Stuck at home? Let TPL help you be entertained and informed with our stay at home mega list of free online sources, including books, livestreams, online courses and much, much more! While you can find things for all the family on this page, you can also find resources on the Teen Stay at Home page and the Kids All From the Comfort of Your Own Home page! You can even watch online storytime with Mariah on the Digital Miss Mariah page! Keep checking this page as we’re adding new items all the time! Have something we could add? Email emma@topshamlibrary.org with a link.
Books and Reading
Grown Ups
Booklist https://www.booklistonline.com/
Find Your Next Author to Read https://www.literature-map.com/
For Horror Fans! https://bookandfilmglobe.com/fiction/horror-writers-unite-to-keep-fans-happy-during-pandemic/
For Neil Gaiman fans! https://www.neilgaiman.com/Cool_Stuff
Free Public Domain Audiobooks https://librivox.org/
Internet Sacred Text Archive https://www.sacred-texts.com/
Lithub Personalized Book Recommendations https://lithub.com/cant-decide-what-to-read-next-tell-us-your-favorite-books-and-well-recommend-one-just-for-you
Manga Volumes Released Online for Free http://epicstream.com/news/NobelleBorines/Coronavirus-Outbreak-Leads-to-Over-450-Manga-Volumes-Released-Online-for-Free
Manybooks https://manybooks.net/
New York Public Library https://www.nypl.org/books-music-movies/ebookcentral
NoveList Plus (also available through Maine Digital Library) https://libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases/authmaine.asp?db=novp
NPR Book Concierge https://apps.npr.org/best-books/index.html#view=covers&year=2019
One Hundred Books Across America https://lithub.com/100-books-across-america-fiction-and-nonfiction-for-every-state-in-the-union/
Open Culture http://www.openculture.com/free_ebooks
Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Read Print http://www.readprint.com/
Speculative Online Magazine List Coming Soon!
The Tourist Map of Literature https://www.literature-map.com/
Tor’s eBook of the Month Club (Science Fiction and Fantasy) https://ebookclub.tor.com/
TPL’s Find Your Next Read
Twenty Five Alice Munro stories you can read online https://lithub.com/25-alice-munro-stories-you-can-read-online-right-now/
YA
Riveted https://rivetedlit.com/free-reads/
Kids
Entire List of Authors and Illustrators doing Storytime! https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/136038/online-story-time/
Famous actors including David Harbour, James Earl Jones and Betty White do storytime! https://www.storylineonline.net/
International Children’s Library http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
Josh Gad (Olaf) Reading Stories https://blog.theliteracysite.greatergood.com/josh-gad-reading-bedtime-stories-coronavirus
Library of Congress Classic Children’s Books http://www.read.gov/books/
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems https://youtu.be/MjaYnyCJDdU
Readings of The Graveyard Book and Coraline http://www.mousecircus.com/videos/
Spanish Storytimes https://www.thespanishexperiment.com/stories
Coloring Pages
Grown Ups
Libraries and Museums http://www.openculture.com/2017/02/free-coloring-books-from-world-class-libraries-museums.html and http://www.openculture.com/2019/02/download-free-coloring-books-from-113-museums.html
Ricardo Levins Morales https://www.rlmartstudio.com/product/coloring-pages-5-popular-posters-free-pdf-downloads
Kids
Coming Soon!
Free Online Courses
Grown Ups
6 Weeks Free Workout Classes with Chris Hemsworth https://centr.com/join-us
Art and Art History Classes https://www.donttakepictures.com/dtp-blog/2020/3/16/free-classes-in-art-and-art-history-during-isolation
Debbie Allen of “Fame” fame online dance classes https://www.instagram.com/therealdebbieallen/
Duolingo Language Learning https://www.duolingo.com/
Gucci Osteria’s Massimo Bottura’s free virtual cooking classes https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/news/gucci-osterias-massimo-bottura-is-offering-free-virtual-cooking-classes-on-instagram-031620
Ivy League Courses https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/ivy-league-free-online-courses-a0d7ae675869/
Learn to Code https://www.freecodecamp.org/
Maine Digital Library has classes and courses for all ages including Niche Academy, Learning Express, Miss Humblebee’s Academy and more!
Maine Statehood and Bicentennial Conference https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/me200/
Milk Street Online Cooking School https://www.177milkstreet.com/school/classes/online-classes
National Digital Equity Classes https://digitalequitycenter.org/classes/
Traeger Grills cooking classes https://www.traegergrills.com/kitchen-live
Kids
12 Art Lessons on YouTube Your Kiddos will Love! https://homeschoolhideout.com/art-lessons-on-youtube
Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration Core Curriculum Webinars https://www.cilc.org/Interactive-Content/Community-of-Learning.aspx
Great Books Sample Lesson Plans https://www.greatbooks.org/sample-lesson-plans-and-sample-units/
Great Books Open Educational Resources https://www.greatbooks.org/open-educational-resources-dl/
Osher Map Library Curriculum Sets https://oshermaps.org/teach/downloads
Scholastic learn at Home https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Weather Presentations https://wokq.com/meteorologist-hayley-lapoint-will-offer-live-weather-courses-to-students-k-12/
Virtual Field Trips https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/
Fun Stuff
Information Sources
Grown Ups
Ancestry from Home for Maine Citizens https://libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases/authmaine.asp?db=ancestry
Art Institute of Chicago Image Archive https://www.artic.edu/collection
Cambridge Core Textbooks https://www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/textbooks
NASA Image and Video Library https://images.nasa.gov/
Online AA Meetings https://www.aa-intergroup.org/directory.php
Open Culture http://www.openculture.com/
Citizen Science Projects https://www.zooniverse.org/ and https://scistarter.org/
YA
Portland Public Library Resources for Teens https://www.portlandlibrary.com/highlight/ppl-highlighted-teen-eresources/
Kids
Aquarium Online Academy http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/news/aquariumacademy/
Ask Questions about the World Around us! http://www.wonderopolis.org/
Lego Challenge Printables https://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/free-printable-30-day-lego-challenge-instant-download
Library of Congress Resources including Dav Pilkey at Home! https://loc.gov/engage
NASA at Home https://www.nasa.gov/
Nature-based Stay at Home Activities with CREA! https://creamaine.org/category/at-home-nature-based-activities/
Portland Public Library Resources for Children https://www.portlandlibrary.com/highlight/ppl-highlighted-childrens-eresources/
Science and Health Resources https://medlineplus.gov/childrenspage.html
Podcasts
Coming Soon!
Virtual Tours, Livestreams and Free Streams
Twenty Virtual Field Trips to Take with Your Kids https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/20-virtual-field-trips-to-take-with-your-kids.html
Animals and Aquariums
Maine Alpaca Farm https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyqixVNSygWPzNCeve8LO2w/featured
Maine Wildlife Park Virtual Field Trips https://www.maine.gov/ifw/programs-resources/teacher-students/fieldtrip-opportunities.html
New England Aquarium https://www.neaq.org/visit/at-home-events-and-activities/
Live Animal Cams
Big list of animal cams including pandas, wolves, tigers, koalas, naked mole rats and much more! https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1239545102831366144.html Here’s another one–there may be some repeats https://www.adventure-journal.com/2020/03/if-youre-stuck-inside-might-as-well-enjoy-this-list-of-animal-cams/
Home Safari at Cincinnati Zoo including Fiona the Hippo http://cincinnatizoo.org/home-safari-resources/
Jelly Fish! https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/jelly-webcam/
Arts and Culture, Museums and Galleries
Metropolitan Opera Live Streams https://operawire.com/metropolitan-opera-to-offer-up-nightly-met-opera-streams
Montreux Jazz Festival https://www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en/50-concerts-to-stream/
Twelve Famous Museum Virtual Tours https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours
Where to Stream Live Concerts https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/816504058/a-list-of-live-virtual-concerts-to-watch-during-the-coronavirus-shutdown
Nature and National Parks
Thirty-three National Park Virtual Tours https://totallythebomb.com/heres-33-national-park-tours-you-can-take-virtually-from-the-comfort-of-your-home