse into a future with customized human babies, synthetic chromosomes, and more.

84. Juan Enriquez shares mindboggling science: Juan Enriquez explains how forward thinking and science are going to pull us out of any crises or disasters.
85. Craig Venter is on the verge of creating synthetic life: Discover how synthetic chromosomes may be in the future.
86. To upgrade is human: How can technology help human evolution? Gregory Stock considers customized human babies and the future of adoption.
87. Next Generation of Solar Cells — Lowering Costs, Improving Performance and Scale: Tonio Buonassisi talks about capturing the sun’s power.
88. Do-It-Yourself Biology: Natalie Kuldell combines computer engineering history with genetic engineering to predict a DIY future and scientific community.

Science and Business

Learn about the relationship between science, policymaking and business when you watch these lectures.

89. Balancing Science and Business: Understanding technology and modern business principles is ideal, argues Marc Fleury.
90. Leading Innovation: This talk explores responsible, effective strategies for uniting technology and business.
91. Globalization of Science: Opportunities for Competitive Advantage from Science in China, India and Beyond: Fiona Murray reveals how science, technology and engineering are valid forces in the business world, especially in competitive markets like China and India.

Miscellaneous

From studying the brain in love to monitoring the future of science education, these lecturers continue to explore every avenue of science.

92. Helen Fisher studies the brain in love: If you’ve ever wondered about the physical changes that the brain goes through when you’re in love, watch this lecture.
93. Fuzzy Logic: This lecture from computer and information scientist Michael Berthold reveals how fuzzy logic is used for data analysis.
94. Science Education in the 21st Century: Using the Tools of Science to Teach Science: Dr. Carl Wierman is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who comments on the future of science education.
95. The Evolution of Trichomatic Color Vision: Consider genetic evolution of sight and brain processes here.
96. Probability for Life Science: This mix of math and life science covers probability and beyond.
97. Psychology in Human-Computer Interaction: David Kieras considers human-computer interaction in this talk.
98. Electrons, Life and the Evolution of the Oxygen Cycle on Earth: This talk examines several different scientific properties and questions.
99. Renaissance Physicists: Steven Weinberg isn’t too optimistic about the future of science and discusses the characteristics that define a truly ambitious scientist.
100. Worms, Life and Death: Cel Suicide in Development and Disease: Consider cell death as a key factor in biological development after listening to this lecture.

False Death Reports

These high-profile personalities, politicians and celebrities were falsely reported dead by Wikipedia users.

1. Ted Kennedy’s death: A very high profile Wikipedia blunder falsely reported the "death" of Sen. Edward Kennedy after he actually did suffer a seizure during the post-inaugural luncheon for Barack Obama in January 2009. The Washington Post reports that Kennedy’s Wikipedia entry was edited at 2:59p.m. ET "to say that he had died" by someone who registered on the site under the name "Gfdjklsdgiojksdkf."
2. Senator Byrd: Senator Robert Byrd was also included in the Sen. Kennedy death hoax after he (actually did) leave the same luncheon shortly after Kennedy had the seizure. At 3:08p.m. ET, according to the Washington Post, Sen. Byrd was also reported dead by a Wikipedia user.
3. Vernon Kay: British TV presenter Vernon Kay was reported dead on Wikipedia, saying that "he’d drowned in a tragic yachting accident and Greece," according to Brand Republic. The entry even had specific information about his funeral.
4. Sinbad’s Death: The actor Sinbad was falsely reported dead by a Wikipedia entry in 2007. MSNBC reports that Sinbad found out about the hoax when his daughter called him. The Wikipedia entry claimed he had died of a heart attack and "had been forwarded to hundreds of people" before it was corrected.
5. Miley Cyrus’ death: Miley Cyrus is arguably one of the biggest teen stars in the entire world, and fans were shocked when a hoax involving social media site Digg and Wikipedia falsely reported her death in September 2008. The sites claimed that Miley Cyrus was killed in a car crash on her way to the Hannah Montana set, but it never happened.

Libel

Tony Blair, Robbie Williams and even Nancy Pelosi have been targeted in crude vandalism cases on Wikipedia.

6. John Seigenthaler Sr.: This Wikipedia hoax got a lot of attention because it is truly slander, or "Internet character assassination," as the real John Seigenthaler claims. The real John Seigenthaler is a respected journalist who briefly worked for Robert F. Kennedy. His Wikipedia entry briefly reported, however, that Seigenthaler "was thought to have been directly involved in the Kennedy assassinations of both John, and his brother, Bobby. Nothing was ever proven." Seigenthaler contacted Wikipedia, who took the entry down, but only after it had was on the site for 132 days.
7. Tony Blair: The Times Online reported that the Wikipedia entry for Tony Blair that appeared one week in February 2006 stated that he hung up "posters of Adolf Hitler on his bedroom wall as a teenager" and that he started "a false war against Saddam Hussein." Tony Blair’s entry was a platform for political enemies to rant about the Iraq war and his position on civil service neutrality. The threat was taken seriously; however, and Wikipedia even "launched an investigation to see if any of the postings [were] coming from the House of Commons," since a similar American scandal using the power of Wikipedia was traced back to officials who worked at the Capitol building.
8. Robbie Williams eats pet hamsters: According to a mischievous Wikipedia contributor in 2006, Robbie Williams ate pet hamsters for a living "in and around Stoke," The Independent reports.
9. Ritchie de Laet: The Wikipedia entry for Manchester United defender Ritchie De Laet was a surprisingly offensive rant against his acceptance to the team. The Mirror reports that his Wikipedia page featured the following biography: "The Belgian was surprisingly signed on a performance-based contract by Manchester United on January 8. Many thought it was a joke and Andrew Marshall has agreed to shoot himself if he ever makes a Premier League appearance for the Red Devils."
10. Village of Denshaw: Wikipedia blunders aren’t just limited to individuals. The entire village of Denshaw near Greater Manchester was targeted when someone edited their Wikipedia entry and wrote that it was "the home to an obese population of sun-starved, sheep hurling yokels with a brothel for a pub and a lingering tapeworm infection," according to the Telegraph.
11. Nancy Pelosi: U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was correctly described as being of Italian descent in her Wikipedia entry, but a hacker/editor continued his piece by saying that "Italians drink children’s blood."
12. Sergey Brin: Sergey Brin is one of the co-founders of Google and now sits on the Board of Directors. In 2002, however, his Wikipedia page was vandalized with remarks like "is he lucky or smart or both?" and "He is sexy." One entry even claimed that Brin had "died in Moscow, Russia." Another vandal wrote that "in July of 2006, Sergey revealed that he is homosexual and dating with Jimmy Wales," the creator of Wikipedia.
13. Bill Gates photo: This vandalized photo of Bill Gates was forwarded around after someone edited his Wikipedia page. It features a perfectly nice photo of Gates, marked up with devil horns and a Hitler mustache.
14. University of Cincinnati President Nancy Zimpher: Someone at the University of Cincinnati had it in for President Nancy Zimpher, big time. Her Wikipedia entry at one time reported that she was a "president/prostitute" and that "critics also claim that she doesn’t care what alumni, boosters or students think. An example of this would be getting rid of midnight madness." The entry closes with the remark, "Nancy Zimpher is a witch, and flys around on a broom stick."
15. Fuzzy Zoeller: Pro-golfer and former U.S. Open winner Fuzzy Zoeller ended up suing a Miami law firm after his vandalized Wikipedia page was tracked back to an IP address at their location. The page reported that Zoeller had admitted to "polishing off a fifth of Jack after popping a handful of Vicodin pills" and had also beaten his wife and children after drinking and taking drugs, reports The Smoking Gun.

Miscellaneous Hoaxes and Mistakes

For even more blunders and random hoaxes involving David Beckham, Dutch royalty and even the Wikipedia logo, look here.

16. David Beckham: Another Wikipedia "joke" from 2006 insisted that David Beckham "was a Chinese goalkeeper in the 18th century." This hoax isn’t as defamatory as Robbie Williams’ or Tony Blair’s, but it’s still pretty outrageous.
17. Wikipedia logo: Besides letting hoaxes slip through the cracks, Wikipedia is also guilty of designing a logo that includes "meaningless" and fake characters. The logo features the globe designed as a puzzle. Each puzzle piece contains a symbol or character from different languages. The Guardian reports, however, that the logo is wrong, and that one Japanese character and one Devanagari character were designed incorrectly and are therefore "meaningless."
18. Contributor lied: An anonymous Wikipedia contributor who edited thousands of entries and claimed to be a professor of religion turned out to be a 24-year-old college dropout, according to MSNBC. The hoax was discovered after The New Yorker "published an editor’s note stating that a 2006 Wikipedia profile in the magazine had erroneously described Essjay’s purported academic resume." He was so respected in the Wikipedia community that he had even been made an arbitrator by Wikipedia and was hired by Wikia Inc.
19. Holland royalty scandal: The Dutch royal family was the subject of a double scandal that started when a Wikipedia entry described a 2003 incident involving now Princess Mabel of Oranje-Nassau. The New York Times explains that Mabel had had a "liaison" with a drug dealer, causing Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende to refuse government approval for his son to marry her. The incident was reported on Wikipedia, but was unethically erased by the prince and princess in 2007.
20. Death in the Afternoon: Hemingway’s nonfiction work Death in the Afternoon was reported by Wikipedia to be "a non-fiction book by Ernest Hemingway about the ceremony and traditions of Spanish whores." The book is actually about Spanish bull-fighting, and the entry was later corrected.
21. Jane Fonda: Jane Fonda’s reputation wasn’t really damaged through her Wikipedia page, but in a report from The Register, even Jimmy Wales admits that her biography at one time read "she won an Academy Award and has a dog," and was not a good example of Wikipedia’s finest work.
22. Plato: Plato was an ancient Hawaiian weather man and surfer, writer of cosmo girls and founder of the punahou in Ancient Florida? According to his Wikipedia entry discovered by a teacher and submitted to Flickr, he was.
23. Stephen Colbert blocked: Stephen Colbert ripped Wikipedia’s open policy when he jokingly said that "if you make something up and enough people agree with you–it becomes reality," according to Newsvine.com. Colbert called this phenomenon "wikiality" and even edited George Washington’s Wikipedia page on the show, and a Wikipedia entry for elephants. Colbert fans joined in the game, "repeatedly vandalizing approximately 20 articles on elephants before all being placed under a lock." Colbert was also blocked from Wikipedia.
24. Alan Mcilwraith: In this hoax, Wikipedia served Alan Mcilwraith with the ability to set up a fake life and possibly get girls. Mcilwraith put up an entry on on a Wikipedia mirror site describing the biography of a British army officer, Captain Sir Alan Mcilwraith, saying that he "is best known for risking his own life to protect that of his men for his action he was awarded DSO." The poorly written entry even features a photo of Mcilwraith in full uniform. In reality, Mcilwraith was a Dell customer service representative.
25. NPA "hoax": When Anthony Benis, the creator of the NPA theory that claims human personalities are comprised of narcissism, perfectionism and aggression, put up a Wikipedia entry about his theory, Wikipedia users got mad, criticizing Wikipedia for letting the creator of a theory to promote his own ideas on the site, calling it a "vanity entry," according to Ars Technica. Wikipedia deleted the entry, claiming that Benis was not notable enough to write his own entry.

Science

These journals cover topics from DNA to engineering.

1. Agronomy Research: Estonian University of Life Sciences publishes this journal twice a year.
2. DNA Research: Oxford University Press’ DNA Research offers peer-reviewed content on genes and genomes.
3. HighWire Press: Stanford’s HighWire Press is a huge archive of free full-text science articles.
4. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering: Published six times a year, the Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering emphasizes mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering.
5. African Journal of Agricultural Research: Find research articles in agricultural economics, engineering, and more in this journal.
6. Academic Open Internet Journal: The AOIJ offers discussions on everything from quantum frameworks to fingerprint detection.
7. Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal: Find some of Columbia’s manuscripts of significant scientific research and analysis in this journal.
8. Astronomy Education Review: Read this journal to learn about the stars, seasons, and more.
9. Electronic Journal of Science Education: Check out this peer reviewed journal from Southwestern University for information about science education.
10. California Agriculture: Read peer-reviewed research in agricultural, natural, and human resources from this journal produced by the University of California.
11. Maejo International Journal of Science and Technology: Find peer reviewed communication in science and technology from this journal by Maejo University.
12. Online Journal of Biological Sciences: This quarterly publication covers everything from cell biology to bioinformatics.
13. McGill Science Undergraduate Journal: Find undergraduate research from McGill University in this journal.
14. Diffusion Fundamentals: In this journal, you’ll be able to learn about diffusion theory, experiment, and application.
15. Pacific Journal of Science and Technology: Find research, theories, and observations from Akmai University in this journal.
16. Agricultural Engineering International: In this journal from Texas A & M University, you’ll be able to find articles about agricultural engineering.
17. Science World Journal: A publication of Kaduna State University in Nigeria, Science World Journal highlights cutting edge research across the sciences.
18. Electronic Liquid Crystal Communications: Pick up this journal to read about liquid crystals.
19. DataCritica: International Journal of Critical Statistics: Check out DataCritica to read about statistical facts, methods, and more.
20. Silpakorn University Science and Technology Journal: Silpakorn’s journal covers health sciences, engineering, agriculture, and more.
21. Genomics, Society and Policy: In this online academic journal, you’ll find thoughful discussions about the way genomics intersects with the world around us.
22. Mathematical Physics Electronic Journal: This mathematics journal aims to publish high quality papers in mathematical physics and related areas.
23. International Agrophysics: The Institute of Agrophysics produces this quarterly journal that focuses on applications of physics in environmental and agricultural sciences.
24. Physics and Philosophy: Read this new open access journal from Dortmund University of Technology to read about the laws of physics, philosophy, and more.
25. Journal of Biological Engineering: This journal publishes articles on biological engineering.

Art & Design

Read about museums, architecture, writing and more in these academic journals.

26. City & Time: City & Time is devoted to the study of the conservation and transformation of cities.
27. eSharp: University of Glasgow’s eSharp is an international online journal for postgraduate research in
    the arts, humanities, social sciences and education.
28. Museum and Society: The University of Leicester’s journal covers museum studies, conservation, and more.
29. Reading in a Foreign Language: In this journal, you’ll find a variety of issues in foreign language reading and literacy.
30. Australian Humanities Review: Read about Australia’s life and culture, read book reviews, and more in this journal.
31. Music Theory Online: Through this music theory journal, you’ll find criticism, commentary, research, and more.
32. International Journal of Architectural Research: Read about issues in accessibility, cultural architecture, and more in this journal.
33. Crossings: From Trinity College, Crossings offers a look at the intersection of art and technology.
34. CEBE Transactions: Cardiff University’s Centre for Education in the Built Environment is a peer reviewed journal discussing built environment disciplines.
35. Enculturation: If you’re looking for discussions on rhetoric and writing, this journal from George Mason University will deliver.
36. Early Modern Literary Studies: This journal discusses literature, culture, and more.
37. Belphegor: In this scholarly journal, you’ll read about popular literature and media culture.
38. Cardiff Corvey: Reading the Romantic Text: Lovers of romantic text should be sure to read this journal.
39. Philament: In the University of Sydney’s Philament, you’ll read about cultural studies and the literary arts.
40. Romanticism and Victorianism on the Net: This journal celebrates Romanticism and Victorianism.
41. Colloquy: Monash University’s Colloquy highlights work from postgraduates writing about literary and cultural studies.
42. International Journal of Education and the Arts: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s journal covers issues such as aesthetic representations, artistic development, and art around the world.
43. Consciousness, Literature and the Arts: The University of Lincoln’s journal is a forum for work relating the arts and literature to the exploration of consciousness.
44. Bryn Mawr Review of Comparative Literature: Read this online journal to find timely reviews of books in the field of comparative literature.

Business & Finance

These journals take a look at economics, executives, and beyond.

45. Economic Analysis and Policy: This jounral offers a number of online downloadable articles on economics and policy.
46. Nova Economia: Published three times a year, Nova Economica offers a Brazilian look at economics.
47. European Political Economy Review: The European Political Economy Review aims to close the gap between political, economic, and juridical sciences.
48. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation: Check out this journal if you’d like to learn about evaluation and decision making.
49. Information Technologies and International Development: Consider issues in information and communication technologies, and how they effect the world with this journal.
50. Michigan Journal of Business: This journal from the University of Michigan dicusses issues like currency, tax, and executives.
51. Bifröst Journal of Social Science: Check out the Bifröst Journal of Social Science and read articles about business, economics, and more.
52. Demographic Research: Published by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, this journal discusses population issues in an international community.

Medicine

These journals of medicine are available through open access.

53. AIDS Research and Therapy: Check out this journal to find basic science alongside important research articles about stopping the spread of AIDS.
54. Journal of Health Informatics in Developing Countries: The University of Otago in New Zealand publishes this journal that discusses the impact of health informatics in developing countries.
55. Medical Education Online: This journal offers a way for physicians and health professionals to share medical information.
56. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings: Baylor’s medical journal covers a variety of different issues in medicine.
57. Annual Review of Biomedical Sciences: Read Sao Paulo State University’s journal for discussions on animal sciences, nutrition, ethology, and more.
58. Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine: In this journal, you’ll read about translational and personalized medicine.
59. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: Published bimonthly by the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences discusses risk factors, treatments, and more.
60. Biomedical Imaging and Intervention Journal: The University of Malaysia’s Department of Biomedical Imaging offers this jounral about imaging and allied sciences.
61. North Carolina Medical Journal: Read about new ideas, approaches, and policies in health care through this journal.
62. Korean Journal of Medical History: Learn about the history of Korean medicine in this journal.

Social Science

Read these academic journals to learn about cultures, geography, and more.

63. Graduate Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies: This electronic journal from the University of Auckland in New Zealand offers a peer-reviewed showcase of graduate students discussing a wide range of disciplines in Asia-Pacific studies.
64. History of Intellectual Culture: Check out this journal for a discussion on the historical contexts of ideas and ideologies.
65. Slavic Studies: Here you’ll find case studies, analysis and more related to slavic studies.
66. Culture, Society & Praxis: The Culture, Society & Praxis journal is all about the transformation of culture and society.
67. A Contracorriente: This journal is all about social history and literature in Latin America.
68. Cybergeo: The Cybergeo journal is a European journal of geography.
69. Leeds International Classical Studies: Follow this journal for articles and dicussion papers on Greek and Roman antiquity and the history of the classical tradition.
70. ACME: Read about critical geographies in this journal.
71. African Studies Quarterly: In the University of Florida’s journal, you’ll read about current issues in African studies.
72. The 49th Parallel: Read this e-journal from the University of Birmingham to learn all about North American studies.
73. Globality Studies Journal: Stony Brook’s open access journal discusses global history, culture, and society.
74. Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies: Read this journal to find research and scholarly writing on contemporary Japan.
75. Southern Spaces: Southern Spaces is an interdisciplinary journal that focuses on America’s South.
76. The Medieval Review: Since 1993, this journal has discussed historical figures, issues, and discoveries about the Medieval times.
77. The Journal for Late Antique Religion and Culture: Cardiff University’s journal offers a look at antiquity.
78. Electronic Journal of Radical Organisation Theory: Find out how radical organization works in this journal.
79. Studies on Asia: Published by the Asian Studies Center of Michigan State University, Studies on Asia looks at Asian art, culture, and more.
80. Delaware Review of Latin American Studies: The University of Delaware’s scholarly online journal covers all aspects of Latin American society, culture, and history.
81. Comparative Literature and Culture: Published by Purdue University Press, Comparative Literature and Culture shares information about scholarship in the humanities and social sciences.
82. Nordic Journal of African Studies: Read this journal to learn about a Nordic approach to Africa.
83. Journal of Historical Biography: This periodical from the University of the Fraser Valley covers issues in writing biographies and autobiographies.
84. Reviews in History: Check out this ejournal to see discussions of history in education, the public, and more.

Law & Politics

If you’re interested in legal studies or politics, these academic journals are a great free resource.

85. Duke Law Journal: Duke’s law journal offers a top-notch look at today’s legal issues.
86. The Connecticut Public Interest Law Journal: This journal offers a discusson on the legal aspects of public interest priorities.
87. European Journal of Legal Studies: This European journal seeks to further the promotion of legal studies.
88. International Socialism: Learn all about socialist theory with this journal.
89. Human Rights & Human Welfare: Check out this journal for an international review of books and other publications on human rights and human welfare.
90. Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum: Consider issues at the intersection of the environment and law with this journal.
91. Law, Social Justice & Global Development: Read about global health law, finances, and more in this journal.
92. Electronic Journal of Comparative Law: Learn about issues in comparative law from this Dutch journal.
93. Richmond Journal of Law & Technology: This journal offers a discussion of patents, research and a lot more.
94. International Journal of Communications and Law Policy: Read this journal that is devoted to law, policy, and technology of media regulation around the world.
95. War Crimes, Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity: In War Crimes, you’ll find pieces highlighting investigation of the acts prohibited by international criminal, humanitarian, and human rights law.
96. Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property: In this journal, you’ll learn about issues in law, technology, and intellectual property.
97. Harvard Human Rights Journal: Read this annual journal to find cutting edge human rights scholarship.
98. Web Journal of Current Legal Issues: This web journal focuses on current legal issues in a variety of different subjects.
99. University of Ottawa Law and Technology Journal: This journal is dedicated to all aspects of law and technology.
100. Journal of Information, Law, and Technology: If you’re interested in electronic law, be sure to read this journal.

Quick Reference

This list features dictionaries, search tools and general reference extensions that can save you time and keep you focused on your actual work.

1. British English Dictionary: Fiction writers or those writing for or referencing British publications will benefit from this easy-to-access dictionary.
2. United States English Dictionary: Do simple spell checks with this online dictionary through Firefox.
3. del.icio.us: This add-on makes it easier to search through del.icio.us, perfect for journalists or other writers who need to know what everyone’s talking about.
4. Merriam Webster: Quickly search the Merriam Webster English dictionary without having to move away from your current page.
5. FreeTranslate: When digging up primary source material, use this add-on to translate pages into English.
6. Ask.com Toolbar: If you want to save an entire search and not just one or two pages, this extension will archive saved and favorite locations and individual sites.
7. Hyperwords 4.0.2: With this tool, you can select a word on any website and instantly perform a search on it, translate it, access conversions and reference material and more.

Staying Connected

When working on collaborative projects and when you’re trying to keep in touch with your classmates, stay connected with these Firefox tools.

8. Sage1.4.2: This "lightweight RSS and Atom feed aggregator" plays well with Firefox’s bookmarking system and lets you customize newspaper feeds.
9. LinkedIn Companion for Firefox: Network with your LinkedIn profile more easily when you download this extension, which lets you see the LinkedIn profile (if they have one) for anyone who sends you e-mail and bookmark profiles and profile searches.
10. Kaboodle: If you use Kaboodle to share websites or just store your own searches, you can access it more easily with this add-on.
11. WataCrackaz AutoSMS: Track down busy agents and editors with this tool, which lets you send texts to cell phones around the world from Firefox.
12. Send Page by E-mail: Send a website via this e-mail system to yourself, co-writers, your research assistant or anyone else. This extension lets you send the site or a clip of the site directly from Firefox.
13. Unofficial MySpace Toolbar: If you prefer to stay connected through MySpace, add this extension so that you don’t have to open a new tab to log in, comment, read messages and more.
14. Notify: If you frequently visit a website for basic reference information, use this tool to be notified anytime content on that site changes. That way, you’ll always be up-to-date and can avoid writing or sharing old information.
15. Dai.sy 1.1.0: Chat and share files with your colleagues or editors when they visit the same site as you.
16. SiteSays: When you’re working with a team, you can use SiteSays to write comments about different websites you’ve looked at.

Saving, Bookmarking and Organizing

Keep track of your entire searches, favorite websites and comments or ideas with these extensions.

17. Chipmark 3.2.1: Writers who use different browsers and different computers for their research can use Chipmark to organize all bookmarks.
18. Clipmarks: This tool is great when you only want to save a certain part of a website and not all of the junk surrounding your research or clips.
19. Trexy TrailBar: Start a search trail in order to remember past searches and recover information you found weeks or even months before.
20. The Tip’d Bookmarklet: Use this tool to submit a new finance story to Tip’d, the most popular social media site about investing topics.
21. Add Bookmark Here: This extension allows for an even easier way to add a bookmark.
22. NeedleSearch 3.5: Bookmark niche search engines that are hard to find or hard to remember with this tool.
23. Plain Old Favorites: If you used to be an IE user, you can add those favorites to your Firefox bookmarks without having to export them.
24. Flat Bookmark Editing: Writers who don’t know how to manipulate their bookmark properties can opt for a simple "flat" editing tool like this one to organize them.
25. Scrapbook 1.3.3.7: This popular organization tool lets you save all or part of a website, organize your saved pages, and search within your collection.
26. NetMarks Manager 3.2: Capture Firefox bookmarks with this tool to comment on websites, search within your collection and more.

Files

From help with downloading files to managing images and other files, these tools can keep you from getting too sidetracked and bogged down in technicalities.

27. OpenDownload: This tool is great for writers who don’t want to pay for different programs or search out programs that let them download files. Instead, when you choose to open the file, OpenDownload connects you to the open source program that will let you view it.
28. PDF Download: View PDFs as HTML documents in Firefox and manage other save or viewing options with this tool.
29. Image Toolbar: Get immediate access to photo editing commands like saving and copying from a simple toolbar so that you can manage pictures for your blog, news story or just for inspiration.
30. Download Statusbar: When you download this extension, a small statusbar is installed that lets you manage all of your downloads from one spot.

Privacy

Maintain your privacy and your integrity with these extensions, which keep prying eyes and competitors locked out.

31. Gmail S/MIME: Encrypt sent and received Gmail messages with this tool.
32. hideBad 2.0: Perfect for writers working in competitive libraries or too-public coffee shops, this extension "quickly closes tabs that you do not want others to see" and lets you clear Firefox history.
33. Stealther 1.0.6: If you need to share your computer with another writer or editor, keep your research and comments safe by temporarily disabling browsing history, cookies, downloaded files, recently closed tabs list and more.
34. TrashMail.net: Set up a separate e-mail address for junk mail that clutters up your regular inbox and leaves you more vulnerable to online scams.

Staying On Deadline

Stay on top of your classes with these notifiers, calendars, automatic alerts and other Firefox tools.

35. FoxClocks: If your publisher or editor is in a different time zone, make sure you’re still on deadline with this in-sync clock.
36. ReminderFox 1.7.2: Mange your to-do lists and deadlines with this extension, which has a simple interface.
37. TimeTracker 1.2.4: Keep tabs on how much time you "waste" or work on Firefox to help you be more productive and on-task.
38. Google Reader Notifier: If you depend on feeds and stories sent to your Google Reader for inspiration or research, keep track of how much you still need to get finished with this notification add-on.
39. Gmail Manager 0.5.5: Manage all of your Gmail accounts with this extension, which also notifies you of new messages.
40. Usage Counter 0.2.1: Usage Counter is another time tracking add-on that lets you know how much time you’ve spent on a certain website, helping you figure out when it’s time to move on and when to take a break.
41. gotTime 0.2: gotTime allows you to "create countdown alarms for reminders of important events," from set-in-stone deadlines to meetings to draft reviews.

Building Your Business

The following list includes add-ons that will help you find jobs through Craigslist, stay connected with your clients and manage your own advertising and revenue online.

42. Emurse.com Resume Quick Send: When you find contact information for someone you’d like to work with, right click and select "Send Resume via Emurse.com" to send a pre-filled e-mail message.
43. Facebook Toolbar 1.2.1: This extension lets you search Facebook from your browser, no matter what website you’re already on. You can also check messages, pokes, and updated profiles.
44. CraigZilla: Get to Craigslist even faster so that you can update postings, apply for jobs and more.
45. Adsense Notifier: After you download this extension, your Adsense earnings will be displayed on your Firefox statusbar.

More Writers’ Tools

Here you’ll find even more of our favorite writers’ tools from Firefox, from add-ons that link you to sources to extensions that make your blogging experience more efficient.

46. NowPublic: This tool is a must for journalists and other writers wanting first-hand information from real-life events. The system works by allowing users to "highlight anything on the web you think is newsworthy and connect to eye witnesses at the scene of the story."
47. Zotero: This Firefox add-on makes it easier for you to research and even cite your sources all from the web browser.
48. LinkChecker: Verify links for security and as legitimate sources with LinkChecker.
49. Tag Editor: Whether you blog full time or just for a few extra bucks each month, you can stop wasting time coming up with tag links after each post. This tool does it for you.
50. TextMarker! 0.3.2: Get super organized with editing and research by using three different highlighter colors to mark up text selections on websites.

Meta Search and Multi Search Engines

These meta search and multi search engines can search numerous engines and sites at once, maximizing the number of results you get each time you conduct a search.

1. Ms. Freckles: Adorable Ms. Freckles can search online for different file types, definitions, translations, film, finance sites, and a lot more all at once.
2. Kart00: This cartoon-inspired search engine lets you hover over results to get a preview of the site before you open it. Results are also organized by topic so that you can narrow down your search and organize hits.
3. Fazzle: Search the web’s best, the entire web, downloads, images, videos, audio or headline news. You can also select an advanced search to find incredibly specific results.
4. Trexy: This site saves your search memory so that you don’t have search multiple times on different engines.
5. Mamma: Here at "the mother of all search engines," librarians search the web or video. Next to your results is an option to refine your search by choosing a suggested category.
6. 1-Page Multi Search: Type your search into one or several of the following search engines at once: Alta Vista, AOL, EntireWeb, Gigablast, Hot Bot, Lycos, Scrub, Yahoo!, Google, YouTube, Dogpile, Ask Jeeves, and a lot more.
7. iZito: Busy librarians who are constantly finding new reference sites and search engines will like iZito because of its ability to save your history in an easy drop down tab.

Multimedia and Interactive

For help finding pictures, podcasts, music and shareware, use these search engines.

8. Metacafe: Find videos on this site if you want a change from YouTube.
9. Songza: Patrons looking for music can use this search engine, which "lets you listen to any song or band." You can also search the featured list or top played list.
10. Picsearch: This large photo search engine has more than 2 billion images in its directory.
11. Get a Podcast: Search for podcasts all around the web in this directory.
12. Shareware: If you need to install new software programs on your library computers, turn to Shareware first, which pulls up tons of free programs and downloads.
13. Public Radio Fan: Find information for thousands of public radio stations on this site. You can find the times of different broadcasts, station names, podcasts and more.

Google Search Engines

A Google search doesn’t just mean typing in a keyword on the homepage and seeing what pops up. Try out these niche search engines sponsored by Google to find books, images and more information that librarians will find useful.

14. Google Image Search: Ask Google to bring up the most popular images on the web with this engine.
15. Google Scholar: Get connected to scholarly journals and publications here.
16. Google Books: Search online copies of books on this search engine, which features categories like literature and science fiction to biology and linguistics to highly cited to categories organized by subject and keyword.
17. Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for any subject so that you’ll get results sent to your inbox every time there’s a new site, blog or keyword mention on the web.

Great Niche Sites for Librarians

From family friendly and kid-safe searches to science and medical search engines, these niche sites can help you with very specific research projects.

18. Scirus: Pull up science-related results on this research-oriented search engine. You can find "not only journal content but also scientists’ homepages, courseware, pre-print server material, patents and institutional repository and website information."
19. Librarians’ Internet Index: Here you’ll be connected to quality, authoritative sites. Search by keyword or narrow down your search by browsing categories like business, government, media, health, computers, or the arts and humanities.
20. Family Friendly Search: Librarians at elementary and middle schools, as well as public librarians, may be interested in directing patrons to this site, which is safe for kids.
21. Intute: This British search engine lets you pick search options in the following categories for a specialized search: science and technology, arts and humanities, social sciences, and the health and life sciences.
22. PubMed: PubMed is one of the premier search engines for medical students and researchers. You can find journal articles, citations, clinical information and more.
23. Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research: On the GSU College of Law site, librarians and patrons can take advantage of this meta-index which brings up judicial opinions, legislation and more.
24. Internship Programs: College librarians may want to direct students to this search engine, which connects searchers to internship opportunities.
25. Congoo: For current events and news searches, use Congoo to connect you to the latest in technology, industry, business, world news, finance, politics, Internet trends and more.
26. CataLaw: CataLaw is another law search engine that organizes "all indexes of law and government into a uniform, universal and unique metaindex."
27. USGenWeb Archives: Help your patrons with genealogy searches with this engine.

Custom Searches

Tailor your search to your daily needs with these search engines, which can be modified by remembering search history, customizing templates and more.

29. mozbot: Pick a language and customize your search with this engine. Mozbot can also add results to your favorites, send results by e-mail, display thumbnails of different sites, and provide suggestions for similar sites.
30. Curriculum Search: Help teachers find reference materials, lesson plans and tools by searching this Google custom search engine.
31. Computer Science Research: Use this search engine or adapt it to make your own to find computer science materials and references.
32. Rollyo: Choose to search categories like health, travel, tech, reference and others using Rollyo, a system that "create[s] search engines using the sources you trust."
33. Ujiko: This sleekly designed search engine lets you choose how you want your results displayed and organized.

Reference Searches

The following list of search engines prove useful to all kinds of librarians in search of dictionaries and other reference materials.

34. JustCite: JustCite is a legal search engine and can help you find citations.
35. Online Journals Search Engine: Search scientific databases and journals here.
36. Powerset: For a basic Q&A session, use Powerset to quickly search Wikipedia entries.
37. Infoplease: Get information on any subject, from history and government to arts and entertainment to world news to biographical information to homework help.
38. Guide Star: This search tool is great for public librarians or librarians who work with teachers wanting information on grants and nonprofits. Type in the name of an organization or keyword to find nonprofit group information.
39. JoeAnt: You can get answers to research queries on any subject at JoeAnt, from computers to science to politics to the humanities to business law.
40. Find Tutorials: Find tutorials for practically everything on this search site, from education to culture to spirituality, to finance to the Internet.
41. RefDesk: RefDesk is known as the "fact checker for the Internet." You can search MSN, Google, Yahoo! or Wikipedia, as well as various dictionaries and periodicals.
42. OneLook Dictionary Search: Get detailed definitions, translations and more on this search engine, which pulls from over 1,000 different dictionaries.
43. The Dictionary of Free Online Books and Shopping: Look up and access books online for free using this search engine, which includes educational books, history books, children’s books, biographies, political books and a lot more.
44. Thinkers: Wisdom: This site features a literary search engine called Wisdom that can search the web, images, audio, video, a dictionary and more.
45. Information.com: Use the web search or search encyclopedias, blogs, articles and online groups to get creative with your reference search.

Library Search Engines

Check out these search engines that are designed to emulate or are sponsored by libraries and librarians.

46. Internet Public Library: Find references, search the collections by subject, check out the reading room or KidSpace when you visit this online public library.
47. The Open Library: Here, librarians discover "one web page for every book." This open source project also features an advanced search, connecting you to the exact book and full-text publication you’re looking for.
48. Awesome Library: Find full-text books, journals, kid-safe sites, business information and more on this online library search engine.
49. LibDex: Search the indexes and other information for 18,000 different libraries here.
50. WorldCat: WorldCat helps patrons and librarians "find items in libraries near you." Search for books, DVDs, CDs and articles.

Sharing & Discovery

Get social with your favorite websites and use these add-ons to share and discover new places on the web.

1. StumbleUpon: This add-on learns what you like and will help you find web sites based on your interests.
2. ShareThis: Share any type of online content with your friends, family, and colleagues with ShareThis.
3. Me.dium: Share your favorite sites and communicate with your friends using this add-on.
4. Shareaholic: Use this add-on to make sharing URLs easy and streamlined.

Tabs

Make Firefox’s incredibly useful tabs even better with these add-ons.

5. Morning Coffee: Organize your websites to open up in tabs as part of your daily routine.
6. Tab Mix Plus: Tab Mix Plus supercharges Firefox’s tab browsing capabilities.
7. ColorfulTabs: Color each of your tabs in a different shade and color so that they’re easy to distinguish.
8. FaviconizeTab: This add-on allows you to cut the size of your tabs down to favicons.
9. Firefox Showcase: Manage and view your Firefox tabs as thumbails in a single window, tab, or sidebar.
10. Taboo: If you leave too many tabs open between sessions, use Taboo to save them for later.
11. IE Tab: Open up pages in Internet Explorer-compatible tabs with this add-on.

Reference & Connection

These add-ons can make simple text turn into usable reference points.

12. Who Is This Person?: With this add-on, you can highlight a name on any web page and find information on that person on a variety of different sites.
13. BlueOrganizer: BlueOrganizer will make web page content more interactive, allowing you to look up maps, save books to your wish list, and more.
14. Hyperwords: Use Hyperwords to select text on any page, and get quick access to reference, search, and more.

Bookmarks

Supercharge your bookmarks with these tools for Firefox 3.

15. del.icio.us: This official add-on will allow you to save your bookmarks on the web.
16. Jeteye: Save and share your best web searches using Jeteye’s super-powered bookmarks.
17. Clipmarks: Capture exactly what you want from a page and save it with Clipmarks.
18. Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer: Keep the same bookmarks on multiple computers using Foxmarks.

Files

Get some help with your files from these add-ons.

19. Open IT Online: Open your documents and images in Firefox with this add-on.
20. Video DownloadHelper: Easily download and convert web videos with Video DownloadHelper.
21. PDF Download: Before opening a PDF file in Firefox, PDF Download will let you know about it and give you the option to download, open, or convert it to HTML.
22. DownThemAll!: This download manager and accelerator makes it easy to download files in Firefox.

Security

Make your online browsing experience safer and more private by taking advantage of these add-ons.

23. NoScript: Pick and choose the sites that you want to allow JavaScript and other executable content to run on.
24. Nuke Anything: Hide almost anything using this add-on in the context menu.
25. FoxyProxy: Stay safe and anonymous by using this add-on that automatically switches your internet connection over proxy servers.
26. Stealther: Surf the web without leaving a trace on your computer whenever you use Stealther.
27. Adblock Plus: Prevent ads from taking over your browser with Adblock Plus.
28. BugMeNot: Pass over compulsory web registration using this handy add-on.
29. Flashblock: This extension will allow you to disable Flash content until you want to view it.

News

Stay on top of the latest and greatest with these handy tools.

30. Feed Sidebar: View items from your Live Bookmarks in the sidebar of your browser with Feed Sidebar.
31. Sage-Too: With this RSS and Atom feed aggregator, you can stay on top of news and updates.

Ease of Use

These add ons are great for making your browsing experience just a little bit easier.

32. Greasemonkey: Greasemonkey is an incredibly useful tool for customizing the way a webpage displays in Firefox.
33. All-in-One Sidebar: This sidebar control will give you access to loads of controls at once.
34. Linkification: Linkification turns plain text into clickable links.
35. ReloadEvery: Set your browser to constantly reload web pages at intervals that you define.
36. ErrorZilla: ErrorZilla turns 404 pages into a useful page with links to the Wayback Machine, Whois, Google Cache, and more.
37. URL Fixer: This add-on will automatically fix your typos in the address bar.
38. Undo Closed Tabs Button: Quickly reopen closed tabs using this simple extension.
39. iMacros: Automate Firefox by recording and replaying repititious work in iMacros.
40. FireGestures: Create customizable mouse gestures that will help you browse faster in FireGestures.

Navigation

Find your way around better with the features these add-ons offer.

41. Tab Scope: Preview and navigate tab contents with the previews Tab Scope offers.
42. Interclue: Find out what’s behind a link before you open it with Interclue.
43. Fast Dial: Get fast access to your favorite sites with these thumbnails.
44. PicLens: Turn Firefox into a visual browser with this extension that makes it easy to find and view online photos and videos.
45. Thumbstrips: See a filmstrip of thumbnails that represent your history and more using ThumbStrips.
46. GooglePreview: Get a quick peek at what your Google search results have to offer with this add-on’s previews.

Shopping

Turn into a power shopper by taking advantage of these add-ons.

47. Firefox Companion for eBay: Stay on top of your eBay auctions using this add-on.
48. Grocery List Generator: Put together recipe ingredients and other necessities using the Grocery List Generator.
49. Yapta: Use the Yapta add-on to find and track fares on airline websites.
50. Plurbio: Get to the bottom line of the reviews on any Amazon item with Plurbio’s instant summaries.

Architecture can be a challenging and sometimes stressful major, but you can help yourself stay informed and get creative new ideas by keeping on top of the news through the use of the Internet. With many architects blogging, and loads of resources and information out there, it can be well worth your time to check out at least a few blogs in your free time or to help you with a project. Here’s a list of 50 blogs and helpful sites we think are great sources for architecture majors.

Top Blogs

These blogs cover a wide range of subjects and can be great reading material.

1. A Daily Dose of Architecture: Blogger John Hill, a New York City resident and architecture student, posts his almost daily musings on architecture from around the world.
2. anArchitecture: This blog is written by Austrian Christoph Wassmann and contains a variety of links, news and commentary on the field of architecture.
3. BLDGBLOG: Written by Archinect team member, writer and editor for DWELL magazine Geoff Manaugh, this blog contains posts on design, architecture and landscape design.
4. a456: Here you’ll find a variety of thoughts, commentary and ideas on design and architecture from Enrique Ramirez, a Ph.D. student in History and Theory of Architecture at Princeton.
5. Archinect: While not a single blog in itself, this site brings together architecture blogs from schools around the world in order to create a more cohesive and collaborative field.
6. City of Sound: This blog covers a range of issues from music to architecture. It’s written by a director at Monocle, Dan Hill, who explores the relationship between form and function in the buildings and cities we inhabit.
7. Inhabitat: Here you’ll find green and sustainable design news, especially on issues related to architecture.
8. Interactive Architecture: Diploma thesis tutor Ruairi Glynn created this blog as a place to collect ideas about how students at the Bartlett School of Architecture and elsewhere can create architectural installations that require interaction and activity.
9. Pruned: This blog is dedicated to showing how landscape forms a big part of overall design, and the blog is written by landscape architect Alexander Trevi.
10. Super Colossal: Based in Australia, this design firm’s blog covers issues related to a range of design and architecture related topics.

Architecture News

Stay on the edge of the field of architecture with these news-filled blogs.

11. ArchNewsNow: This blog makes it easy to keep up with the latest and greatest moves in the architecture world. You can read the blog or sign up for the newsletter to get news delivered right to you.
12. Architecture Planet: This site aggregates news from sites all over the Web that have to do with architecture. You can find a wide range of stories, information and links to keep you busy.
13. Modern Architecture Design News: Find loads of pictures and news stories about the latest in modern architecture on this blog.
14. Architecture Lab: This online magazine and news site provides access to all kinds of new and up-to-date information on architecture.

Blogs By Architects

Check out these blogs by architects to see what other kind of work is being done out there.

15. Architecture: This blogger is an architect in a big firm in Singapore, and the blog focuses on new ideas and urban living, especially in Singapore and surrounding areas.
16. Life Without Buildings: While the title of this blog may imply otherwise, it’s actually all about architecture. You’ll find hundreds of photos and commentary on modern buildings and postmodern design.
17. Architecture + Morality: Three bloggers, a civil engineer, an architect and a pastor, use this blog as a forum to discuss a range of social issues behind architecture.
18. Arkitec TRUE: Run by Long Beach architect Yelda Horozoglu, this blog covers ideas on urban planning, design and architecture.
19. Continuity in Architecture: This blog is a teaching forum created by architecture professors at the Manchester School of Architecture and contains a scholarly perspective on architecture related themes.
20. Tessellar: The author of this blog, architect Mazlin Ghazali, resides in Malaysia and describes his idea to create communities based on a honeycomb based shape in order to create a better layout for communities and housing.
21. The Architecture of Fear: This blog was created by George Agnew during his time at Columbia University’s School of Architecture and explores the ideas of how architecture functions with war, terror and fear.

Green Building Blogs

Green and sustainable building is a big part of architecture these days, so learn all about it on these sites.

22. BLYGAD: The name of this blog, which stands for Blog Like You Give a Damn, is written by Colin Kloecker for the Architecture for Humanity in Minnesota. This organization is focused on creating sustainable architecture worldwide.
23. Earth Architecture: This blog is dedicated to buildings that have been constructed from natural materials like dirt, mud and bricks.
24. Eco Tecture: Here you’ll find information that focuses on green build projects in cities like Chicago, Brooklyn and London.
25. Treehugger: While this blog focuses on a number of issues related to environmentalism, it contains a large section on green architecture and design, which can be a great resource for those interested in the cutting edge of green building.
26. greenbuildingsNYC: Check out the latest green buildings in NYC and plans for new construction on this eco-focused blog.

Architecture Photography Blogs

These blogs focus on documenting architecture through photos and can not only be a good read but great eye candy as well.

27. FotoFacade: Architectural photographer Andy Marshall shares his photos in this extensive photography blog, with both new and old buildings being represented.
28. B.E.L.T: Standing for Build Environment in Layman’s Terms, this blog contains photography and commentary by professional Toby Weiss.
29. URBANPHOTO: This blog contains photos from all over the world of urban environments, buildings and people.
30. Bluejake: This amateur photographer shares his photos of New York City, both of the architecture within it and the people who reside there. New photos are posted regularly.
31. Chicago Uncommon: Here you’ll find photos from all over Chicago of the buildings, gardens and more that make up its neighborhoods and landmarks.
32. The Urban Observer: This blog not only offers regular photography but commentary, observations and more that deal with the urban environment in Chicago and cities all over.
33. Eye Candy: Blogger and architect Eric shares photos of buildings old and new from all over, with the purpose of improving the level of design.
34. Offbeat Homes: Browse through photos of all kinds of unique homes in this fun blog.

Landscape Architecture Blogs

Those more interested in the landscape around the buildings rather than the buildings themselves can find some pertinent information on landscape architecture in these blogs.

35. Aesthetic Grounds: Written by landscape architect and public artist Glenn Weiss, this blog focuses on projects that get people involved with their environments through art and design.
36. Free Soil: This blog’s purpose is to share ideas about landscape design that work to create effective landscapes that work with their natural settings to create sustainable and functional outdoor spaces.
37. Land + Living: Here you’ll find news on landscape design issues from all over the world that focus on thoroughly modern design.
38. The Dirt: The American Society of Landscape Architects runs this blog which shares news and views on ongoing projects and conceptions throughout the nation.
39. Turned Earth: The blog of landscape design firm O’Connell Landscape, this blog covers design, planting furniture and anything else that forms part of an outdoor environment.

Reference and Publications

These sites provide reference material and access to online publications on architecture.

40. Center for Universal Design: This group aims to make buildings accessible to all people, even those with limiting disabilities. Ensure your designs allow for all to enjoy them by giving this site a look.
41. ArtLex Dictionary of Visual Art: Find definitions of thousands of art and architecture terms in this helpful reference tool.
42. TechStreet: If you want to build things you need to know what building and safety codes you’ll need to comply with. This site provides an easy place to find all the information you need on these and more.
43. Architectural Record: This publication from McGraw Hill shares news and articles in this regularly updated online format.
44. Architype Review: Here you’ll find a forum to discuss architectural typologies like schools, libraries, parking garages and more, and how these types affect design. It can be a great place to look if you’re trying to think outside of the box for new designs.

Buildings and Architects

Get some background on great buildings and famous architects from these resources.

45. Great Buildings: From country to country and throughout time, this site covers the great buildings and is a great reference and inspirational site.
46. AGRAM: This site focuses on some of history’s most important architects, providing background information and photos of their well-known buildings.
47. ArchINFORM: Here you’ll find a huge online database of architects and buildings which has been described as one of the most useful architecture resources on the Internet.
48. High Rise Buildings Database: Love skyscrapers? You can read all about them with information from this site.
49. National Register of Historic Places: Find out what buildings hold historical significance in your city or anywhere in the United States.
50. Famous Architects: This site brings together a huge archive of information on the world’s most famous and influential architects and can be a great reference for a class project.

General

Consider these tips when looking at overall ways to improve usability in your library.

1. Conduct a usability study: Gather some of your patrons, ask them to find something in the library, and analyze their behavior.
2. Make use of what users already know: Model your design after things that your user is likely to be familiar with already.
3. Use descriptive wording: Instead of using project names for something, call it what it really is. For example, instead of calling a search engine "Find It!," simply call it a search engine, or "Find It! Search Engine."
4. Avoid overwhelming users: Give enough information to provide guidance, but not so much that they’ll be confused.
5. Be friendly: No one wants to visit a library where the staff is rude and unhelpful.
6. Consider your users: When creating usable design, think about your users and how they’ll be utilizing what you create.
7. Use common terms: Make sure the words you’re using are easily understood by users.
8. Aim to save time: Make it a goal to help your visitors navigate information quickly.
9. Make your library desirable: Design and market your library in a way that makes people want to use it.

Website

Make your website easy to use and navigate with these tips.

10. Be consistent: Use the same fonts and design elements on all of your library’s pages so that users always know they’re still on your site.
11. Put a help link on every page: Don’t leave users stranded. Give them a way to get help no matter where they are.
12. Use templates: Create a template for your site, and base the design of all pages on that template.
13. Make your catalog search incredibly easy to find: Most visitors to your library’s website will be looking for items, so be sure to make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for right away.
14. Check for errors: Make sure that your site does not have any broken links or grammatical errors that will undermine the quality and authority of the library.
15. Create effective navigation: Use navigation that is simple and easy to understand.
16. Put your most important information up top: Avoid making your patrons scroll to find information. Put all of your most used functions and information high in the display field.
17. Check for accessibility: Ensure that your website is usable for everyone by assessing your site’s accessibility.
18. Be action-oriented: Let users choose what they want to do, like "reserve an item."
19. Meet specific goals and tasks: Consider what your site’s visitors are coming to do, and make it easy for them to do it.
20. Design for quick loading: Don’t make users wait around for information. Create a quick loading website.
21. Create a footer "mullet": Put all of your fun stuff like Flickr images, news, and events in your footer.
22. Leave bread crumbs: Show your users where they should go by putting lots of links in your website’s text.
23. Use lots of white space for important elements: Place a good deal of white space around important site elements like your search box in order to draw attention to them.
24. Create a task-centered home page: Instead of overwhelming visitors with information, give them areas where they can do tasks like search for a book or get directions to the library.
25. Make your search as Google-like as possible: Most visitors will intuitively understand how to do searches on Google, so model your search after theirs so that they’ll be able to use it easily.
26. Offer larger font sizes: Allow users to choose what size text they’d like to use for your site.

Catalog & Search

Follow these tips, and you’ll make finding information incredibly easy.

27. List your availability: When users search for an item, let them know how many you have available, or when they’re expected to be back in the library.
28. Offer a reservation system: If you don’t have an item currently in the library, allow users to sign up to get it when it comes available.
29. Offer filtering: Allow your visitors to place filters on their search, like non-fiction and poetry, to find exactly what they’re looking for without working through a lot fo what they don’t want.
30. Provide a search history: Help your patrons remember what they were looking for by offering a search history function.
31. Share with other libraries: If you don’t have a book or item within your library, offer a function that allows users to connect with a library that does.
32. Use search suggestions: Pre-populate your search field with ideas for what users should be searching for.
33. Check your logs: Take a look at what your patrons are searching for on your site, and whether or not they’re able to find it.
34. Offer a site search: Go beyond a catalog search and allow visitors to do a search of your library’s entire site.

Availability

Make your library a more open and available place for patrons with these tips.

35. Make your most often used items prominent: If you have certain selections that are used frequently, make sure they’re highlighted and incredibly easy to find.
36. Weed out your selection: Create a protocol for weeding out unused or unnecessary items so that the ones you actually need will be more prominent.
37. Use statistics: Find out what parts of your collection are most popular, and expand upon them.
38. Offer ebooks: Make ebooks available in your collection, and users can take advantage of a new way to enjoy books.
39. Put as much as you can online: Library patrons like the instant information and ability to make use of resources on the Internet from home and work, so be sure to facilitate this.
40. Make your help desk obvious: Put a well-staffed help desk in an obvious place so that users will be able to approach it easily.
41. Make sure users know they can get a book: Many people do not realize that they can reserve or order books from the library.

Staff

Ask your staff to make these improvements for the sake of usability.

42. Build camaraderie: Create a staff that enjoys working together, and they’ll be better prepared to serve the needs of patrons.
43. Encourage blogging: Allow your staff to evangelize for your library and get connected with patrons by encouraging them to blog.
44. Be available: Make sure that you always have enough staff on hand to meet the needs of your library’s users.
45. Support professional development: Encourage your staff to seek out additional education in new media, technology, and other courses that will help them in the library.
46. Use a wiki: Utilize a wiki for content management so that you can have an effective internal sharing system.
47. Cross train: Have staff in different departments train with each other, so that everyone has more knowledge to help library patrons when needed.

Library Environment

Make your library an easier place to learn and work.

48. Manage noise: Create quiet learning areas so that patrons aren’t disturbed by talking, cell phones, and other distractions.
49. Use signs to make areas clear: Use large signs to tell people when they’re in the childrens’ section, or a no cell phone zone.
50. Handle conflict between patrons: Be sure that your patrons aren’t driving each other out of the library.
51. Be positive: Make sure that your signs do not give off a negative or limiting feeling. Tell patrons what they can do, instead of what they can’t.
52. Offer lots of power outlets: Encourage users with laptops to come into the library by offering them an easy way to stay powered.
53. Make your signs readable: Use a large enough size and clear font to get the point across.
54. Create stations: Devote an area to reading magazines, another to doing research, yet another to individual studying, and so on.
55. Offer individual and group spaces: Create areas where individuals and groups can devote their time to study and discussion separate from the main library area.
56. Create a clean presentation: Don’t leave books cluttered on carts and on tabletops–put them where they belong.
57. Use signs to announce tools: If you have a self checkout machine, make it easy for people to find it with a sign.
58. Consider acoustics: If you’re undergoing new construction or a renovation of your library, ask your architect or contractor to design with sound in mind.
59. Create a bookstore-like layout: Make your library look like an inviting bookstore to encourage reading and visitors.
60. Make use of windows: Make the library a more comfortable place by using large windows for natural light.

Interaction

Improve communication in your library with these tips.

61. Ask staff to wear name tags: If patrons need help, make it easy to find someone by an identifying name tag.
62. Offer tours: Familiarize users with your library by giving regular tours.
63. Have an active email address: Be available through email, and you’ll be able to help more patrons.
64. Ask users what they want and need: Get to the root of what your patrons are looking for by simply asking them.
65. Blog: Keep patrons updated on what’s going on with the library by maintaining a regular blog.
66. Create exciting events: Get your library’s visitors to come in for more than just books by hosting fun and interesting events.
67. Make use of social networks: Be available and open up interaction on social networks like Facebook.
68. Use IM: Make your library available for assistance via instant message, so you can be helpful in a quick and easy manner.
69. Encourage user-generated content: Make it easy for your patrons to be involved in the creation of content.
70. Hold training classes: Not every visitor to the library will intuitively understand how to use it, even if you’ve designed an incredibly usable library. Hold training sessions to make it easier for people to navigate your stacks.
71. Offer RSS feeds: Make it easy for users to stay updated on new additions to the collection, library news, and more by implementing RSS feeds anywhere they fit.
72. Reach out to visitors: Ask your staff to always be on an active lookout for patrons who seem like they need assistance.
73. Improve service to remote visitors: Make your library’s availability from outside of the library easier and more effective for patrons to take advantage of.
74. Improve staff’s demeanor: Explain and encourage appropriate body language, voice tone, dress, observation, and listening in your staff.
75. Train regularly: Keep your staff’s skills fresh with regular training sessions.

Computers

Follow these tips, and you’ll make your library’s computers even more useful.

76. Install Firefox: With Firefox you can set up a custom experience, including the ability to put links to your library’s catalog on book names.
77. Designate catalog and Internet computers: Make it easy for users to know which computers are for browsing the catalog, and which can be used for the Internet.
78. Offer more laptops: Users want to make use of laptops, so be sure to have enough to give them what they want.
79. Allow patrons to use the tools they want: Make instant messaging, YouTube, gaming, and other resources available on your library’s computers.
80. Offer Wi-Fi: If you aren’t already, make free Wi-Fi available in your library.

Equipment

Make your library’s tools more useful with these tips.

81. Be available for troubleshooting: Have a prominent help desk, and offer a sticker with directions on your equipment.
82. Check out mp3 players: Make listening to podcasts and ebooks easy with mp3 player checkouts.
83. Offer a simple checkout system: Don’t put a lot of restrictions on how and when patrons can use equipment unless it’s entirely necessary.
84. Offer CD and DVD players: If you’re going to offer CDs and DVDs in your collection, make sure your library has players available for patrons to use.
85. Stay on top of maintenance and repairs: Always make sure that the equipment available to patrons is in good working order.
86. Lend tools: If you’re going to offer how-to books for checkout, make your library a one stop shop and offer tools to do the job as well.

Kid Friendly

Make children feel welcome and encouraged in your library by implementing these ideas.

87. Provide child-centric visual design: Offer animation and sound effects to get their attention.
88. Use multimedia for navigation: Show children images to suggest where they should go next.
89. Create reading nooks: Kids want a comfortable place to sit and read, so devote a few corners to comfortable bean bags and other implements that encourage curling up with a good book.
90. Give instructions: Studies have found that when given written instructions, children are willing to read them and will make use of them.

Fun Tools

Use these tools in your library, and you’ll be able to better connect to and serve your patrons.

91. Flickr: Let users see photos of the library in action and get excited about visiting.
92. del.icio.us: Make it easy for patrons to save their bookmarks to the web with del.icio.us.
93. Librarything: Create a social catalog for your library on Librarything.
94. Facebook: Get connected, share news, and spread information with patrons on Faebook.
95. Diigo: Make it easy for patrons to save information with highlighting and sticky notes right in the browser.
96. Twitter: Use Twitter to publish mini updates about what’s going on at the library.
97. Ma.gnolia.com: This online bookmarking site allows you to create bookmarks for an entire group.
98. LibGuides: With this app, you can create content, share knowledge, and promote resources.
99. Wikipedia: Encourage users to take advantage of and participate in this user-generated encyclopedia.
100. YouTube: Post videos of your library on YouTube to get patrons excited about visiting.

Architecture

While traditional libraries still abound, these libraries have opted to create spaces that are modern and user friendly.

1. Library of Picture Books in Iwaki City of Fukushima Prefecture: This library challenges the old ideas of what a library space should be. Integrated into the landscape with beautiful views from almost everywhere, this library is bright, airy and free from the stodginess that infects many older institutions. Books are arranged in cubicles, with their colorful covers exposed encouraging children to pick them up and read them. Changing the face of educational institutions from quiet, controlled places to playful and free places help bring libraries into the modern era and instill a love of reading in children.
2. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: The Danish Royal Library, or the Black Diamond as it’s often called due to the shape of the building, is a modern facility inside and out. Featuring cutting edge design by Danish architects schmidt hammer lassen, it employs marble and glass to create a distinctive form on the outside. The design continues to the inside, with open spaces and playful walkways. Of course, the collections are extensive as well, with loads of online resources, old manuscripts, a large number of photographs, and access to a number of IT resources.
3. Bibliotheque Nationale de France: Some have suggested that the French National Library is a bit too modern, creating a sterile space too cold for people and unfriendly to books. While not all would agree, the library does attempt to create a wholly modern approach to library space, focusing on computers more than books, including services from four super computers. Of course, it does have quite a few flaws as well, as the ultra modern building designed by Francois Mitterrand isn’t easy to navigate and none of the services offered by the library are available without a cost. If anything, this building is a lesson in creating modern spaces that aren’t just focused on design but on function as well.
4. Seattle Public Library: This award winning building designed by Rem Koolhaas is the central home of Seattle’s library system. Modern on both the inside and the out, the library creates an easy-to-navigate and unique space for readers, browsers and students alike. The library doesn’t just look modern, however; it’s filled with loads of technological features as well. The library employs an RFID system that allows patrons to check out their own materials and leaves library staff free to deal with other matters as well as working with online resources and creating their own podcast.
5. Malmo City Library: This bright, glass enclosed Swedish library was designed by Henning Larsen. It employs design that is both functional and attractive while embracing many modern features that help the library run more smoothly and efficiently as well. The new FKI Logistex self-service check-in kiosks allow books to be checked in without the assistance of library staff, visitors use internet and other computer services, and plans have been made to link library data nationwide to make finding and using materials easier and more efficient. Perhaps most notably, the library offers the ability to check out a person for a 45-minute chat in an attempt to promote understanding and break down stereotypes.
6. Geisel Library: This library isn’t particularly modern in function, but is notable for its design which resembles a large metal and glass treehouse. The library boasts several stories and is home to five of UCSD’s on campus libraries. It shows that libraries can be innovative and sometimes even notable parts of the architecture of cities, countries and universities.
7. Halmstad Library: For a library that blurs the line between the indoors and outdoors, check out this Swedish design. Built to extend over the nearby Nissan River, the building is bright and airy, allowing in plenty of light. An atrium at the center of the building surrounds an existing chestnut tree, bringing a bit of the outdoors into the library’s interior spaces and creating an innovative and soothing library experience.
8. National Library of the Czech Republic: While this library is still in the conceptual stages only, it represents one of the most distinctive and unique architectural plans for a library in the world. The current design for the library is an organic green form resembling a hill, a blob, or some say, an octopus. Created to blend in with the surrounding landscape while providing bright and thoroughly modern interior spaces, the library reflects an increasing attitude of playfulness and daring when it comes to design, hopefully reflecting the attitudes within the library as well.

Technology and Innovation

These libraries have found new and creative ways to use technology and design.

9. DOK (Delft Public Library): Billed as a "library concept center" rather than a traditional library, this Dutch library takes modern libraries to a new level. Filled with bright colors and sleek modern design, this library makes use of professionally designed graphics, comfy furniture and shelving made from recyclable materials. Patrons have access not only to traditional books but to video games, listening stations, toys for kids to play with, comic books, a piano and even an art collection. On the technology side, the library is wired to deliver a text message to your phone when you enter, welcoming you. Additionally, books and cards use RFID, LCD screens around the building filled with information, stations for podcasting and videocasting and what is planned to be a "genius bar" to give technology help to the public.
10. Turku City Library: This modern library building in Finland is full of all the normal resources found in libraries like books, DVDs, CDs, and magazines but with one big difference. While most libraries are organized by the type of material, putting books in one place and DVDs in another, the Turku library is arranged entirely by subject, putting all related materials together in one place. Staff placed in the sections are specialists in each subject, and patrons are able to check out their own books with automated machines.
11. Bow Idea Store: This library is yet another that is taking a different approach to what a library is, preferring to call itself an Idea Store rather than a library. The idea is to combine traditional service provided by libraries with access to technology and lifelong learning opportunities. The library wants to not only provide resources, but to educate and improve the lives of those in the community. Patrons are encouraged to hang out in the library, meet friends, have coffee at the cafe and pursue hobbies using the library’s resources.
12. Cerritos Library: Called the "Experience Library," Cerritos was designed to be an open and modern space that takes a different approach to library services. The library is home to more than books and also includes a saltwater aquarium, sculptures by Dale Chihuly and a replica of a T-Rex fossil encouraging exploration and the pursuit of knowledge. Rooms in the library are designed by themes ranging from Old World reading to World traditions. Info Stations are located around the library to help assist patrons in finding what they need, and the local intranet allows users to customize their viewing experience. Additional technology in the library is found in the huge multimedia lab, thousands of laptop stations, wireless headsets and computers for librarians and an RFID tracking system for books.
13. Cuyahoga County Public Library: Ranked as the top library by Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings in 2006, this Cleveland, Ohio, library works to keep up to date with the latest technologies. Their website was ranked as the best by Ektron in 2006 and gives patrons the ability to access their accounts, purchase tickets to library events and much more. The library also offers text message delivery of library notices, the first in the nation to offer this service. The library offers access to 85 colleges and universities through its online OhioLink program as well as a host of other Ohio libraries, greatly increasing the number of resources patrons can draw upon. If that weren’t enough, the library also participates in a podcasting program and places videos of speakers and visitors to the library online for all patrons to enjoy.
14. Pace University Library: This university library in New York has made it easier than ever to get access to library materials. The library was granted the Library of the Future award for an innovative media network it has implemented. An internal streaming system called MediaPatch allows the library to share various types of media across campuses quickly and easily, allowing patrons at one branch to access the resources from another at the touch of a button. This solves several copyright concerns as the information never leaves the school’s secure servers but still allows distance learners and those in the classroom to quickly and easily access information. The library also participates in a podcasting program designed to cover a variety of subjects.
15. Richmond Public Library: Billed as the "library of the future" when it was opened in 1998, the Richmond Public Library’s Ironwood Branch employs a modern design that attempts to bring together technological resources with a comfortable and warm environment. A large computer center, laptop stations and a digital resource center form a large part of the library. There are also numerous listening stations for music, a quiet study room, a large children’s section and a huge Chinese language collection to reflect the area’s large Asian population. The library also uses express check out stations so librarians are free to do other things, and the library boasts a huge online collection of resources.
16. Denver Public Library: The Denver Public Library, housed in a whimsical modern facility designed by Michael Graves, has worked to make the Internet a major part of its operations, even having its own MySpace site. The library also has an extensive webpage, a podcasting series, and a huge digital download site. Users of the digital downloads can get audio books, online movies and ebooks for use on their computer or MP3 player. Additional modern conveniences include Denver Library Firefox plug-ins, an iGoogle catalog gadget, and a toolbar for IE.
17. San Diego Public Library: This library was one of the first to embrace wireless technology, offering free wifi at all of its locations. The website for the library is extensive with services for live online homework help, a variety of ebooks and audio books, online assistance and more. Sleek modern design at its present location, plans to build an ultra modern facility and self checkout systems help make this a modern facility.
18. Cleveland Public Library: The Cleveland Public Library offers patrons a wide range of downloadable materials on its website including audio books, ebooks, music and video. The library is part of a network of libraries in Ohio and offers patrons access to materials not only at the main location but at other locations as well. The library works with a NetNotice plan sending information on the library or reserved materials directly to patrons’ inboxes. Additionally, the library has an iGoogle gadget for its catalog, a Twitter feed, and participates in the Library Elf notification program.
19. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: This library is one that is making big strides to be different than the traditional library. With online services that provide patrons with online chat with librarians, an RSS feed, a blog, podcasts, online requests, downloadable media and more, the library is making the move into the next century. Of course, their services extend beyond the web with career classes, gaming competitions and self checkout kiosks on site to keep patrons engaged as well. The library has made an effort to reach out to teens with MySpace and Facebook pages, gaming nights, art and anime clubs and a variety of teen centered programs and organizations.
20. New York Public Library: The New York Public Library is one of the largest in the nation offering patrons access to millions of books, periodicals, CDs and more. It also offers a large number of digitized collections that include images, prints and photographs. The library worked with Google to create a selection of digital books and offers patrons a large number of online text collections. The library is also highly tech savvy with an active RSS feed as well as podcasts on iTunes U. Patrons can download ebooks, video and audio directly from the website or enjoy video storybooks, video on demand and webcasts as well.

Digital Collections

These libraries boast extensive digital collections.

21. National Diet Library: Japan’s National Diet Library provides a huge online catalog system so that it’s easy to locate and request many of the library’s materials. Users of the catalog can search the library’s entire collection from anywhere in the world, with sites in both English and Japanese. This service allows anyone to request materials from the library. Perhaps more impressive, however, is the library’s digital collection of Meiji era books, numbering around 60,000. Users can search through these and see actual digital images of the materials. Additional online collections include almost 37,000 rare books from the pre-Edo periods of Japan, making researches of Japanese history easier for those who cannot physically travel to Japan.
22. Bavarian State Library: Located in Munich, this large library was named Germany’s library of the year last year. It’s part of a nationwide program called Libraries-Link which serves as an access portal to all of Germany’s libraries making it easy to find information on any library. Additionally, it has partnered with Google to scan and make public many works that are public domain. The library is home to many rare books, numerous online databases and journals and a fast and nationwide resource search program. The library is working to digitize much of the rarer elements of its huge collection so that those within Germany and around the world can enjoy them from anywhere.
23. Library of Congress: The Library of Congress has some of the most impressive online collections of material that you will find anywhere. With materials ranging from historical photographs to sheet music, the library offers high quality digital images of tens of thousands of items from its collection. The library’s American Memory site provides visitors with a visual, audio and historical account of some of the most important events in American history. Visitors to the site can also search through the library’s catalog, request materials, and get detailed information on the goings on of congressional matters. In 2005, the library announced plans to begin putting together a World Digital Library that will put together important text, photographs, rare books and recordings from cultures all over the world.
24. The British Library: As one of the largest and most prestigious libraries in the world, the British library has loads of resources to offer researchers and patrons from all over the world. The library has access to its complete catalog online so that anyone can see what materials the library holds. Of course, online resources are much more extensive than this. The sound archive has placed over 4,200 hours of archival sound recordings online for download. The main online collections are housed in the digital library which contains rare items like Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks. There are approximately one hundred million items available digitally, including journals, patents, dissertations, reports and more.
25. National Library of Australia: The National Library of Australia is Australia’s largest reference library, providing access to millions of items related to Australia and cultures abroad. This library is a world leader in digital preservation techniques and has so far digitized over 105,000 items from its collection including a range of photos, maps, manuscripts, books, sheet music and audio recordings. These materials are accessible to patrons both in Australia and around the world.