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South Dakota State Library Services

A list of services provided by the South Dakota State Library.

Electronic Resources/Databases

The South Dakota State Library provides a variety of general and subject-based electronic resources with statewide access.

Providing these resources does not constitute endorsement of content found herein.

Visit the: Electronic Resources Page for information on: Technical helpTraining opportunitiesHandouts & downloadsSouth Dakota Titles To GoElectronic Resources Task Force

***SUBSCRIPTION UPDATES***

SDSL subscriptions to the following databases end June 30, 2025 (IMPORTANT: Please remove all links to these databases from your library website by subscription end date):

  • Ancestry Library Edition
  • Books and Authors
  • Fold3
  • HeritageQuest Online
  • Learning Express Library
  • Miss Humblebee’s Academy 

SDSL's subscription to Swank K-12 Video Streaming ends October 31, 2025

The South Dakota State Library subscription to Swank K-12 Video Streaming ends 10/31/25. This subscription was originally made possible through ARPA funding. Public and private school districts interested in purchasing a local subscription to this database can contact Swank directly. The State Library and K12 Data Center have worked with Swank to ensure user access and logins to the Swank portal remain the same, so your school can easily transition.

Swank contact information: Courtney Mach, Business Development Manager, cmach@swankmp.com, 877-321-1300

Gale Presents: Peterson's Test Prep Subscription Starts 7/1/2025 

Starting July 1, 2025, the South Dakota State Library will provide FREE statewide access to Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep for all SD citizens. This is a valuable online tool library patrons and students of all ages can use for standardized test preparation, researching and selecting college and graduate schools, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. 

Visit the SDSL Training Calendar for upcoming trainings on this database or view this recorded webinar.

Learn more about the new EBSCOhost!

EBSCOhost profiles migrated to the new user interface on January 7, 2025.

The following links provide information on the features of the new EBSCOhost as well as upcoming enhancements on the EBSCO's roadmap.

The South Dakota State Library currently has database subscriptions from the following vendors:

Clarivate

The company Clarivate recently acquired ProQuest. You may see the reference "ProQuest a part of Clarivate" or similar. Here are the "ProQuest part of Clarivate" database subscriptions the South Dakota State Library currently has:

  • Ancestry Library Edition (Subscription ends 6/30/25)
  • CultureGrams
  • Fold3 (Subscription ends 6/30/25)
  • HeritageQuest Online (Subscription ends 6/30/25)
  • ProQuest Research Library
  • SIRS Discoverer
  • SIRS Issues Researcher
  • US Newsstream

EBSCO

  • Learning Express Library ((Subscription ends 6/30/25)

The South Dakota participates in a regental consortium with the South Dakota Board of Regents to provide statewide access to the following EBSCO databases:

  • Academic Search Premier
  • Alt-Health Watch
  • Applied Science & Technology Source
  • Business Source Premier
  • Consumer Health Complete (Consumer Edition)
  • Consumer Health Complete (Journal Search)
  • EBSCO eBook Collection
  • ERIC
  • European Views of the Americas
  • Explora Kids
  • Explora Educators Edition
  • Explora Public Libraries
  • Explora Teens
  • Funk & Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia
  • GreenFILE
  • Health Source: Consumer Edition
  • Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition
  • Library Information Science & Technology Abstracts
  • MAS Complete
  • MasterFILE Complete
  • MegaFILE
  • MiddleSearch Plus
  • Newspaper Source
  • Open Dissertations
  • Points of View Reference Source
  • Primary Search
  • Professional Development Collection
  • Readers' Guide Retrospective 1890-1982 (H.W. Wilson)
  • Science Reference Source
  • Teacher Reference Source
  • World Politics Review

Gale Cengage Learning

The State Library subscribes to the following Gale products:

  • Books and Authors (Subscription ends 6/30/25)
  • Gale eBooks
  • Gale Presents: Peterson's Test Prep (Available starting 7/1/25)
  • Gale Primary Sources: Archives Unbound
  • Gale Primary Sources: Overland Journeys: Travels in the West, 1800-1880
  • Gale Primary Sources: Indigenous Peoples of North America
  • Gale Primary Sources: Introduction to U.S. History: The American Revolution
  • Gale Primary Sources: Introduction to U.S. History: The Civil War
  • Gale Primary Sources: Introduction to U.S. History: Slavery in America
  • Miss Humblebee's Academy (Subscription ends 6/30/25)
  • Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers

Scholastic

The South Dakota State Library subscribes to the following Scholastic products:

  • BookFlix

Swank Motion Pictures

The South Dakota State Library currently subscribes to the following Swank Motion Pictures products:

  • Swank K-12 Video Streaming (Subscription ends 10/31/25)

This database is accessible for public k-12 educators only. 

WorldBook

The South Dakota State Library currently subscribes to the following World Book Online products:

  • World Book Advanced
  • World Book Discover
  • World Book Dramatic Learning
  • World Book Early Learning
  • World Book Kids
  • World Book Student

Mission

The Electronic Resources Task Force's (ERTF) mission is to review, evaluate, and formulate recommendations for electronic resources for the South Dakota State Library based upon the needs of all parties. The Task Force (ERTF) works with selected members of the State Library staff to review and select electronic resources for statewide access. The ERTF was formed at the South Dakota State Library Board’s recommendation in May 2006.  This task force is active during electronic resources trial years, review times, and other circumstances as determined by the State Librarian.

How are potential purchases identified?

Resources are identified through suggestions form libraries over time plus prior to a trial year; suggestions are gathered via survey from all types of libraries around the state. The Electronic Resources Task Force selects resources to trial, encourages their colleagues to participate and comment on the trial resources, reviews the trial results and recommends their top choices for purchase. Once the task force recommendations are done, they are taken to the State Library board to review the recommendations and approve additions based on funding availability. At the state level, the Department of Education also needs to approve. 

Providing these resources does not constitute endorsement of content found herein.

Membership

The South Dakota Electronic Resources Task Force will consist of at least six appointed members: (1) one from a large public library, (2) a smaller public library, (3) a school library, (4) a SD Board of Regents academic library, (5) a non-regental academic library, and (6) a member from a non-library state government agency. Members will serve two-year terms. The South Dakota State Library’s Electronic Resources Librarian, will also serve as chair or co-chair of the Task Force. 

2024 - 2025 Task Force

  • Co-Chair: Kim Bonen, South Dakota State Library
  • Co-Chair: Nina Mentzel, South Dakota State Library
  • State Government Rep: Kimberly Smith, South Dakota State Archives
  • Tribal/BIE Rep: Valerie Janis, Oglala Lakota College
  • Regental Academic Rep: Michael Biondo, South Dakota State University
  • Private Academic Rep: Krista Ohrtman, Augustana University
  • School Library Rep: Doris Ann Mertz, Custer School District
  • Large Public Library Rep: Emily Harris, Siouxland Libraries
  • Small Public Library Rep: Cheyenne Chontos, Harrisburg Community Library

Access to South Dakota State Library (SDSL) electronic resources or databases is only available to SD residents. GeoIP authenticates users by IP and geographic location, meaning as long as the user is physically in South Dakota, they are able to access SDSL electronic resources immediately.

Please note the following:

  • If you live near the state border, you may experience some geolocation inconsistencies.
  • When accessing databases through your local library, please continue using their interface.

How to Access Electronic Resources/Databases from Inside Library or School

  1. Go to library.sd.gov
  2. Click on "Electronic Resources" tab on the top banner OR click on the databases icon further down the page
  3. Search for database by name or category. Electronic Resources/Databases are listed alphabetically

Please Note:

  • If your library accesses databases via South Dakota Share-It OR the via the SD State Library website library.sd.gov, access is click-and-go via IP authentication
  • If your library/patrons access databases via links on your library web page copied from the SD State Library website, ensure the linkable URL's are accurate. Access is click-and-go via IP authentication
  • If your library/patrons access databases via links on your library web page using your own authentication such as EZproxy, access is through your library system

How to Access Electronic Resources/Databases from Outside Library or School

  1. Go to library.sd.gov
  2. Click on "Electronic Resources" tab on the top banner OR click on the databases icon further down the page
  3. Search for database by name or category. Electronic Resources/Databases are listed alphabetically

Please Note:

  • If patron IP address is not recognized as being within South Dakota, a pop-up screen will be displayed showing "Allow this application to use your location?"
  • If patrons select Allow (recommended), and the browser determines they are within South Dakota, access should be click-and-go
  • If patrons select Allow, and the browser determines they are not within South Dakota, they will be directed to the SHARE-IT log in screen
  • If patrons select Deny, they will be sent to the SHARE-IT log in screen

Select your library from the dropdown list, enter your barcode and password on the SHARE-IT log in screen as you have in the past.

How to Access Databases through ShareIt Login Screen

  • If you have your own personal State Library eCard, select the South Dakota State Library from the CHOOSE YOUR LIBRARY HERE dropdown, enter eCard barcode and PASSWORD IN ALL CAPS.
  • If your library does not participate in South Dakota Share-it, select South Dakota State Library (SDSIL) from the CHOOSE YOUR LIBRARY HERE dropdown. Then enter your local library's eCard barcode and PASSWORD IN ALL CAPS. *If you do not have the library's eCard information, please contact your local library.
  • For some libraries that are participating in South Dakota Share-it, select your local library from the CHOOSE YOUR LIBRARY HERE dropdown, enter barcode (username) and password that you use to check out materials. *You may need to contact your library for the barcode/password.
  • For other libraries that are participating in South Dakota Share-it, log in using your local library's eCard barcode and password. At the log in window, select your local library from the CHOOSE YOUR LIBRARY HERE dropdown, then enter the library's eCard barcode and PASSWORD IN ALL CAPS. *If you do not have your local library's eCard, please contact your local library.

Select your library from the dropdown list, enter your barcode and password on the SHARE-IT log in screen as you have in the past.

Authentication and URLs

Patron authentication for electronic resources licensed through the South Dakota State Library is provided through South Dakota Share-It.

*Authentication is the process which matches user logins to the information within an authentication server. If the logins match, the user is granted access to the electronic resources.

  • If your library/patrons access electronic resources via South Dakota Share-It OR the SDSL web page — access will be by ip authentication, click and go
  • If your library/patrons access electronic resources via links on your library web page copied from the SDSL web page you will need to make sure you use the links on spreadsheet in the top box — access will be by ip authentication, click and go
  • If your library/patrons access electronic resources via links on your library web page using your own authentication (i.e. EZproxy) — access will be through your library system

Register your library's static, public/external IP addresses to create local access to databases licensed statewide by the SD State Library.

These websites will reflect back to your PC the IP address of that PC at that moment:

However, these websites cannot tell whether the public/external IP addresses are static (unchanging) IP addresses or are part of an static IP address range that is used only by equipment in your library or on your campus. Your ISP will know that.

Troubleshooting Tips

Here is a list of things to try if you are having trouble accessing the SDSL databases.

  • Try using a different internet browser
  • Clear your internet browser's cache (history), close out of the browser, reopen the browser, then try to access the database
  • Are you using the correct link?

Here are some questions you may be asked about access issues:

  • Is there a specific SDSL database that you are unable to access?
  • Can you access any of the SDSL databases?
  • Are you attempting to access a SDSL database within a library/school or outside the building?
  • Are you attempting to access a SDSL database within the state of South Dakota or out of state?
  • What website are you visiting to access the database and what URL link are you clicking on?
  • Did your library/school recently install a new computer system with a new IP address?

Database Usage Statistics


From July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024, the South Dakota State Library database subscriptions were viewed over 3.5 million times and had almost 1.5 million individual user sessions.

Fiscal Year 24 Views: 3,607,019

Fiscal Year 24 Sessions: 1,447,623


Please see the below instructions on how to find your individual library's usage of the South Dakota State Library databases.

The standard for metric for database usage is called a "Counter Report" - however, not all vendors adhere to this standard. Learn more about Counter Reports here: https://www.countermetrics.org/ 

Contacts

Please Contact

Kim Bonen
Electronic Resources Coordinator
kim.bonen@state.sd.us
605-295-3174 or 605-773-3131, Option 5, 3

Nina Mentzel
Systems Librarian
Nina.Mentzel@state.sd.us
605-773-6391 or 605-280-6911