Category: Resource of the Month

Resource of the Month: America’s News

When I was a small child, I often had sleepovers at my grandparents’ house on the weekends. Every time, I looked forward to Sunday mornings, curled up on the couch with my grandpa, his coffee, and the Sunday newspaper. He’d usually grab the sports section first and pass the funnies to me.

Today in the year 2025, this activity can continue. However, it might look a little different, since most of us read our news on our phones or tablets. Thanks to the online database America’s News, available with your Derby Public Library card, families can still read the Sunday paper together, just on your iPad or other tablet.

Through America’s News, library patrons can read full color digital versions of the Wichita Eagle from 2018 to today. Articles from the Eagle are searchable from 1984 to today. Additional content is also available from the Topeka Capital-Journal and the Kansas City Star.

To access America’s News, click on the Research & Learn tab on the library’s website using the internet browser on your computer, tablet, or phone. If you are accessing from home, enter your library card number when prompted.

Resource of the Month: ConsumerReports.org

We’ve probably all experienced some version of this scenario: your beloved [insert vital kitchen appliance here] stops working, and the repairman says that it is going to cost more to fix it than it would to replace it. You make a trip to Lowe’s and wander the major appliance section completely overwhelmed with your choices.

There’s a better way to decide what dishwasher, refrigerator, or range to buy. Check out this month’s Resource of the Month from your Derby Public Library: ConsumerReports.org. Visit the library’s website, click on the Research & Learn tab, and then choose the ConsumerReports.org database. Just enter your library card number when prompted and browse the easy-to-use site.

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For over 80 years, Consumer Reports has been providing independent, rigorous, unbiased reviews on just about every product a consumer can buy. They conduct independent testing on thousands of products each year, from refrigerators and washing machines to cars, electronics, diapers, and even food items.

Skip the hassle of googling the product you need or want to purchase and scrolling through hundreds of potentially unreliable and biased reviews. ConsumerReports.org is a comprehensive resource, providing not only excellent product reviews on a wide range of categories but also valuable information on services, such as money management, online safety and security, insurance policies, and healthcare.

If you have questions on how to use this resource, stop by the library’s front desk and ask a staff member for assistance.