As we are all working on social distancing, the Library has put together a list of items that you can use digitally from the comfort of your own home.
For suggestions just for kids and families visit our Family Suggestion Page.
If you are a Massachusetts resident and don’t already have a Boston Public Library ecard, you can register for one online now at https://www.bpl.org/ecard.
We will continue to update this throughout social distancing with new webpage suggestions.
Get assistance
How to apply for unemployment benefits – Massachusetts
City of Lowell Emergency Operation Center – ask your questions at 978-674-4052 or by calling 2-1-1
Community Teamwork Emergency Response/Assistance
Latest updates from Lowell Public Schools (including free lunch information/locations)
Small business Loan Recovery Fund – MA
Free/Low-cost Internet – Comcast Internet Essentials
Tax Filing Websites – May have limitations – see each site for details
IRS Free File – Online Taxes at OLT.com
IRS Free File Program – by TaxAct
IRS Free File Program – by Free 1040 Tax Return
IRS Free File Program – by ezTaxReturn.com
IRS Free File Program – by FileYourTaxes.com
IRS Free File Program – by H&R Block
IRS Free File Program – by FreeTaxUSA
IRS Free File Program – by TaxSlayer
Offer assistance
Lifting Lowellians: Assistance and Mutual Aid
Pandemic Support Team – support local small businesses by buying a t-shirt – $10 goes to the employees of the establishment – $7 goes to Noreast Custom Apparel, the producer of the t-shirt. All orders will be shipped.
Chatterpack’s Free, Online, Boredom-Busting Resource List
E-books, audiobooks, movies & more
First, use your library card to access our Electronic Resources with everything from ebooks, audiobooks, music, magazines, genealogy and much more!
ProQuest is giving unlimited access to eBook central holdings until mid-June.
Visit another library’s online collection, including the Harvard Library, Library of Congress, and the Bodleian Library thanks to ILoveLibraries.com
Open Culture has Audiobooks, Online Courses, Movies, Languages, Textbooks, and eBooks in a wide variety of topics.
Smithsonian Historical Images has some great photographs to browse.
Become a citizen archivist – Help the National Archives with transcribing, editing and more of unique documents related to our country’s history.
Check out the Internet Archive, a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more. Also see their blog post, 7 Things To Do If You Can’t Leave the House.
The Digital Public Library of America has over 36,807,992 images, texts, videos, and sounds from across the United States for you to explore.
Stir your curiosity on a variety of topics with TED Talks.
Listen to music online at AccuRadio, iHeartRadio, Jango, and more!
Catch some old classics for free on PopcornFlix
During this time of social distancing, Ancestry is allowing in-home access for patrons – access the temporary Ancestry Library Genealogy site for in-home use – you can access to U.S. Census Collection; U.S. Data Collection; U.K. and Ireland Collection; Birth, Marriage, and Death Records; Immigration Collection; Military Collection; Family and Local History Records; Court, Land, and Probate Records; and more.
Booklist announces free online access to get information about reviews, booklists, and more!
Explore something new from the comfort of your own couch!
Visit museums from around the world that offer virtual tours.
The American Archive of Public Broadcasting has a unique collection public broadcasting materials online that you can peruse.
Sign-up or take a course at an Ivy League School!
Michael Simon will be teaching a nightly cooking series and answering your questions about essential pantry items through Facebook Live at 5:00 PM EDT.
Missing the theater? Tony winner, Lauren Benanti invited theater students to share their performances via Twitter at #Sunshine Songs. Check out these talented individuals!
The Metropolitan Opera is offering nightly encore performances from their LiveinHD Series starting at 7:30 pm EDT until 3:30 pm the next day.
Mental Floss put together a list of 50 amazing skills you can learn on YouTube.Â
15 plays and musicals you can streamline at home.
Broadway World also about vintage musicals for viewing.
Learn about the history of Lowell by checking out photos and the timeline at the Lowell Historical Society.
Virtual Walking Tour of the Acre – courtesy of RichardHowe.com
100 screen-free ways to spend your social distancing/quarantine time
Color their collection! –Free Coloring Pages from 100 museums
Exercise at Home
Planet Fitness is offering home work-ins for you to keep up with your gym.
Virtual Field Trips
The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning, and Online Collections
The Cincinnati Zoo will be offering Facebook Live safaris daily at 3 PM while the zoo is closed.
The San Diego Zoo has an exciting website with lots of great activities.
Tour Yellowstone National Park!
Explore the surface of Mars with the Rover.
FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs.
Enjoy a virtual tour of the Great Wall of China.
Take a virtual trip to the British Museum and learn about the Rosetta Stone.
See amazing art at the Louvre.
A teacher put together a listing of Virtual Field Trips that you can take from home!
Head to Alaska and take a peek at their wildlife cameras! Â
A collection of great virtual field trips to try out
Go under the sea with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s web cams.
Health & Wellness
Resources to Stay Physically and Mentally HealthyÂ
Fitness Studios and Gyms Offering Live Streams
Digital Escape Room (created by fellow librarians)!
Hogwart’s Digital Escape Room –Â This escape experience was created by Sydney Krawiec, Youth Services Librarian at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, PA.
Escape from Wonderland (Alice in Wonderland theme) –Â This escape room was created by Erin Honeycutt, Children’s Librarian at Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System in Moultrie, Georgia.