Library Programs
Learn basic navigation and search techniques for Google Earth.
Download a free copy of Google Earth and explore the world. Google Earth is composed of satellite images of the entire Earth. Zoom in, zoom out, or fly over any point on the planet. Google Earth lets you explore the sea floor and view embedded videos too.
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Library Online Resources
Explore the part of the Earth that you live on with this Virtual Gallery about the natural history of Florida.
Use this database to print out over 3,000 maps. There is also a great section of historical maps.
Get comprehensive and authoritative information on science topics. There are also more than 500 animations and videos.
Go to the spinning globe that is labeled "Interactive Earth" to find maps and articles covering the whole world.
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Kids & Teens
Library Online Resources
Find your answers about topics like the northern lights, bioluminescent bays, or even stalagmites. Choose from academic journals, magazines, books, news, or multimedia sources.
Library Materials
Enjoy learning about your planet. Watch these DVDs, including the Eyewitness DVD series for some fun information about Earth.
Learn interesting facts about topics that make our world so amazing, with these non-fiction titles about the Earth. Explore further with titles about volcanoes, deserts, rain forests, and other natural phenomenon.
Browse this collection on weather for our younger readers. Choose from fiction or non-fiction titles.
Websites
Get prepared with this fun and educational website for kids and teens. Take the Pick Your Own Disaster Quiz to find out information about nature's worst disasters.
Have fun learning about our amazing planet from the National Geographic Kids website. Play the Game of the Month, or find the hidden words in this Wordwise Challenge.
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Mobile
To fully access this content, you may need the latest version of iTunes. Download iTunes for free now!
MotionX GPS
For 99 cents you can turn your iPhone or iPad into a GPS that can work offline. You can save tracks, embed pictures in map, and share your location with others.
iTunes | Website
Mobile National Hurricane Center
Keep informed of hurricanes with the Mobile NHC application from the National Hurricane Center. It's not just for iPhones, you can install it on PDAs and other mobile devices. You can even get updates from reconnaissance aircraft.
National Geographic World Atlas
Get detailed maps of the entire world with the same detail as a National Geographic map. Download this application for $1.99.
iTunes | Website
Peterson Field Guide to Backyard Birds
Peterson Field Guides have been around for a long time and are well regarded by the birding community. Make quick and accurate identification of over 180 bird species with this application. You can get this for $2.99.
iTunes | Website
The Weather Channel
Access forecasts for your area and receive severe weather alerts through this convenient and reliable application for iPhone and iPod touch. It's free!
iTunes | Website
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Library Materials
Books
Check out this great series of books on Florida wildlife. These books are in a large format and have lots of color pictures for easy wildlife identification.
Find out that geology is more than collecting rocks with this wide range of geology topics. Read about new discoveries and theories about the history of the Earth.
Use these books to get a solid understanding of a complicated subject, the weather. There are fascinating stories about weather extremes, how weather affects history, and the weather of Florida.
Explore the underwater universe that covers 70% of the Earth. Very little of the ocean has been explored, and discoveries are still being made.
DVDs
Sample some of our newer animal DVDs. Many of our DVDs come from well known sources such as the BBC and National Geographic.
Explore the history of the development of life on Earth. See the big picture of how the Earth functions as a biological system.
Get a closer look at some of the destructive forces of nature. We also have a locally made DVD, Eyewitness to History: Hurricane Season 2004, about the Central Florida hurricane season of that year.
Take a look at some of these incredible underwater worlds. This is where you can find the BBC's stunning The Blue Planet series.
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Websites
Browse through this large Earth Science website. There are visualizations that demonstrate some of Earth's processes like thunderstorms and how cold and warm fronts affect the weather. Go to the large Investigations section to find explanations to common questions about the Earth.
Get informed about important topics in geology. This website makes geology really interesting.
Watch nature videos or just explore the website of this famous magazine about the natural world. This is a huge website with lots of information.
Check out the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administrations expeditions into the unknown parts of the ocean. NOAA is like the NASA of the seas. They even have a YouTube Channel.
Take a look at PBS's acclaimed science series. Watch full-length videos on nature.
Dive into the website of one of the most important oceanographic organizations in the world. They have some interesting videos and animations. You can use the interactive features to understand the ocean or you can read the Woods Hole's magazine Oceanus which details the institute's explorations and discoveries. Oceanus also has a large archive to read.
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Social
Follow current expeditions, see strange videos, or just leave a comment at this blog. Deep-Sea News is written by scientists but it has a much more conversational and humorous approach to oceanography.
See all of the things that the National Geographic Society is exploring and investigating. It is almost as good as a free subscription to National Geographic!
Get local information from the Orlando Sentinel's Hurricane & Severe Weather blog. This is a great source of news and information when severe or unusual weather affects Central Florida.
Read the Weather Channel's blog to get information on weather news, hurricanes, tornadoes, and meteorology.
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