Consumer Information

Reference Databases

Consumer Reports: Nonprofit ratings of popular products, full text of the current issue, plus an archive of reports from the past 4 years. The library subscribes to premium content; please ask a librarian for access. Available only in the library. For full-text articles from 1999–previous three months, use the General Reference Center.
Consumers' Checkbook: Independent, nonprofit evaluations of the quality and prices of local service firms and stores, such as auto repair shops, plumbers, dentists, banks, and insurance companies. Available only in the library.
Public Records Online: Public filings of new businesses, new homeowners, home sales, home foreclosures, and bankruptcies in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties. Access anywhere

Internet Links

Buying and selling a vehicle

Crash Test and Rollover Ratings: Results from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Edmund's Vehicle Prices: Pricing, ratings, and independent unbiased reviews.
Fuel Economy Guide: EPA gas mileage (MPG), air pollution ratings, and more from the U. S. Dept. of Energy.
The Gold Book: Classic and collectible car pricing from Manheim Auctions.
Kelley Blue Book: New and used car pricing from the Kelley Blue Book Co.
NADA Guides: Pricing and specifications from the National Automobile Dealers Association.

General resources

Bankrate.com: Objective rate information on mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products.
Better Business Bureau: Business reliability reports, charity review, and truth-in-advertising.
Charitywatch.org: Independent evaluations of nonprofit organizations from the American Institute of Philanthropy.
Consumer Action: Free government reports from the Federal Citizen Information Center.

ConsumerSearch: Product reviews combined from a variety of sources by ConsumerSearch.com.
J. D. Power Consumer Center: Independent and unbiased surveys of customer satisfaction and product quality in a wide variety of categories including travel, insurance, healthcare, and telecom.
Lemon Law America: Resources for owners of defective vehicles, computers, and other consumer products.
Protecting Consumers: Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.