Web Links
Subject Categories |
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African American
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute - The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) documents the struggle of African-American citizens in Birmingham to become full participants in the city's government and business community.
The African-American Mosaic - A Library of Congress resource guide for the study of Black history and culture. This site is the first Library-wide resource guide to the institution’s African-American collections. It covers nearly 500 years of the black experience in the Western hemisphere with a full range of the Library’s collections.
African-American Odyssey: Library of Congress - Rare and unique items from the Library’s vast African American collections.
Alabama Archives: African-American Research - Books, exhibits, records, and photos from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights era.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project - A major research effort to assemble and disseminate historical information concerning Martin Luther King, Jr. and the social movements in which he participated.
Alabama Government
Drivers License Manuals - Alabama transportation manuals including Drivers, Boat Certification, Motorcycle and CDL.
Alabama Legislature - Includes links to the Alabama House and Senate sites, info on visiting the Legislature, and the Alabama Legislative Information System Online (ALISON), a system that tracks the status of bills, resolutions and other items addressed in session.
Alabama State Treasury - Provides information on unclaimed property, college savings plans, bonds, state cash management, Security for Alabama Funds Enhancement (SAFE), Alabama Trust Fund, Penny Trust Fund, financial literacy and more.
Alabama Attorney General's Office - The Attorney General provides legal representation for the State of Alabama, its officers, departments, and agencies. The website also provides links to info on consumer affairs and crime victim assistance.
Outdoor Alabama - Official website of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Info on hunting, fishing, boating, state parks, wildlife, public lands and conservation.
Alabama Development Office (ADO) - Promotes economic development in Alabama with a focus on international trade, industrial relations, project assistance, small busincess advocacy and more.
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) - Houses the Communications and Information Division, Office of Water Resources, Energy Division, Financial Services, Surplus Property, Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety, and the Office of Workforce Deverlopment.
Alabama Department of Education - Information on Alabama schools, testing, teacher certification and legislation related to education.
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations - Includes link for filing for unemployment benefits.
Alabama Film Office (AFO) - Housed within the Alabama Development Office, the AFO provides resources for both out-of-state filmmakers and indigenous film production companies.
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services - Their mission is to enable Alabama's children and adults with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential.
Alabama Department of Revenue - State tax forms and information.
Alabama Secretary of State - Handles processing and filing of government records, management of elections, business licensing, notaries and other administrative matters.
Alabama.gov - Alabama's official state website.
Alabama Surface Mining Commission (ASMC)
Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs
Alabama History
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Alabama General Historical Information - includes Alabama timeline, counties, state symbols, origin of the state’s name, Alabama capitals, the Governor’s mansion, and famous Alabamians
Arts
Alabama Arts - News, grants, educational resources and other information related to the arts in Alabama.
ArtLex - Dictionary of art terminology.
ActiveCulture.info - Features a detailed events calendar for the central Alabama region, an arts education directory including regional school-based and off-site (field trip) arts education programs, and an arts directory to connect you to individual artists and cultural organizations.
National Gallery of Art - Online tour of the National Gallery of Art with general information on the collections, exhibitions, and program events.
Timeline of Art History - Provides an overview of the history of art as illustrated and represented in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Museum of Modern Art - Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, MoMA is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern art in the world.
Theatre Auditions and Announcements - Birmingham area listing of auditions, acting classes and other information related to the local theatre scene.
Patchwork Pattern Maker - A neat online tool from the Victoria and Albert Museum that transforms any image into a pattern for a patchwork quilt.
Automobiles
Crash Testing & Highway Safety – Independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational organizations funded by auto insurers and dedicated to reducing highway crash deaths, injuries, and property losses.
Edmund's Automobile Buyer's Guides
Kelley Blue Book - New and used car pricing.
NADA Guides - New and used car pricing.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - Our mission: Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes.
RepairPal.com - Free independent and unbiased auto repair estimates based on your geographic area
Biographies
Biography.com – Official site of A&E's Biography television series. Search for biographies of more than 25,000 notable personalities from antiquity to present.
Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography - Brief biographies of the world's scientists.
National Inventors Hall of Fame - Search by inventor, invention, induction date or decade.
POTUS: Presidents of the United States – a compilation of Internet sites about past and present presidents, including biographies, speeches and writings,first ladies, cabinet members, and more.
TOPBusiness
Alabama Department of Industrial Relations - Includes link for filing for unemployment benefits.
Bank Rate Monitor - Timely rates for mortgages, consumer loans, savings accounts and credit cards.
Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce
Bizjournals - Local business news from American City Business Journals Inc., the largest publisher of metropolitan business newspapers in the U.S.
Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau
Bloomberg - News, feature stories, events calendar, and resources.
Business Week Online – News, quotes, stock and mutual fund research, recommendations, commentary, and more.
Federal Business Opportunities - U.S. government listing of opportunities solicited by the entire Federal contracting community.
InsWeb - Receive real-time quotes on auto insurance, home insurance, and life insurance, compare policies, and make purchases from the top insurance companies in the country.
The Motley Fool - Financial forum for the individual investor.
SEC Mutual Fund Cost Calculator – Enables investors to easily estimate and compare the costs of owning mutual funds. The Cost Calculator takes the mystery and math out of the cost equation, revealing how costs add up over time.
Statistical Resources on the Web – Government documents with stats on the nation's economy.
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers - Provides sourcing information on industrial products and services offered by U.S. and Canadian companies in many categories.
Wall Street Journal – Continuously updated business news.
Collectibles
Antiques Roadshow Online - The website for the PBS television show. Includes an appraisal search.
Collectors Universe – Offers auctions, grading, and authentication for coins and other currency, stamps, autographs, music and sports memorabilia; provides market reports, price guides, and other services
eBay – The most popular online trading place for collectors and hobbyists. Post items for sale or browse through categories to find what you are looking for.
Kovels - Website for the publisher of Kovel's on Antiques and Collectibles. Get free access to collectible price guides and other resources with registration.
Sothebys - Founded in 1744, Sotheby's is a global company that engages in art auction, private sales and art-related financing activities.
What Sells Best? - Shows the best-selling eBay items (sold and active) over the last 90 days.
Community
ActiveCulture.info - Great source for finding current events, education-related programs, and arts and cultural happenings in central Alabama.
Bhamarchitect's Blog - Commentary on current local real estate development and design happenings.
Birmingham Mom - Helps local moms get things done, manage their resources, and enjoy this shared experience of motherhood.
Birmingham Weekly - Online version of the free weekly paper featuring local news and entertainment listings.
Birmingham Wiki - A wikipedia of all things Birmingham.
Black & White City Paper - Online version of the free weekly featuring local news and entertainment listings.
Hoover Blog - From the Birmingham News and al.com.
BJCTA & MAX Bus Schedule - Birmingham area public transit.
Second Front - News and politics from Birmingham, AL.
The Terminal - Birmingham's Hub - News, opinions and conversations about our community.
Consumer Information
Better Business Bureau – instant access to business and consumer alerts and helpful resources
Consumer.gov – provides links to a broad range of federal information resources available online
Consumer Reports – includes product recalls, shopping guidance, ratings, recommendations and advice, and message boards
NADAguides.com – The National Automotive Dealers Association site gives prices for new and used automobiles and used motorcycles, snowmobiles, ATV's, boats and trailers, recreational vehicles, airplanes, and manufactured housing.
Diplodocs.com - Find free user manuals for your car, appliances, and electronics online. Help others out by uploading your manuals to the database.
OwnerIQ - Find free user manuals, organize your manuals in your own free online space, get product recall alerts via email and more.
Cooking
American Dietetic Association - Balance, variety and moderation--eating right, the healthy way. Access ADA and its National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics for sound nutrition information/resources and registered dietitians.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Food - Learn about food safesty issues, ingredients, packaging, research and more.
ChowHound - Food-lovers worldwide gather here to swap expert tips about restaurants, foods, stores, and bars, as well as cooking, wine, beer, cookware, and more.
Cookthink - With Cookthink's one-of-a-kind search tool, you can search for recipes by any combination of ingredients, cuisines, dish types and moods to help answer the question: "What am I craving?"
Delish - MSN's food information and news site.
Epicurious - Comprehensive information on food and drink with recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appétit magazines.
Food Channel - Recipes, articles, blogs, videos on an award winning food website.
Food Network - The cable channel's online presence with incredible new recipes daily.
FX Cuisine - Spectacular recipes and memorable food expieriences plus incredible food photography.
Mixing Bowl - Post recipes, ask questions, get ideas, and meet other home cooks in your neighborhood and around the world.
RecipeSource - RecipeSource is the new home of SOAR: The Searchable Online Archive of Recipes and your source for recipes on the Internet.
Computer and Internet
c|net - Provides information on computers, the internet, and future technology through integration of television programming with a network of sites on the world wide web.
ConnectSafely - ConnectSafely is for parents, teens, educators, advocates - everyone engaged in and interested in the impact of the social Web.
Engadget - Popular, frequently updated tech blog.
Glossary of Internet Terms - Straightforward glossary of terms.
InFoPeople Search Tools Chart - Offers a listing of subject directories, search engines, and meta-search engines and the types of searches users can conduct in each category.
Joel on Software - Former Microsoft employee writes essays on software development, management, business, and the Internet.
The Living Internet - Visit the "world's most comprehensive reference about the Internet" to learn about the history of the Internet, electronic mail, and mailing lists.
Microsoft Consumer Online Safety - Features videos, comics and articles on protecting yourself and your family on the internet.
The Police Notebook - University of Oklahoma's Police Department's website promoting online safety and crime prevention.
The Scout Report - A weekly publication of the Internet Scout Project, The Scout Report provides valuable, up-to-date information internet resources.
Slashdot - News for nerds, stuff that matters. One of the most influential tech blogs out there.
Stay Safe Online - Sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance, this site is designed to provide information needed to secure your home or small business computer.
SuperPages Internet and Computer Skills - A free online course for new adult learners to develop computer and internet search skills.
Tech Policy Bank - This site aims to help policy-makers and community leaders access the information needed to bring the benefits of technology to young Americans, particularly those who are underserved.
This Week in Tech TWiT.tv - Former TechTV hosts present weekly netcasts on a variety of tech topics.
Wired - Wired magazine's website with up-to-the-minute tech news, reviews and other information.
ZDNet - The latest industry news, discussions with industry leaders and key Ziff-Davis editors, the hottest software downloads, offers service sign-up information and more.
Cost of Living
ACCRA Cost of Living Index – Provides a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences among urban areas.
Consumer Price Index – The U.S. Department of Labor’s consumer price index.
Homebuyer's Fair - Homefair.com is a for-profit commercial site sponsored by local real estate companies and moving companies. The site includes real estate listings, a salary calculator that allows the user to compare cost of living differences between areas, a mortgage payment calculator, community information and area weather.
Current News
ABC 33/40 – Local ABC affiliate
ABC News – National network
Alabama Live - State guide, including tourist information, investing, historical facts, and entertainment. Includes coverage from the three largest newspapers in Alabama.
Boston Globe- News, sections, columns, and features.
CNN Interactive - Up-to-the-minute news as seen on CNN.
FOX 6 – Local Fox affiliate
FOX News – National network
London Times - Search current and past issues since 1996.
Miami Herald - Current day’s headlines.
Mobile Register- Get the latest headlines from the Mobile Register.
Montgomery Independent - Current day's headlines.
MSNBC – National network
NBC 13 – Local NBC affiliate
Current news and features.
NewspaperLinks.com - Search by state and city to find newspapers and links to their sites.
Newspapers - Links to hundreds of local, state-wide, university, business, religious, nation-wide, trade journals, and industry newspapers all on one site.
Newspapers Around the World - Links to online newspapers from around the world.
UNCG's Newspapers Online - Links to newspapers in the U.S., Canada, and all parts of the world.
Wall Street Journal - Continuously updated business news, company reports, and personalization tools.
Washington Post - International, national and local news, links to sites, classifieds, business, sports and more.
SourceWatch - A wiki website that has background info on popular sources (people and organizations) used in the media.
Demographics
Directories
555-1212.com - Global or local - find it fast on the Internet.
AnyWho Directory Services - featuring residential, business, and government white and yellow pages listings as well as reverse lookup.AT&T Toll-Free Directory - comprehensive listing of 800 and 888 phone numbers.
BellSouth Yellow Pages - Search by name or category.
BigBook - a whole new kind of Yellow Pages that combines a complete list of businesses with street-level maps, customer voting, reviews and personal address books.
BigYellow - Find millions of businesses.
Four11 - free online search and listing service that includes email, telephone, net phone, government, and celebrity directories.
Internet White Pages - Address Finder - Search for users by name or by entering an e-mail address.
InfoSpace - Find people, business, and government numbers in the US and Canada. Do reverse lookups.
Reverse Telephone Number Searches - Find the person or business who belongs to the number.
Switchboard - Free nationwide residential and business directory.
The Web100 - Lists the largest U.S. and international corporations on the Web today, along with hyperlinks to their sites.
The Ultimate White Pages - Combines six different commonly used phone number directories. The Ultimate White Pages is a common interface to all six.
Education
Alabama State Department of Education
Alabama School of Mathematics and Science - The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science is the state’s only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeking advanced studies in mathematics, science, and the humanities. Tuition, room and board are free. It is located in Mobile.
Alabama School of Fine Arts - The Alabama School of Fine Arts is a partially residential public school authorized and funded by the Alabama Legislature to provide tuition-free instruction to impassioned students, grades 7-12. It is located in Birmingham.
Directory of Alabama Colleges and Universities - A directory compiled by the State of Alabama that includes all colleges and universities located in Alabama.
Alabama High School Graduation Exam - A guide which includes FAQs, sample questions and standards.
College Navigator – Find the right college for you with this database provided by the US Dept of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.
College and University Database - Alphabetical listing and links to over 3000 colleges and universities.
College and University Rankings – A collection of and information on American college rankings maintained by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
College Board and SAT Official Site - The College Board is an association of schools and colleges offering services and programs in the areas of assessment, guidance, admission, placement, financial aid, curriculum, and research. This is the official site for the SAT.
CollegeNet - Social network where you can earn money for college by participating in their online contests. Lots of admission information and intellectual discussion.
Education Atlas - The Online Education, Degrees, and Distance Learning Guide.
EdNow.com - Gives educators and librarians access to current education news and trends, lesson plans, curriculum tips, book reviews and more.
Embark – This site helps students choose a school and includes online application forms.
FAFSA (Student Aid) - Fill out and submit federal financial aid forms online.
FastWeb Financial Aid - Tailored scholarship search of over 180,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans, and grants, available to students for free.
Financial Aid - comprehensive free resource for student financial aid information on the Web. Free scholarship search, financial aid calculators, glossary, and bibliography.
GRE Official Site – This site, maintained by Educational Testing Service (ETS), includes test dates, registration information, and sample questions.
Great Schools.net - GreatSchools.net is your objective source of school information on elementary, middle and high schools. A nonprofit organization, GreatSchools.net provides information about public, private and charter schools in all 50 states.
National College Athletic Association – includes information on how to qualify for an athletic scholarship, recruitment terms, and rules and regulations
Peterson's: Education & Career Center - provider of information on US-accredited educational institutions. Also a publisher of college guides and college entrance test prepraration materials. Download prep tests online.
The Princeton Review - Online guides to the best schools, admissions and financial aid info, and the latest inside information on the GRE.
Test Prep Review - Free practice tests.
Learner.org - Educational videos on arts, foreign languages, literature and language arts, math, science, social studies and history from The Annenberg Foundation.
Entertainment
Ain’t It Cool News – Long-lived website featuring Harry Knowles, a movie fan and specialist in revealing behind-the-scenes information and reviews of upcoming films and TV shows.
Christian Spotlight on Entertainment – Reviews of current movies and television shows from a Christian perspective.
Flixster - Movie enthusiast site with an emphasis on community.
Internet Movie Database - The most popular source for movie and television reviews, discussion and news.
Last.fm - Free personalized internet radio. A great way to find new music.
Nielsen Wire - Data, ratings and insight on all kinds of electronic media and entertainment.
Pandora - Personalized internet radio service. A great way to find new music.
Popcap Games - Free online games that everyone loves. Home of Bejewled, Zuma, Plants vs. Zombies and more.
Rotten Tomatoes - Best known for quality movie reviews.
Runescape - The world's most popular free massive multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG).
Genealogy
10,000-Year Calendar – gives day of the week for dates past and present
Alabama Department of Archives and History Genealogy Links
Birmingham Public Library Genealogy Site - theTutwiler Collection of Southern History and Literature has an outstanding genealogical research collection
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet – an exhaustive list of Web pages by category
FamilySearch - search the Family History Library's database, which contains millions of names; a project of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Family Tree DNA - Genealogy by genetics is the greatest addition to Genealogy since the creation of the Family Tree!
Journal of Online Genealogy – an online publication featuring a comprehensive list of genealogy Web pages
Lineages - a major genealogy reference library and resource center built and maintained by professional genealogists
National Archives and Records Administration – finding aids, guides, and research tools that provide good information on learning how to do genealogy research and how to find records.
RootsWeb – Genealogy resources categorized by surname and by U.S. county. Also includes a guide on how to research your family tree and a searchable surname list with dates, locations, and contact information.
Surname Springboard – a comprehensive listing of surname genealogy sites which have "indexed" family trees
Yahoo!’s List of Genealogy Links
General Reference
Encyclopedia of Alabama (EOA) - EOA is an ever-growing, comprehensive source of information on the state's history, culture, geography, and environment.
50states.com – General information about states and their capitals.
10,000-Year Calendar – Gives day of the week for dates past and present.
eHow.com - Clear Instructions on How To Do (just about) Everything
Encarta World English Dictionary – look up easy-to-understand definitions and listen to audio pronunciations or most words in a human voice
The Gallup Organization – a wealth of information from opinion polls, special reports, trends, and social audits
How Stuff Works – offers clear explanations about the operation of a wide range of things: car engines, VCR’s, web pages, bread, and much more
glbtq - an encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, & queer culture.
ibiblio – Home to one of the largest "collections of collections" on the Internet, ibiblio.org is a conservancy of freely available information, including software, music, literature, art, history, science, politics, and cultural studies. ibiblio.org is a collaboration of the Center for the Public Domain and The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
Information Please - Combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, and several up-to-the minute almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records, Information Please places the resources of an entire reference information center at your fingertips. Whether it's sports, entertainment, history – you name it – an Information Please search will get you the most relevant facts on your topic.
Librarian's Index to the Internet - The mission of Librarians' Index to the Internet is to provide a well-organized point of access for reliable, trustworthy, librarian-selected Internet resources.
The Nobel Prizes – The official web site of the Nobel Foundation offers a searchable database of prizes and laureates that can be searched by prize category, or by name, nationality, keyword, or birth or death year.
Obituaries 101 - A list of obituaries across the country.
OneLook Dictionaries – offers access to over 460 dictionaries, general and specialized (e.g. art, medical, foreign language)
Roget's Thesaurus - search for related English words and phrases
Health & Medical
Alabama Department of Public Health - Find local restuarant scores, apply for health insurance, find volunteer opportunities, apply for WIC, find health facility ratings, and more.
Alabama Department of Senior Services SHIP - Healthcare insurance assistance and fraud prevention help. Free assistance with Medicare forms.
American Medical Association - reviewed medical sites, medical society directory, searchable databases of CME courses, residency programs, and over 650,000 physicians
CenterWatch - An international listing of clinical trials.
DrugWatch.com - Search for drug side-effects, including children's medications.
Genetics Home Reference - Your guide to understanding genetic conditions, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
HIV InSite - Comprehensive, up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS from the University of California San Francisco.
HostPays.com - "Host a party. Pay a price." The Hoover Coalition is a volunteer organization whose goal is to reduce youth drug and alcohol abuse. Our Coalition is co-chaired by Mayor Tony Petelos and Mr. Andy Craig, School Superintendent.
Household Products Database - Discover potential health effects of more than 2000 ingredients contained in more than 5,000 common household products used inside and around the house. Find out what chemicals are in brand-name products.
National Organization for Rare Diseases - Search the online database of rare diseases. NORD is the only organization of its kind--a unique federation of more than 140 not-for-profit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders and disabilities.
Planned Parenthood - Offers extensive information about all aspects of sexual and reproductive health. Find a local office with low-cost or free health services.
Psych Central - Created in 1995, Psych Central is the largest and oldest independent mental health and psychology network.
QuackWatch - Your Guide to quackery, health fraud, and making good medical decisions.
Cancer
American Cancer Society – The ACS is dedicated to helping everyone who faces cancer through research, patient services, early detection, treatment, and education.
Cancer.net - Oncologist-approved cancer information from the American Society of Clinical Oncologists.
CancerCare - National non-profit organization that provides free, professional support services for anyone affected by cancer.
National Cancer Institute - A department of the U.S. National Institute of Health. Cancer topics, clinical trials, statistics, and more.
OncoLink - Patient support site from the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure - The global leader in the fight to cure breast cancer.
Drugs
DrugDigest - A non-commercial, evidence-based, consumer health and drug information site dedicated to empowering consumers to make informed choices about drugs and treatment options.
Food and Drug Administration – The FDA is responsible for approving food and drugs for widespread use.
NeedyMeds - Find a program to assist you with the cost of prescription medications.
SeniorRx/Wellness - Prescription drug assistance program that helps thousands of sernior Alabamians receive free prescriptions. Manged by the Alabama Department of Senior Services.
General Health Information
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Health and safety information, travelers health, flu map and lots more.
Health InfoNet of Alabama - Free, award-winning consumer health information service of the Alabama public and medical libraries.
HealthFinder - The Department of Health and Human gateway to online publications, databases, support and self-help groups as well as the latest government health news.
KidsHealth - Health information site developed by Nemours, a large non-profit organization dedicated to children's health.
Mayo Clinic - The first and largest integrated, not-fo-proft group practice in the world. Well-respected source of health information.
MEDLINEplus – An great information site created by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
NetWellness - This site is managed by three universities in Ohio and is notable for it's "Ask an Expert" feature that lets anyone ask questions of medical professionals.
PubMed – U.S. National Library of Medicine's search service that provides access to over 11 million citations in MEDLINE, Pre-MEDLINE, and other related databases, with links to participating online journals
UAB Lister Hill Library - This library services the medical professiobnals at UAB as well as the general public.
U.S. National Library of Medicine - Extensive medical information and links to useful tools and services.
Ratings for Facilities and Physicians
Alabama Medical License Search - Check this site to see the status of your physician's medical license and to find out if there are any formal complaints filed.
Find a Board Certified Specialist - American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) free listing of the board certification status, location by city and state and specialty of any physician certified by one or more of the 24 Member Boards of the ABMS.
Hospital Compare - A government sponsored tool that provides you with information on how well the hospitals in your area care for all their adult patients with certain medical conditions.
Category last updated January 15, 2011
Hoaxes & Urban Legends
About: Urban Legends and Folklore – features include: current net hoaxes, top 25 urban legends, a glossary of terms, and an archive of urban and Internet folklore
Hoaxbusters – These pages describe some of the warnings, offers, and pleas for help that are filling our mailboxes, clogging our mailservers, and that generally do not have any basis in fact. A public service of CIAC (Computer Incident Advisory Capability) and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Straight Dope – fighting ignorance since 1973 with answers to intriguing questions
Urban Legends Reference Pages – separates fact from fiction and embraces not only urban legends, but also common fallacies, misinformation, old wives' tales, strange news stories, rumors, celebrity gossip, and similar items
Vmyths.com – Learn about computer virus myths, hoaxes, urban legends, hysteria, and the implications if you believe in them. You can also search a list of computer virus hoaxes and virus hysteria from A to Z.
Home & Garden
Aldridge Gardens – Hoover, Alabama's own botanical garden.
Ask the Builder – Tim Carter, home improvement expert, presents information about home building and remodeling.
Better Homes and Gardens Online – Pages on homes and decorating, gardening and shopping, and travel planning
DIY: The Do It Yourself Network – Thousands of do-it-yourself projects, ranging from car care to crafts
Handyman USA – Experts in various home improvement specialties contribute information and answer questions.
National Gardening Association
Southeastern Flora - Easy online tool for identifying plants of the southeast.
International Issues
Center for Defense Information – The site provides detailed information on major current international conflicts as well as dormant conflicts or incidents of political violence with potential to restart. Available reports include a summary of conflicts, profiles of major conflicts/disputes, and a description of the war participants, causes, foreign entities involved, and year that the conflict began.
Job Listings
AL.com Classifieds - Database of current job listings as published in the Birmingham News, Huntsville Times and Mobile Press Register.
Alabama State JobLink – Job listings from a variety of sources, provided by the state government, and a link to information about applying for unemployment compensation.
CareerBuilder - Job listings, personalized search tools and career development resources.
Career Magazine - Job listings, personalized search tools and career development resources.
Chronicle of Higher Education Jobs Listings - Academic job listing service.
Digital Librarian: Employment – Links to employment and career sites.
JobHunt - Information on employers and job search resources.
Monster.com - Job listings, personalized search tools and career development resources.
Net-Temps - A job board for temporary, temp-to-perm and full time employment through the staffing industry.
Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama (NRCA) Jobs - Listing of jobs with nonprofits in Alabama.
Personnel Board of Jefferson County - Job listings and information about working in Jefferson County, Alabama.
USA Jobs - View and apply for positions open in the U.S. federal government. Search by job title, series, grade and state.
Wall Street Journal Careers - Job listings and career advice from a well-respected financial newspaper.
Yahoo Hot Jobs - Job listings, personalized search tools and career development resources.
Language and Typing
Babelfish Language Translator - Will translate words or sentences you enter or complete web pages by supplying the URL.
BBC Languages - Learn languages in your own time and have fun.
Learn 2 Type - Typing tutor, tests and certifications including a 10-key certification. QWERTY, AZERTY and Dvorak keyboard lessons.
Learn to Type Online - 10 online typing lessons and a typing speed test.
LiveMocha - Social online language learning.
Mango Languages - Hoover Public Library's free online language-learning service.
Power Typing - Typing lessons and games.
USA Learns - Learn English and improve basic reading, writing, speaking, and life skills.
Voice of America Learning English - Created for ESL learners, but adult learners will also benefit from these news stories with transcripts and MP3 podcasts read at a slower pace.
Legal Resources
AlabamaLegalHelp.org - a guide to free and low-cost civil legal services in Alabama. The site also includes free legal forms.
Americans with Disabilities Act Document Center – links to many other sites for regulations and related subjects
CourtTV - current law cases and trials online
FindLaw - cases and codes, consumer center, and access to finding law firms and lawyers
FindLaw's LawCrawler - Search online law resources.
Immigration Law - news, forms, and biographies of lawyers who specialize in immigration law
Lawyer Locator - the Martindale-Hubbell database
lawyers.com - legal information and resources including the Martindale-Hubbell database
Legal Information Institute - from Cornell Law School
Nolo Press - online legal assistance for the little guy
Supreme Court Decisions - from Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute
U.S. Supreme Court Decisions Multimedia - the Oyez Project from Northwestern University
WORLDLawDirect – provides advice, referrals, ask-an-attorney options, and access to a worldwide database covering a variety of practice areas
Foreclosure Helpline: Call 2-1-1 - A referral service for those in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. Created by the United Way in partnership with the Alabama office of Housing Urban Development (HUD).
Libraries
Alabama Library Association – Associational news, events, and information. Information about the annual state convention.
Alabama Public Library Service - Resources, publications, and services of APLS.
American Library Assocation - The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 64,000 members.
Jefferson County Library Cooperative - Lists all member libraries for our county system, branch information, links to catalog and databases and more.
Library of Congress - Search the collection, read about news and exhibitions, and find copyright forms and information.
School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alabama - Thinking about becoming a librarian? UA has the only ALA accredited program in the state.
Literature & Publishing
American Society of Journalists and Authors - A professional association of independent nonfiction writers that helps freelance writers advance their careers through conferences, mentoring, and promotion of paid writing opportunities.
Book TV - official site for C-SPAN2's weekend nonfiction book programming features scheduling information, live webcasting plus video archives, online author chats, teaching guides, links to buy videotapes.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - The complete plays and poems, plus discussion, quotations, and other resources.
Free Books Online - eBooks and Audiobooks
- Archive.org Texts - Books and non-book texts.
- Daily Lit - Read a book, day-by-day, through your email.
- Google eBooks - Best of the Free - Books can be downloaded.
- LibriVox - Download audiobooks to enjoy or volunteer to record one yourself!
- The Online Books Page - Books can be downloaded.
- OpenLibrary.org - Books can be downloaded.
- PublicLiterature.org - Books can be downloaded.
Library Journal - One of the best magazines for news on libraries nationwide and reliable book reviews.
The New York Times Best Sellers List - Updated weekly.
Oxford Shakespeare Society - Information, resources and bibliographies on the Shakespeare authorship debate and the claims for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford as the true Shakespeare.
Poets.org - The Academy of American Poets website for supporting American poets at all stages of their careers and fostering the appreciation of contemporary poetry.
Publishers Weekly - One of the best magazines for news on the publishing industry and reliable book reviews.
Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) - Guide to MLA and APA citations, writing excerises and more.
Shakespeare & the Globe - All about Shakespeare’s personal playhouse, past and present.
Maps
AlabamaMaps.ua.edu - A collection of historical and contemporary Alabama maps and aerial photography of each Alabama county.
Cartographic Research - Laboratory Department of Geography University of Alabama
David Rumsey Map Collection - Over 24,000 historical maps with a focus on rare 18th and 19th century maps and other cartographic materials from North and South America.
Google Maps - Satellite, map and street view maps. Get directions.
Strange Maps Blog - A delight for anyone interested in unusual maps.
US Geographical Survey - Topographical maps of the United States.
Politics
Alabama Democratic Party - The official web site for the Alabama Democratic Party.
Alabama Republican Party - The official web site for the Alabama Republican Party.
Alabama Votes - Register to vote and find your polling place. See sample ballots for each election.
OpenSecrets.org - Money in politics. See who's getting and who's giving. A nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy.
Project Vote Smart - Nonpartisan information including biographies, campaign finances, issue stands, and more.
Relocation
BestPlaces.net – This site was developed to put facts about cities and living in the hands of the public, so they can make better decisions about the best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate.
Dream Home Tour – find current real estate listings in the Birmingham area
Homebuyer's Fair - Homefair.com is a for-profit commercial site sponsored by local real estate companies and moving companies. The site includes real estate listings, a salary calculator that allows the user to compare cost of living differences between areas, a mortgage payment calculator, community information and area weather.
Move - detailed information on hundreds of local properties. Search by local community or geographic proximity
Monstermoving.com – directory of moving resources that includes finding a place, mortgage and finance, moving and planning, and shopping
Moving.com - find a local/long distance mover; also has moving tips and information
Realty Times - real estate news from around the world
Realtor.com - Realtor.com is the official Internet site of the National Association of Realtors. It provides information on realtors, on buying and selling a home, and lets you search for a new home by state and city. Realtor.com also provides current mortgage rates and community information.
Relocation Central – provides a nationwide source of information for "people on the move." This site offers information about real estate, communities, moving and storage.
Virtual Relocation - Virtual Relocation is a national relocation directory offering information on real estate, communities, careers and education, mortgages and insurance, and moving/storage costs
Science
Botany.com – includes an encyclopedia of plants indexed by botanical and common name as well as links to associations and societies
Cahaba River Society - includes information about the Cahaba River
Center for Earthquake Research and Information - dedicated to the promotion of awareness and information about earthquakes in general - but, particularly, earthquake activity in the New Madrid area
Endangered Species - from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster - Offers links to the event, the aftermath, news and relief activities, science pages on tsunamis and earthquakes, and other resources.
Inventions – Look for invention information by inventor, invention, patents, and Nobel Prize winners.
PhysicsWeb Web Links- physics resources on the Web
SciCentral.com – links to sites in the fields of science, medicine, and engineering, and to current scientific news articles
ScienceNetLinks– organizes science resources for teachers, including detailed reviews of science education web sites. Also includes science curriculum ideas and activities.
Science News - an overview of the latest news covering all topics of science. Website includes additional features not found in the magazine.
SciQuest Foundation, K-12 Science – links to comprehensive directories, lesson plans, and experiments providing a wealth of information on a variety of science-related topics of interest to students.
Southern Trees- 680 tree fact sheets in Adobe Acrobat PDF format published by the Environmental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida.
Social Sciences
American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century – A series of web guides on the decades of the twentieth century.
The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy– An archive of historical legal documents, including charters, treaties and other agreements.
Biography.com – Short, one-paragraph summaries of over 20,000 persons.
CIA World Factbook - Geography, people, government, etc., of countries of the world.
Digital Librarian: Latin American Resources– Links to varied sites with information on Latin America.
EuroDocs - Primary historical documents from Western Europe.
History Channel – Surf through time, listen to great speeches, witness this day in history, and tour exhibits. Also look up events from a specific day or decade.
Images of American Political History – A collection of over 500 public domain images of American Political History.
Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster - Offers links to the event, the aftermath, news and relief activities, science pages on tsunamis and earthquakes, and other resources.
The Labyrinth – A global information network of resources in medieval studies.
NetSERF: The Internet Connection for Medieval Resources – Provides information on history, culture, architecture, and many other aspects of medieval life.
Portals to the World - links to electronic resources that contain information about nations all over the world. Selected by the Library of Congress subject experts.
Today in History– Pick a date and find births, deaths, and major events for that date throughout history.
U.S. Presidents - Presidential facts and pictures.
U.S Presidents & First Ladies - Pictures - From the Library of Congress.
The Virtual Vietnam Archive The Virtual Vietnam Archive enables scholars, students and all interested in this remarkable period in our world history to conduct research directly from universities, schools, libraries, and homes. Of equal importance, it will enable Vietnam veterans - those who actually served - to access records that might be of importance to them in their continuing efforts to understand their own experiences.
Words and Deeds in American History - Keyword, name, and subject index to American history.
World Flag Database - Pictures of flags and information on countries.
Sports & Recreation
Amateur Athletics Foundation - contains official Olympics results, as well as a sports library and publications
CNNSI.com – sports news from CNN and Sports Illustrated
Information Please Sports Almanac
MLB –Major League Baseball
NBA –National Basketball Association
NFL –National Football League
NHL –National Hockey League
Olympic.org – the official site of the Olympic movement
PGA – Professional Golf Association of America
Taxes
Federal Forms & Publications (IRS) – forms, publications, and notices of the IRS, plus links to state forms
Federation of Tax Administrators – ;inks to other states’ tax forms and agencies
Internal Revenue Service – homepage for the IRS
IRS.com – a consumer-oriented source for federal, state and local tax-related information. Not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service
Personal Tax Planning – provides tips and strategies for filing this year’s forms and planning for next year
State Tax Forms (Alabama) – rundown on all kinds of taxes and business licenses, plus income tax forms
Alabama Department of Revenue - Individual and Corporate tax Section
Yahoo!'s Business Resources
Terrorism
Air Force Link Gallery – Today’s Air Force includes photos of aircraft being used in Afghanistan and photos of terrorist attacks.
BBC Online Homepage – Get worldwide reaction, expert analysis, and audio/video bulletins on the latest developments from BBC News.
Center for Defense Information – The site provides detailed information on major current international conflicts as well as dormant conflicts or incidents of political violence with potential to restart. Available reports include a summary of conflicts, profiles of major conflicts/disputes, and a description of the war participants, causes, foreign entities involved, and year that the conflict began.
FBI Press Release – 9/27/01 – The FBI has released 19 photographs of individuals believed to be the hijackers of the four airlines that crashed on September 11, 2001.
Federal Aviation Administration – Reports on which U.S. airports have been determined to meet current aviation security requirements.
Foreign Affairs Magazine – Foreign Affairs is making available previously published articles that contribute to an understanding of the tragic attacks on New York and Washington.
Hunting bin Laden – This site, put together by PBS’ acclaimed news show Frontline, offers a biography of bin Laden, a video interview with him from 1998, profiles of two terrorists in his organization and more.
The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism – This organization was established in 1996 in Israel. It focuses solely on counter-terrorism and approaches the issue of terrorism globally.
PBS: America Responds – Bill Moyers is joined by guests from the humanities and faith communities to explore the background and aftermath of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C.
The Skyscraper Museum – The Skyscraper Museum is a private, not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future.
Terrorist Attack – This site has a diverse collection of editorial cartoonists’ response to terrorism including international publications.
The World Trade Center Memorial – This site has history, facts, building information, timeline and victims.
World Trade Center-Pentagon Terrorist Attacks, 2001 – This collection of archived documents was commissioned by the Library of Congress to preserve digital materials covering the events of September 11, 2001. It contains thousands of sites from around the world.
Travel
Airlines (Domestic)- Air Canada
- Air North
- AirTran
- Alaska Airlines
- Aloha Airlines
- American Airlines
- American TransAir (ATA)
- America West Airlines
- Continental Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Horizon Air
- JetBlue Airways
- LTU International Airways
- Midwest Express Airlines
- Northwest Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- Sun Country
- United Airlines
- US Airways
Airlines (Foreign/International)
- AeroMexico
- Aeropostal – Venezuela
- Air Canada
- Air France
- Air Jamaica
- British Airways buzz – London, Europe
- easyJet – London (Luton), Europe
- Freedom Air International – New Zealand, Australia
- Japan Air
- KLM
- LAPA – Argentina
- Lufthansa
- Quantas
Ryanair – Ireland - Virgin Express – Europe
Backpackeurope.com - Information on backing Europe on a budget
Bootsnall.com - General travel site tailored for the independent traveler
Consierge.com - information on places, planning and play; you are "virtually there."
Couchsurfing.com - A non-profit organization that promotes cultural exchange by allowing you to offer your couch to a traveler or search for a couch by destination.
Currency Converter - converts one country’s currency to another
Cruisecritic.com – Comments about ships, ports and deals as well as advice from other travelers.
Elliott.org – Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott’s Blog. He is the writer of the nationally syndicated column “Travel Troubleshooter”.
Eurocheapo.com - Traveler reviews of budget European hotels
FlightStats.com – Track flight status, airport delays and other flight and airport information
Frommers.com – Publisher of the popular travel guides
Hihostels.com - Global booking site for Hostel International member hostels, including family hostels.
Kayak.com - Search 140+ travel sites at once and find the cheapest fares
ThePaperboy.com – Newspapers from all over the world available online
ParkNet – The home page of the National Park Service offers detailed maps and general information on national parks, America’s most visited tourist attractions. Search for parks by name, theme, and state.
Reidsguides.com - Travel author Reid Bramblett's trip-planning site. Features listings of nontraditional accomodations.
TravelersCenturyClub.org – A club for travelers who have visited at least 100 countries
Travelfish.org - Specializes in information for travelers to Asia.
Travlang's Translating Dictionaries
Trip Advisor - Hotel and vacation reviews from travelers around the world.
UpgradeTravelBetter.com – News, travel tips, and commentary on happenings and trends in the travel industry
VRBO.com – Vacation Rentals by Owner
Webflyer.com – Up-to-date information on promotions and changes to all major frequent flier programs.
U.S. Government
The 9-11commission - The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the 9-11 Commission), an independent, bipartisan commission created by congressional legislation and the signature of President George W. Bush in late 2002, is chartered to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including preparedness for and the immediate response to the attacks. The Commission is also mandated to provide recommendations designed to guard against future attacks.
Americans with Disabilities Act Document Center – Links to many other sites for regulations and related subjects.
Bioguide -Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - The online CFDA provides access to a database of all federal programs available to state and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.
Code of Federal Regulations - The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
C-SPAN - hear and see hearings, news conferences, and other events before they're aired on C-SPAN.
Federal Forms & Publications (IRS) - Forms, publications, and notices of the IRS, plus links to state forms.
Federal Register - Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents
GPO Access - Database of many U.S. government documents.
Government Officals List - A list compiled by the Birmingham public library listing current Federal and Alabama government officials.
How to Help the Troops - web sites describing how we can help our troops and their families.
Internet Law Library - Full-text searchable copies of the U.S. Code and Code of Federal Regulations and links to law resources by subject and jurisdiction.
Project Vote Smart – Nonpartisan information—biographies, campaign finances, issue stands, and more—about state and federal candidates and elected officials. Also includes information on elections and governmental units.
State and Local Governments - Indexes and links to state and local governments.
State Tax Forms (Alabama)- Rundown on all kinds of taxes and business licenses, plus income tax forms.
Supreme Court Decisions - from Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute.
THOMAS: Legislative Information - In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, a service of the U.S. Congressional Library.
AGENCIES / DIRECTORIESCONSUMER INFORMATIONDepartment of Commerce – Key economic indicators issued by the Bureau of the Census and links to other government agencies.
FedWeb -This companion site to the book Internet Blue Pages: The Guide to Federal Government Web Sites, by Laurie Andriot, provides access to all government web sites listed in Internet Blue Pages.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office – Complete resource of patent and trademark information.
HISTORYU.S. Consumer Gateway – Over 40 federal agencies participate in this site, providing authoritative consumer information ranging from health issues to product safety.
STATISTICSAmerican Memory - contains material relating to American culture and history. The Library of Congress presents these documents as part of the record of the past. These primary historical documents reflect the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of different times.
American Presidents: Life Portraits – For its 20th anniversary, C-SPAN examines American Presidents and their "Life Portraits." Use this website to learn more about the personal stories of these 41 men.
Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients
Documenting the American South (DAS) - a full-text database of primary resources on Southern history, literature and culture from the colonial period through the first decades of the 20th century. Currently, DAS includes three digitization projects: slave narratives, first-person narratives, and Southern literature. A fourth, based on Confederate imprints, is in development.
The History Net - sponsored by the National Historic Society and contains historical information on several different subjects, including the U.S. government (check out American History).
Historical Text Archives - the HTA is a large site covering much of human history. This particular link into HTA provides original material, links to other sites, and electronic reprints of books about the history of the United States.
The Index of Native American Resources on the Internet - constructed primarily to provide information resources to the Native American community and secondarily to the general community. The information is organized, insofar as possible, to make it useful to the Native American community and the education community.
National Archives and Records Administration - historically valuable records of the three branches of federal government executive (including the President), legislative, and judicial. The archives holdings include: textual, audiovisual, cartographic and architectural electronic records. The Digital Classroom provides materials from NARA, methods for teaching with primary sources, and sample lesson plans.
National First Ladies’ Library - explore the lives of our nation’s First Ladies and their contributions to our nation’s history. This site contains the National First Ladies’ Library online bibliographic database. Jump directly to the biographies section.The U. S. Civil War Center - locates, indexes, and / or makes available all appropriate private and public data regarding the Civil War.
U. S. History – General Sites For Kids and U. S. History – Pre-Colonial to 1865 - U. S. History sites recommended for children from preschool through age 14, their parents and other caregivers. This page is part of the American Library Associations’ 700+ Great Sites for Kids web site.
White House - White House history. The White House site also contains a variety of information on the current administration and links to the most informative government sites.
White House - Presidents Biographies site takes you into the White House web site to the biographies of each of the U. S. Presidents. Each biography contains a picture of the President, biography, famous quotes and some even contain the inaugural addresses.
UNITED STATES TRAVELDigest of Education Statistics
GovSpot.com – collection of government and civic resources and links; includes a listing of government offices and addresses at all levels, not just federal
State and County Quick Facts – Demographic, economic, and governmental data from both the federal government and private agencies.
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
Weddings
Bridalplanner.com – Contains worksheets, questions and answers, and other related information.
GroomsOnline – Offers information, stories, articles, and links for grooms, groomsmen, and the best man.
The Knot – Contains wedding information, including ideas, advice, and gift registry.
UltimateWedding.com – Posts engagement announcements, provides wedding information including bridal shower games, activities, and suggestions, and offers a listing of links to professionals.
WeddingChannel.com – Offers planning tools, fashion and beauty ideas, articles, and gift registry.
WeddingDetails.com – Resource for engagement, wedding planning, and honeymoons.
