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Parents' Guide to

Library of Congress Country Studies

By Susan Yudt, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Dry but reliable social studies site.

Website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
Library of Congress Country Studies Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

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What’s It About?

The Library of Congress's COUNTRY STUDIES Web site contains simple HTML versions of books that were originally published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division between 1986-98. They cover history, culture, geography, and other key topics about several dozen countries from around the world. The site also has shorter, more up-to-date profiles of countries, presented in PDF format. Users can browse by country, choose a location from a map, or search by keyword.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Country Studies is a useful alternative to textbooks for teens doing history or social studies research -- it's easy to navigate and find information quickly. Of course, since the books are 10-20 years old, they can't be used for current events projects. The Portals to the World section helps fill in that gap, providing a wealth of links to country-specific resources. Although Country Studies contains excellent information, the site is extremely text-heavy -- teens looking for an interactive educational experience won't find it here.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about doing research online. How do you know if a Web site has reliable information? What sources can you trust, and why?

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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