• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Erin Wright Writing

Writing Tips for the Real World

  • Microsoft Word Tutorials
  • Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
  • Writing Tips
  • Editing Tips
  • YouTube Videos
  • Contact

Do You Need a Free Dictionary Subscription? Check Out Your Public Library!

By Erin Wright 4 Comments

Image of Library Stacks | Do You Need a Free Dictionary Subscription? Check Out Your Public LibraryPublic libraries really are gifts that keep on giving. Not only do they house more books than any one person could possibly read in a lifetime (except maybe the character Henry Bemis from the Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough at Last“), many also provide cardholders with access to free dictionary subscriptions.

What Is a Dictionary Subscription?

Dictionary subscriptions are paid, online access to up-to-date versions of a dictionary (e.g., collegiate, unabridged). They can also include access to associated references such as thesauruses and encyclopedias. As such, they differ from free online dictionaries in their depth and authority.

For example, a paid subscription to the Merriam-Webster Online unabridged dictionary has more than 250,000 words that aren’t available on the free website, Merriam-Webster.com. In addition, the subscription includes the collegiate dictionary, collegiate thesaurus, concise encyclopedia, medical dictionary, Spanish–English dictionary, and French–English dictionary.

There are many helpful, free dictionaries on the web. Yet, paid dictionary subscriptions are handy if you need to do advanced research or want an authoritative source to back up a grammatical choice. Because these subscriptions usually don’t allow outside advertising, they may also be a better choice for students. Homework is already fraught with enough distractions!

Where Can You Find a Dictionary Subscription for Free?

Individually, paid dictionary subscriptions cost $30 to $295 per year. But, participating libraries purchase group memberships that cover all their cardholders.*

For example, the Chicago Public Library, the Denver Public Library, and the New York City Public Library all provide access to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Many private library systems for universities, colleges, and K–12 schools also provide students with free access to dictionary subscriptions.

To find out if your library offers a dictionary subscription, look under headings such as eResources or Online Databases on its website. Most libraries have their online resources listed alphabetically and by category.

If your library does offer a dictionary subscription, you should be able to access it by logging into the library’s website using your library card number.

Most libraries welcome suggestions from cardholders. So, if your library doesn’t offer a dictionary subscription, consider sharing the idea with one of your librarians.

Further Reading: Which Dictionary Is Best for You?

*Public and private libraries pay for group memberships to dictionary subscriptions based on the number of users or visits. As such, the subscription services are reserved for individual cardholder’s private use only.

4 Comments Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: dictionaries, spelling

Home » Do You Need a Free Dictionary Subscription? Check Out Your Public Library!
Technical Writer and Editor Erin Wright

Meet the Author

Hello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world on this blog and YouTube

You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. R.T. Wolfe says

    June 26, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    See now? This is why I write fiction. Loads of latitude. Great post, Erin. :)
    -R.T. Wolfe

    Reply
    • Erin Wright says

      June 26, 2013 at 5:41 pm

      Thanks, R.T.! Out of curiosity, I looked at your library. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to subscribe to a dictionary (but it does subscribe to many other databases a fiction writer might find useful!) However, your sister city does subscribe to Oxford, so maybe they allow inter-library access?

      Reply
  2. Lisa says

    June 27, 2013 at 6:08 am

    Many libraries also have ancestry.com, free to patrons. I’ve personally taken advantage of that service, rather than pay for it as an individual. The library is amazing!

    Reply
    • Erin Wright says

      June 27, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Great tip, Lisa! Sadly, the Chicago Public Library doesn’t participate in Ancestry.com, but I’ll definitely put that in the suggestion box next time I go to check out books. :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Never Miss a Tutorial!

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts.

Recent Blog Posts

How to Create an Exclusion Dictionary in Microsoft Word

How to Insert and Modify Images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

Dogs visiting the Grand Tetons with text overlay "How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word"

How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word

How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word

How to Add and Format Text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

Tags

Acrobat Pro Acrobat Standard Adobe Acrobat Reader AMA style APA style AP style blogging book review business editing business writing capitalization Chicago style copyediting CSE Style dictionaries editing tips figures and tables formatting Google Docs grammar marketing Microsoft 365 MLA style proofreading punctuation readability spelling structure style guides substantive editing Track Changes Turabian style usability usage Word 365 Word 2010 Word 2013 Word 2016 Word 2019 writing resources writing tips

Footer

  • Resources
  • About Me
  • Microsoft Word Tutorials
  • Adobe Acrobat Tutorials
  • Writing Tips
  • Editing Tips
  • YouTube Videos
  • Contact
Editorial Freelancers Association Logo
Email: erin@erinwrightwriting.com
Phone: 708-669-9503

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

© Erin Wright, 2012–2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this website’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.