Free Internet Reference Resources on the Web
The Arts on the Web
Fine Arts
- Metropolitan Museum of Art / http://www.metmuseum.org/
- Musée de Louvre / http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home.jsp?bmLocale=en
- Musée d'Orsay / http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston / http://www.mfa.org/
- Museum of Modern Art / http://www.moma.org/
- Philadelphia Museum of Arts / http://www.philamuseum.org/
- Tate Museum / http://www.tate.org.uk/
- Whitney Museum of American Art / http://www.whitney.org/
Local Arts Organizations
- Arts Council of Rockland / http://www.artscouncilofrockland.org/
- Arts Students League of New York - Vytacil Campus in Sparkill / http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/vytlacil_campus.html
- Edward Hopper House Art Center / http://www.hopperhouse.org/
- Elmwood Playhouse / http://www.elmwoodplayhouse.com/
- GAGA (Garnerville Arts Center) / http://www.gagaartscenter.org/
- Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival / http://www.hvshakespeare.org/
- Penguin Repertory Theatre / http://www.penguinrep.org/
- Rivertown Films / http://www.rivertownfilms.org/
- Riverspace / http://www.riverspace.org/
- Rockland Center for the Arts / http://www.rocklandartcenter.org/
- South Nyack Recital Series / http://www.southnyackrecitalseries.org/
Music
- All Songs Considered: NPR / http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=37&agg=1
- Billboard Hot 100 / http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/chart_display.jsp?g=Singles&f=The+Billboard+Hot+100
- Broadway: the American Musical / http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/
- Carnegie Hall / http://www.carnegiehall.org/
- Grammy.com / http://www.grammy.com/
- Jazz: a Film by Ken Burns / http://www.pbs.org/jazz/
- Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music / http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/mussmhtml/
- PhilipGlass.com / http://www.philipglass.com/
- Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame / http://www.rockhall.com/
- Rolling Stone / http://www.rollingstone.com/
- We'll Sing to Abe Our Song: Sheet Music About Lincoln, Emancipation, and the Civil War / http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/scsmhtml/scsmhome.html
Theatre
- Dramatists Play Service, Inc. / http://www.dramatists.com/
- Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Shakespeare / http://search.eb.com/shakespeare
- Internet Broadway Database / http://www.ibdb.com/index.php
- New Deal Stage: Selections from the Federal Theatre Project / http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fedtp/fthome.html
Film
- American Film Institute / http://www.afi.com/default.aspx
- Cannes Film Festival / http://www.festival-cannes.com/en.html
- Film Society of Lincoln Center / http://www.filmlinc.com/
- Glossary of Film Terms / http://homepage.newschool.edu/~schlemoj/film_courses/glossary_of_film_terms/
- Hulu Movies / http://www.hulu.com/movies
- Internet Movie Database (IMDB) / http://www.imdb.com/
- Jacob Burns Film Center / http://burnsfilmcenter.org/
- The Life of a City: Early Films of New York, 1898-1906 / http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/papr/nychome.html
- Sundance Institute / http://www.sundance.org/
Sites for book lovers
- Amazon.com
book sales and reviews - Barnes and Noble
- Lists and Best Sellers
New York Times Best Sellers, Book Discussion Consortium, Nebula and Hugo Awards (Science-Fiction), Spur Awards (Westerns), Edgar Awards (Mystery), Pulitzer Prize fiction, Best Stories - Newberry Medal Winners and many more. Look for them in the Ramapo Catskill Library System! - Books Online
full text of 7000+ titles - Bookfinder.com
search the databases of rare and out-of-print book dealers - Fantastic Fiction
Bibliographies for over 20,000 authors. Information on over 270,000 books.
Click on a book to see its cover picture, description and publication details - 100 Best Books
as chosen by Random House Publishing's Modern Library Board - Literary Criticism Online
posted by Internet Public Library - Overbooked
Features fiction and nonfiction titles that have received starred (especially favorable) reviews in the major library selection journals, including Library Journal, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus.
College Information on the Web
- Peterson's Planner
published by Peterson's; information on elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional degree programs, financial aid, career guidance, etc. - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
file your FAFSA form electronically - Financial Aid Information
- Mapping Your Future
Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative, public-service, nonprofit organization providing career, college, financial aid, and financial literacy services for students, families, and schools. Mapping Your Future is sponsored by student loan guaranty agencies. - Higher Education Services Corporation
HESC helps people pay for college. HESC guarantees federal student and parent loans, offers loan management services, and provides guidance for college planning. In New York state, HESC also administers the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and other state specific grants and scholarships.
Consumer Education on the Web
The goal of our consumerism page is to link our patrons to Internet pages which will allow them to become better-informed consumers.
- Banking in New York
For consumer complaints and information concerning state financial institutions, such as savings banks, commercial banks or credit unions. - Better Business Bureau
serving Metro NY. Mid-Hudson and Long Island regions; business and charity reports. - Consumer.gov
Resource for consumer information from the federal government. Topics include food, product safety, health, home/community, money, transportation, children, careers and education, technology, and more! - Federal Citizen Information Center
For over 35 years, the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) has been a trusted one-stop source for answers to questions about consumer problems and government services. - published by The Alexander Law Firm; links to Internet resources for consumers and business people. For more NYS and Federal law sites, go to Nyack's Gov't & Law page.
- Consumer Reports Online
both free and fee-based information available. - Environmental Defense
formerly known as the "Environmental Defense Fund." chemical information service, includes community pollution information. - Edmunds
information on new and used vehicles including prices and detailed reviews. - Epinions.com
Check out reviews and prices of products before you buy. Epinions helps people make informed buying decisions. It is the source for unbiased advice, personalized recommendations, and comparative shopping. - Insurance (New York State)
Assistance from the State Insurance Department on all types of insurance questions. - Insurance.com
Information about auto, health, home, and life insurance, including ratings about life and health insurers. - Kelley Blue Book
Information on new and used vehicles. - mySimon.com
Compare products and prices from around the web. - RentNet
Listing of apartments and other related services in the U.S. *Hint* visit online newspaper's classified ads. - Senior Citizens Assistance from the State Office for the Aging for senior citizens with any problems.
Employment Resources on the Web
There are many sites on the Web that endeavor to assist you with a job search. Most of them offer similar services such as searchable job listings, posting your resume on the Web, tips for writing a resume and a cover letter. Many also cover important points such as interviewing skills and salary information.
Local and Regional Newspaper Listings
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The Journal News
Search for jobs from the Journal News and across the country. - New York Times Job Market
Search the New York Times Classifieds. - Wall Street Journal Careers
Search for jobs in the Wall Street Journal, a premier source for financial information.
Specific Careers
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Law Employment Center
A job site for lawyers and related positions. - Library Job Search
LISjobs.com is a comprehensive guide to online job resources for librarians and information professionals. -
Health Care Jobs
Career Builder's health care job search page.
Government Jobs (U.S. and New York State)
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USAJOBS
Find jobs with the United States government.
Site maintained by the Office of Personnel Management. - New York State
Search for civil service exam information and job openings in New York.
General Job Sites
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America's Job Bank
A job search clearinghouse. The site offers 4 different sources of information for job seekers. - FranchiseExpo
Source for franchise businesses opportunities. - Career Builder
Search hundreds of thousands of jobs – across the nation or in your own neighborhood. Find jobs, post resumes, and get advice. - JobWeb
Career development and job-search information for college students and new college graduates. Owned and sponsored by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). - Monster.com
A comprehensive job searching web site. Includes help on writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, salary information and more. - Plus Jobs America
A handy job site that searches many sources at once. - Careers.orgr
A Web Directory for jobs and careers. A whole lot of useful web sites packed into one place! - HotJobs
Yahoo's comprehensive job searching web site. Covers all aspects of finding a job. - MonsterTRAK
A site with special emphasis on recent college graduates. - Rockland County Guidance Center
Located right here in Nyack! Provides, to
a diverse adult population with a specific focus on women in transition (displaced homemakers), special programs, career resources, and current information regarding workplace systems and procedures. - Tomorrow's Workplace
Tomorrow's Workplace is a high-tech user friendly employment resource center serving citizens and employers of Rockland County, New York and the regional tri-state area.
Government and Law
Federal Government
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Consumer.gov
Resources for consumer information from the federal government. Topics include food, product safety, health, home/community, money, transportation, children, careers and education, technology, and more! - FedStats
Statistics produced by federal agencies - USA.gov
As the U.S. government's official web portal, USA.gov makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web. USA.gov also serves as the catalyst for a growing electronic government. - Internal Revenue Service
A wide variety of federal tax information in a digital daily newsletter including federal tax forms, instructions and publications. - Small Business Administration
Information and assistance in starting and running your own business. - Thomas Legislative Information on the Internet
Information about Congress, current bills, public laws, The Congressional Record, committees and the legislative process; contains some historical documents. - United States Code
- The White House
Links to Federal services and statistics, White House documents, and virtual tours of the White House
New York State Government and Rockland County
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Domestic Violence
Provides crisis intervention and counseling referrals and information for victims of domestic violence. - NYS Department of Taxation and Finance
New York State tax web site. Find and print forms and instructions. - New York Legal Materials
NYS Constitution and other state legal materials found on the Internet Maintained by the Legal Information Institute, a part of Cornell Law School. - New York Office of Child and Family Services
The Office of Children and Family Services serves New York's public by promoting the well-being and safety of children, families and communities. OCFS has numerous responsibilities including: foster care, adoption and adoption assistance, child protective services, preventive services for children and families, services for pregnant adolescents, child care and referral programs, and protective programs for vulnerable adults. OCFS is also responsible for the functions performed by the State Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), and coordinates state government response to the needs of Native Americans on reservations and in communities. - New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association offers information for attorneys as well as for laypeople. Besides searching for a lawyer, you can learn about the law by clicking on the words, "The People's Law School." Its a great five-part lectures series that you can watch online for free! It is designed for individuals without formal legal training. Topics include: matrimonial law, civil lawsuits, wills and estate planning, criminal law, and things you may need to know about the lawyer/client relationship. - New York State Government
Official web site of New York State government. Find information on living, working, and recreation in New York State. - New York State Senate
Links to information by and about the New York State Senate. - Public Service Commission
Information about public service in New York State. - Rockland County
The county government's homepage.
Taxes
- Bankrate.com Taxes
The popular mortgage and interest rate comparison web site offers free guides to filing your Federal and taxes. Links to obtain Federal and state tax forms. - Internal Revenue Service
A wide variety of federal tax information in a digital daily newsletter including federal tax forms, instructions and publications. - NYS Department of Taxation and Finance
New York State tax forms and instructions. - Tax Foundation
65 year-old organization dedicated to educating the public about taxes. Publishes reports for laypeople and answers questions from the public and media about tax issues. - TurboTax online
Free online tax tools based on the popular tax software. Includes tax tips on planning, filing, deductions, investments, retirement, and education. You can even file online (for a fee). - Yahoo Tax Center
Links to Federal and State tax forms and instructions, tips, calculators, glossaries, preparation checklists and more!
Legal Help
- FindLaw/West’s Legal Directory
Directory of law firms, government and corporate law offices and lawyers from all 50 states. - Legal Ease Brochure Series
A pamphlet series produced by the New York State Bar Association to help consumers understand their legal rights and responsibilities. 13 topics range from "Adoption in New York State" to "You Rights as a Crime Victim.
Health and Medicine Sites on the Web
English
- Centers for Disease Control
An agency of the Department of Health & Human Services. - Checking a Doctor's Credentials:
Check to see if a doctor is licensed to practice medicine in NY
Check to see if a doctor has been disciplined in NY
Check to see if a doctor is a member of the American Medical Association
Check to see if a doctor is board certified in a specialty - Drug Abuse
Information about drug abuse and assistance or confidential referrals. - EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage)
Information about the state prescription drug program for senior citizens and assistance in obtaining and filling out forms. - healthfinder ®
A guide to reliable health information maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services. - Health Information on the Web
A directory of health web sites evaluated by medical librarians from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM). - The Mayo Clinic
General health information including information about diseases and prescription drugs. - MedicineNet
Network of physicians and educators dedicated to providing up-to-date medical information; includes a pharmaceutical dictionary. - MEDLINEplus
Health information provided by the National Library of Medicine/ National Institutes of Health. Includes health topics; drug information; dictionaries; directories of doctors, dentists and hospitals; current news; and many other valuable resources. This web site is available in English and Spanish. - Merck Manual
Merck pharmaceutical company site. - Mid-Hudson HIV/AIDS Information Service
The National Library of Medicine awarded the Newburgh Free Library a contract to create an AIDS Information center. There are more than 600 HIV/AIDS-related books in the collection in addition to videos, magazines, pamphlets, and brochures. It is available to library patrons throughout the Mid-Hudson who call or visit the Newburgh Free Library. - National Cancer Institute
The web site of the National Cancer Institute provides current information for both health care professionals and the public. Topics include cancer information, clinical trials, statistics, research programs, and research funding. - The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC)
A service of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. The NWHIC provides a gateway to the vast array of Federal and other women's health information resources. This web site can help you link to, read, and download a wide variety of women's health-related material developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, other Federal agencies, and private sector resources. - Newburgh Free Library
The Newburgh Free Library maintains a great page with links to websites on many different health topics. - New York Online Access to Health (NOAH)
NOAH provides links to health related information in both English and Spanish for consumers. - Rockland County Department of Health
Directory of health programs and services provided by the Robert L. Yeager Health Center in Pomona. - RxList: Internet Drug Index
Information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs. - WebMd.com
Information on a variety of medical topics.
Español
- Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades
Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos. - healthfinder Español®
Un Servicio del Centro Nacional de Información de la Salud, Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos. healthfinder® español contiene fuentes de información seleccionadas en español que le pueden servir de guía para tomar decisiones con relación a su salud. Para comenzar su búsqueda, ingrese en el cuadro de búsqueda anterior el texto que desea investigar o escoja uno de los tema listados a continuación. - MEDLINEplus
Información de Salud para Usted. Un servicio de la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina de EE. UU. y los Institutos Nacionales de Salud. - Acceso Computerizado de la Salud en Nueva York
Su conexión de información selecta sobre la salud para el consumidor! - Resources in Spanish for Consumer Health
Información de Salud para los Consumidores en Español.
Homework Help
General Sites
- Internet Public Library
The Internet public Library includes a Reference Center, Reading Room, Searching Tools, Youth Resources, Subject Collections, and Special Collections. - KidsClick!
links organized by librarians. - My Homework Helper
over 300 links to reference tools. - Homework Center
Multnomah Library in Portland Oregon.
Links by Subject
- African Studies
links by region, organization, and topic. - Environmental Resources
many environmental topics covered by the Environmental Protection Agency. - Healthfinder
- HyperHistory
HyperHistory is an expanding scientific project presenting 3,000 years of world history with an interactive combination of synchronoptic lifelines, timelines, and maps. - Invention Dimension
ideas and resources for science projects. - Literary Criticism
- The Math League
- Middle Ages
historical details of life in the Middle Ages (not about your baby boomer parents).
- NASA
astronomy. - United States Facts
for State facts, start here. - US History Documents
core documents of United States history. - Women's Biographies
biographies of famous women and some of their speeches.
Travel and Entertainment
Travel
- Air Lines of the Web
Directory of airline webpages. - Backpacker’s Guide
Tips and information for travelers, including currency exchange rates. - Cheaptickets
Source for lower prices on flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars, vacation packages, and "last minute trips." - Condé Nast Traveler
Online home of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Features a daily highlight as well as sections on Bargains, Booking, Weather, Photos, Maps, Forums, Bed and Breakfasts, and Romantic Getaways. - Escape On Line
Escape Magazine's website. A "global guide for the adventurous traveler" that offers articles on "offbeat" destinations. - Fodor’s Travel Service
Travel guide to hotels and restaurants around the world. - nternet Guide to Hostelling
International directory of hostels; tips on inexpensive travel. - Hotels.com
Hotels.com features special rates and discount hotel reservations at luxury and budget hotels in New York, Las Vegas, Miami, London, San Francisco, Chicago, Orlando, Boston, Washington DC, Paris and thousands of other cities. - Lonely Planet Online
Tips and information about countries. - ational Geographic Traveler
Online version of the famous magazine. It has summaries of each article along with a guide to online resources where you can learn more about each subject. The Trip Planner offers links for every state and Canadian province, icluding official tourist information sites, local or regional sites, weather information, and even sites offering updates on road and travel conditions, including road construction. - Roadside America
An on-line guide to offbeat tourist attractions across America. - New York Tourist Information
For travel information in New York, information on "I Love NY" tour packages and travel and ski guides. - Travelocity
Research and book vacation packages, airline flights, hotels, cruises, rental cars and much more. - Zagats
Online version of the popular Zagat restaurant survey. Free service provides addresses of restaurants, a subscription is required to read reviews.
Entertainment
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Fandango
Movie times, locations, and reviews as well as current news in the entertainment industry. - Film.com
Movie reviews and current news in the entertainment industry. - Internet Movie Database
Comprehensive source for movie titles, cast/actor lists, and reviews. - Moviefone
Show times and theater locations of current films. - E! Online
Entertainment guide; includes movie reviews and current news in the entertainment industry.
Rockland County Library Web Pages
- Ramapo Catskill Library System
- Directory of Rockland Libraries
- Finkelstein Memorial Library
- Middletown Thrall Library
- Nanuet Library
- New City Library
- Newburgh Free Library
- Sloatsburg Public Library
- Valley Cottage Free Library
- West Nyack Free Library
- The Library Association of Rockland County
Other Library Links
Many libraries have published Web pages. A library's Web page can be a helpful portal linking to informative and reliable Internet sites. Listed below are links to library pages that we have found helpful.
- Foundation Center
- Library of Congress
- New York Public Library
- Science Industry & Business
a branch of the New York Public Library.
Local Information on the Web
The goal of this page is to provide our patrons with quick links to sources of local information. If you would like a link to your local school or organization, write to reference@nyacklibrary.org
Nyack
- Village of Nyack
The Village of Nyack homepage. - Nyack Villager
A monthly publication celebrating life and the arts in the Hudson River Villages.
Rockland County
- Community Organizations
A directory for Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties; maintained by the Ramapo Catskill Library System - Genealogical Society of Rockland County
- Historical Society of Rockland County
- Journal News
The local Gannett newspaper's homepage. - New City Library's Rockland Room contains over 3,000 volumes detailing Rockland County history.
- Rockland-Business.com
A comprehensive web site directory of information about the county. - Rockland County (Government)
The county government's homepage.
- Rockland County (Tourism)
A wealth of information on what to do in Rockland County provided by the Department of Tourism. - Rockland County Archives
The Rockland County Archives can be found on the Rockland County government web page under "County Clerk" in the left hand column. - Rockland County (N.Y.) newspapers in microfilm
Hudson Valley
- HV/Net: Hudson Valley Network
Provides historical and tourist information; serves as a directory of the Hudson Valley. - Welcome to the Hudson River Valley
Provides educational, historical and tourist information; serves as a digital library and portal site for the Hudson Valley. Maintained by Marist College.
Online News
Many newspapers, magazines, and news organizations can now be found online. Listed below are periodicals that we thought would interest our patrons.
Newspapers
- AllYouCanRead.com
- Crain's New York Business
- New York Journal News
- New York Post
- New York Times
- Nyack Villager
Magazines
Online News
Ready Reference Sites
Nyack's ready reference page is designed for ease of use; providing quick links to reliable ready reference sources, such as almanacs, encyclopedias, and dictionaries.
- Almanac
Capital Cities and information links 50 states of the United States - Bartleby
Columbia Encyclopedia, American Heritage Dictionary, Roget's II: New Thesaurus, American Heritage Book of English Usage, Columbia World of Quotations, Simpson's Contemporary Quotations, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, King James Bible, Oxford Shakespeare, Gray's Anatomy, Strunk's Elements of Style, CIA World Factbook, and Columbia Gazetteer - Census
United States Census Bureau - DeskRef
DeskRef is 950 links to the best free ready reference resources on the Web. The list is maintained by the Ramapo Catskill Library System. - Dictionary
Miriam-Webster Dictionary - Internet Public Library
Contains a wide variety of additional reference resources. - SuperPages
An online national phonebook! Search for people and businesses. - Switchboard
find people, businesses, email addresses, and web sites - Thesaurus
Thesaurus.com
About Searching the Web
A search engine is a tool used to locate information on the Internet. Users type in keywords and/or phrases which the search engine’s software uses to "hunt" through its database and locate appropriate sites. Because there is access to more information than ever before, it would be impossible to effectively locate anything without the aid of these tools. For additional information, use the online help feature available within the sites.
- Yahoo! is a good choice for beginners because of its easy-to-use subject guide. When used as a search engine, you can narrow searches by using the plus or minus sign (+ -); for phrase searching, use quotation marks (" "). To broaden the search, use the truncation feature by typing an asterisk (*).
- Google is billed as the largest search engine with over 1.3 billion web pages indexed. If you use Internet Explorer you can download the Google Toolbar and begin searches from any website.
- AltaVista handles natural language queries, and you can specify a particular language to search in. To narrow search results, use the plus or minus sign (+ -); for phrase searching, use quotation marks (" "). To broaden the search, use the truncation feature by typing an asterisk (*).
- Dogpile can querry 25 search engines, searching 3 at a time. To narrow search results, use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT); for phrase searching, use quotation marks (" ").
- Excite is effective in understanding relationships between key words and ideas. To narrow search results, use the plus or minus sign (+ -), and for phrase searching use quotation marks (" "). Excite also operates as a subject guide.
- Lycos allows you to specify a particular type of media. To narrow searches, use the plus or minus sign (+ -), and for phrase searching, use quotation marks (" "). Lycos also operates as a subject guide.
September 11th Resources
- America's War Against Terrorism
A comprehensive collection of links to documents regarding the attacks on September 11th, the following events, and topics related to terrorism around the world. Prepared by the Documents Center at the University of Michigan Library. - September 11th & Beyond
A comprehensive index of websites concerning 9/11 and related topics. Prepared by the Librarians' Index to the Internet (at the Library of California). - September 11th Digital Archive
The September 11 Digital Archive uses electronic media to collect, preserve, and present the history of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania and the public responses to them. The archive is working with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, Behring Center; Museum of the City of New York; New-York Historical Society; City Lore; and other local and national institutions." Also included is an annotated guide to a range of current web resources organized by subject. - September 11 Web Archive
The September 11 Web Archive is a collaboration between the Library of Congress, the Internet Archive and webArchivist.org and has preserved approximately 4,000 websites related to the September 11 attacks. The links are divided into the categories of The Press, Government, Corporate/Business, Portal, Charity/Civic, Advocacy/Interest, Religious, School/Education, Individual/Volunteer, Non-English, Professional Association, and Other for search purposes. There is a section on analysis and commentary, which includes a Pew Internet and American Life Project Report on “How Americans Used the Internet After the Terror Attack.” - The U.S. Department of State: The Global Coalition Against Terrorism:
Historical information provided by the U.S. Department of State.