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ESL Library Guide

ESL Collection

Picture of "ESL Collection" sign inside the LibraryDo you have an assignment that requires you to find a book in the Library? Do you want extra practice with your English? Are you looking for a book to read for fun? Then you may want to find something in our ESL Collection! 

The Valley College Library's ESL Collection is a specially selected group of books that are meant to support ESL students with language learning, including speaking, reading, and writing in English. 

The ESL Collection is located near the front entrance of the Library, immediately to your right as you enter the building. 

Take a look at the box below to see what types of books are available for check-out in the ESL Collection. 

ESL Books

Click here for the full list of dictionaries in the ESL Collection, some examples are included below. If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book. 

Click here for the full list of textbooks/workbooks in the ESL Collection and Reserve Collection (Reserve books are the most current textbooks being used in LAVC classes -- they are kept behind the front desk and are available for a 2-hour checkout), some examples are included below. 

If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book. 

Click here for the full list of non-fiction books in the ESL Collection, some examples are included below. If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book.

Click here for the full list of biographies in the ESL Collection, some examples are included below. If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book. 

Click here for the full list of fiction books in the ESL Collection, some examples are included below. If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book. 

Click here for the full list of ESL-related test preparation books in the ESL Collection and Career/Test Books Collection, some examples are included below. If you find a book in the list that you want to look at in person, ask one of the librarians at the Reference Desk for help -- they will help you locate the book. 

ESL eBooks

Picture of an eBookIn addition to all of the ESL books mentioned above, you also have access to ESL ebooks -- these are books in a digital format that you can read entirely on your computer or other electronic device.

Click here for a list of eBooks related to learning English as a second language. (These will be similar to the "Textbooks/Workbooks" from the ESL Collection above.)

Working on a book report assignment? We recommend using the Library's Find Books Guide to help you find books and ebooks.

Please note: if you're trying to access eBooks from off-campus, you will be required to log in. Follow these directions for logging into the Library website from off-campus. 

Articles

Stack of journalsIf you need to find articles for an assignment, we recommend using the following databases:

  • Opposing Viewpoints in Context
    • Find topic overviews and opinions on hundreds of today's most controversial social issues. Also includes pro/con viewpoint essays. For in-depth help with using this database, please refer to our Opposing Viewpoints Guide, which will give you detailed directions about how to use it. 
  • Biography in Context
    • This is the perfect database to use if you're working on a biography assignment or need to find information about an individual person. With over 580,000 biographies, almost any notable name that you type into the search bar will bring back articles about that person. The look and functionality of this database is very similar to Opposing Viewpoints

If your assignment requires lots of different kinds of sources, or you're not finding exactly what you need in the choices above, try OneSearch (the search box at the top of the Library homepage). For more information, see our online guide to Finding Articles. 

Please note: if you're trying to access these databases from off-campus, you will be required to log in. Follow these directions for logging into the Library website from off-campus. 

Videos

If you're interested in watching videos to help improve your English, you may want to take a look at the following series:

  • Standard Deviants School ESL Series (Films on Demand)
    • 12 short videos that will help you learn the different parts of speech and new vocabulary words.
  • Cutting Edge English at Work Series (Alexander Street)
    • 20 videos that will help you learn how English is spoken, with lessons like "Introduce Yourself," "Describing People," "Apologizing," and "Encouraging Others."

Want to find more videos? Try searching in these databases:

Both databases include subtitles and transcripts for all of their videos. 

Please note: if you're trying to access these videos from off-campus, you will be required to log in. Follow these directions for logging into the Library website from off-campus. 
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