The Library Commission’s online catalog provides online access to the Primary Resource Collection. This collection is developed to serve as the primary support for Mississippi public libraries and to meet the information needs of Mississippi state government. This collection includes reference, non-fiction, audiovisual materials, periodicals, Mississippiana, large print, and specialized resources.

The Beehive Resource Sharing System provides a single point of access to participating Mississippi public library catalogs. Patrons registered with the Mississippi Library Commission can place requests on the Beehive by logging into the Commission’s online catalog. Need help? Contact MLC’s Information Desk at 1-877-KWIK-REF.

The Talking Book Services (TBS) catalog provides online access to the specialized collection of digital cartridge and cassette books, Braille, and descriptive videos contained in the collection. This online catalog is accessible to anyone with an Internet connection; however, loan of materials is limited to those meeting specific federal eligibility criteria for individuals with visual impairments, physical limitations, and reading disabilities. Need more information? Contact Talking Book Services at 1-800-446-0892.

The Library Commission maintains several online databases for staff and patron use. Depending on service agreements, some databases can be accessed by patrons remotely.

MAGNOLIA is a collection of online full-text resources funded by the Mississippi Legislature for access through any publicly funded school, library, university, or agency. Access is available from home or office with a password that can be obtained from your local public library, or by calling MLC’s Information Desk at 1-877-KWIK-REF. For information about how EBSCO curates content for MAGNOLIA, click here and here. To report concerns about content and request a review, visit this page for electronic forms.

LearningExpressLibrary (previously called Learn-a-Test) offers online tutorials and practice tests designed to help students and adults learn basic skills, improve their knowledge of common subjects, and prepare to score well on school, college, and career exams. LearningExpress is provided free to all Mississippians through their public libraries. For a list of links to public libraries’ LearningExpress Library pages, click here.

MLC is pleased to offer access to e-books and e-audiobooks through hoopla! With an MLC library card, patrons can download up to three materials per month. In order to comply with Mississippi Code, §39-3-25, materials in hoopla are not available to those under 18. Instead, a parents can create child profiles on their accounts.

MLC staff have online access to several periodicals, many of which include an archive of past issues. If you are looking for a specific article from the following publications, please contact the reference desk by phone at 601-432-4492, by email at mlcref@mlc.lib.ms.us, or use our live chat service on the Information Services page.

• Clarion-Ledger: Online access to the Clarion-Ledger’s website and e-edition as well as any other USA Today network publication. Includes a 1-month archive.
• Harper’s Magazine: Digital access to current and archived editions from the 1850s through today.
• Mississippi Business Journal: Online access to the current Mississippi Business Journal and their archive, which goes back to 2020.
• National Geographic: Online access to the current National Geographic and their archive, which goes back to 1888.
• The New York Review of Books: Online access to the current issue and their archive, which goes back to 1963.
• The Northside Sun: Online access to the current issue and their two-year archive.
• Publishers Weekly: Online access to the current issue and their archive, which goes back to 2013.

Mississippi’s WPA County Files have been digitized and are searchable PDFs. These files detail the history of each Mississippi county and were compiled by field workers in the 1930s. Each county is searchable once downloaded.

Contact MLC’s Information Desk at 601-432-4492 or mlcref@mlc.lib.ms.us for more information regarding these services.