Adults

African American Heritage was created in partnership with leading African American genealogists and recognized leaders in genealogical information to develop a comprehensive mix of resources, records, and tools specifically pertaining to African Americans.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Explore resources available at the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  Genealogical articles and records not only from the North East United States but from other states and other countries are available to search, print, and/or download.

This website is accessible from FSPL’s four locations ONLY (NOT from home).

Surveys American history from the Colonial era and American Revolution through to the nation's rise to eminence as a global superpower. Analyzes American political conflict, economic development, and changing culture.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

By providing the most comprehensive range of information in one complete resource, American History offers a virtual library of American history for educators, students, and researchers of all ages. Includes articles, images, primary source documents, timelines, videos, and slideshows.

Includes student learning modules related to African American studies; includes biographies, scholarly articles, primary sources, and images.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Covers more than two billion names throughout the various databases collection. This database offers access to Ancestry.com. It is available in the library only, and customers are limited to six emailed documents per email address.

By vendor contract rules, this website is accessible from FSPL’s four locations ONLY (NOT from home).

Practice permit tests and handbooks for cars, motorcycles, and CDL.  Also available in Spanish.

Search for Arkansas Government Documents. The State Documents Depository at the Arkansas State Library permanently retains all materials in both the Arkansas Documents and Arkansas Rules collections.

Access digital copies of Arkansas documents, Arkansas proclamations and executive orders, Arkansas rules and regulations, legislative audit reports, Medicaid rules and regulations, Acts of Arkansas, and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Research.

Find federal documents through the Arkansas State Library. 

World Book’s new comprehensive Spanish database with more than 170,000 articles, images, and videos designed for native Spanish-speaking researchers and advanced bilingual and ESL students.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Includes a comprehensive run of this acclaimed television series from 2009-2023. The BBC Horizon television program makes science accessible and engaging to students and reveals the science behind a broad range of topics including astronomy, physics, math, and the environment.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Includes access to ground-breaking HD nature series such as Planet Earth, Blue Planet, and Big Cats, and Dynasties.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress. 

Primary sources, statistics, and cultural reports covering the countries of the world, states, and Canadian provinces.  Explore the United States and discover state flags, maps, sports teams, recipes, symbols, songs, and more. 

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

A collection from ProQuest providing access to authoritative eBooks from the world's top publishers on a range of subjects: arts, business management, education, general knowledge, health & medicine, history & political science, law, literature & language, religion & philosophy, science & technology, and social science.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

A general reference collection of periodical and digital media content specifically tailored for K-12 schools and libraries of all kinds, covering a variety of subjects including business, education, general interest, health, language arts, sciences, social sciences, and many other curriculum-specific subject areas.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Provides access to eLibrary’s periodical and digital media collection through a user interface specifically designed for student researchers.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Comprehensive reference work promoting the study, understanding, and appreciation of Arkansas’s heritage.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, ERIC provides extensive access to education-related literature, including coverage of journal articles, conferences, meetings, government documents, theses, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, books and monographs.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

The Fort Smith Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, which means it has access to more genealogy resources to help you make more family discoveries. FamilySearch is a world leader in family history. Customers will have access to a wealth of genealogical resources available through FamilySearch and additional records are accessible by visiting the Genealogy Department at the Main Library. 

The additional resources are accessible from FSPL’s four locations ONLY (NOT from home).

Fold3 provides convenient access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.

This index is the official “Record of Report of Births Filed With the City Clerk of Fort Smith Arkansas.”  Births were first recorded with the City of Fort Smith in 1881, and continued to be recorded at the city level until 1965. Many local births were never recorded with the city. The period currently covered by this index is 1881-1921.

This index is the official “Record of Report of Deaths Filed With the City Clerk of Fort Smith Arkansas.” Deaths were first recorded with the City of Fort Smith in 1881, and continued to be recorded at the city level until 1965. Many local deaths were never recorded with the city. These records are in the process of being indexed, and will be updated periodically. The period currently covered by this index is 1881-1924.

Fully digitized and searchable images of Fort Smith newspapers from 1848 to December 31, 1961 are currently available.  In addition, some issues of Entertainment Fort Smith magazine, Lincoln Echo newspaper, and Fortnightly Club archives are also available. More dates will be added to the collection as funding allows.

This index includes individuals buried in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The information was taken from interment records from the following cemeteries: Calvary (Catholic)–to 1991; Forest Park–1910-1988; Rose Lawn & Holy Cross–1930-1991; U.S. National Cemetery–to 1990; Washington Cemetery–1943-1996; Woodlawn Memorial Park–1959-1989.

Database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.  Your library card is required to access this database.

The HeinOnline Social Justice Suite consists of five databases: Slavery in America and the World, Gun Regulation and Legislation in America, Civil Rights and Social Justice, Open Society Justice Initiative, and LGBTQ+ Rights

Search census data, family records, local histories, and other artifacts to help you find out more about your family’s past.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

History Study Center is a collection of primary and secondary sources on global history from ancient times to the present.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Hoopla is a digital media service that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. We have hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. Hoopla is like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere.

Kanopy is a popular, on-demand streaming service that offers more than 30,000 of the world’s best films, including award-winning documentaries, rare and hard-to-find titles, film festival favorites, indie and classic films.

Students can find author biographies, contemporary criticism, reviews, and multimedia resources from medieval times to the present.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Download e-books, audiobooks, and videos with your library card.

The National Library of Medicine's site for consumer-health information. Find information on common diseases and conditions, dictionaries, and directories for finding health-care professionals.

Mometrix eLibrary offers study materials for over 1,500 standardized exams including college entrance, graduate school, finance, nursing and medical, civil service, K-12, teacher certification exams, and many more. 

Access the New York Times newspaper online. To access outside the library, you will need to setup your account while at the library.

Historical newspapers archive from the 1700s - 2000s containing thousands of well-known regional, state, and small local newspapers in the United States and other countries.

Find reviews for fiction books along with author read-a-likes, what we're reading, book discussion guides, annotated book lists, and more.

NoveList K-8 Plus is a trusted source of read-alike recommendations specifically for younger readers. It helps kids find books that are just right for their reading level and interests.

Pronunciator is a language-learning service featuring 315 languages with personalized courses, movies, music, and more. Learn how to speak a foreign language with the help of a variety of interactive techniques to meet the needs of both beginners and advanced learners. It also includes interactive ESL for 144 non-English home languages, citizenship preparation, and COVID-19 language courses. 

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

An easy-to-use multimedia resource that supports research in business, health and medical, social sciences, arts and humanities, education, science and technology, and dozens of other disciplines.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

This newly upgraded platform combines several ProQuest products, such as Entrepreneurship and Business Market Research collections, and adds JPMORGAN, Business eBooks, and Business Video. One Business is designed to support the unique needs of business professionals including entrepreneurs, accountants, tax professionals, and academic faculty and students.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Primary and critical text database for literary research at all levels. Provides full text access to more than 500,000 works of poetry, drama and prose stretching from the 8th century through the present day, including primary resource collections from diverse and modern authors.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

This database helps students understand the scholarly research process and supports educators as they teach the core information literacy principles of finding, evaluating, and using information.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

Salem Presses offers a wealth of information on literature, history, science, health, and more. Researchers have access to a collection of reference materials, eBooks, and more. This resource also has biographical information and primary documents. Outside the library, use fortsmith as the remote password.

A searchable database of the fire insurance maps published by the Sanborn Map Company housed in the Library of Congress collections of the Geography and Map Division. 

With a wealth of content and a dynamic design that facilitates STEM research and learning, Science Online offers a comprehensive overview of a broad range of scientific disciplines. 

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”

This index includes individuals married in Sebastian County (Fort Smith and Greenwood) from years 1847, 1861, 1863-June 14, 2001.  Source Information provided by the Sebastian County Clerk’s marriage records. These records will be updated periodically.

General reference database for elementary and middle school learners, researchers, and educators covering curriculum areas and content sets such as reading, language arts, current events, science, social studies, history, health, and technology.  SIRS Discoverer provides editorially-selected, indexed, and curated materials from over 2,100 newspapers, magazines, and websites offering guided research for young researchers.

“The Traveler Statewide Resource project is made possible by a grant from U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services to the Arkansas State Library under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.”