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Recommended Sites - Consumer Information
is broken into five categories; Boats, Cars,
Consumer Saftey, Digital Television, General Sources and Product
Information.
If you experience any outages or errors and are located in a branch
please report the problem to the Information Desk. If you are connected
remotely from home, please use our Webmaster
contact form.
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Boats |
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BoatUS.com |
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Comprehensive boating resource guide.
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Cars |
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Alldata |
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Automotive repair database for cars and
trucks from 1982 to the present. Access to this database is restricted
to branch use only. |
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Autosite:
the Ultimate Automotive Buyer's Guide |
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Provides information on new and used cars
including prices, side by side comparisons and repair and maintenance. |
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Car
and Driver - Consumer Information |
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Information on any new car available on
the market. |
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Edmund's
Automobile Buying Guides |
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Consumer magazine site with information
on new and used vehicles, including rebates, trade in values and recalls. |
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Fuel Economy.gov  |
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Government site with fuel economy data for new and used (to 1985) passenger vehicles, allows side by side comparisons, and offers fuel saving tips. |
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Gold
Book |
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Price authority for classic and collectible
cars. |
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How
To Buy a Car |
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An Enoch Pratt Free Library web page with
research tools and guides for buying a new or used car. |
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Intellichoice
Car Center |
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Car buying and selling information from
the publishers of the Complete Car Cost Guide. |
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Kelley
Blue Book |
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Reference publisher’s site with information
on new and used car values. |
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N.A.D.A.
Appraisal Guides |
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Online version of the “blue books” for
the values of automobiles, RV’s, motorcycles and more. |
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National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
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Official site from the Department of Transportation
provides access to vehicle, equipment and traffic safety and testing
information. Examples include crash test results, recalls, and child
safety seat and tire ratings. Complaint forms can be filled out and
submitted from the site.
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SaferCar.gov |
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Provides information related to car safety,
including equipment, searchable crash test ratings, and details on
defects and recalls. Also offers the forms to file a complaint and
brochures to assist with buying a safe car. Maintained by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Charities |
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Give.org |
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Information on national charities to help
people make informed donation decisions. These reports are gathered
and distributed by an alliance of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
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Consumer
Safety |
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Federal Citizen Information Center (formerly the Consumer Resource Handbook) |
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Consumer related information about everything:
cars, education, food, and health, including online version of Consumer
Action Handbook. |
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Federal
Trade Commission |
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Extensive government site that provides
timely consumer information, including recent legal decisions, and
allows visitors to submit complaints online. |
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Federal Trade Commission's
Identity Theft
Site - |
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Federal Trade Commision's site to help
you learn how to avoid identity theft, as well as steps to take when
your identity has already been stolen. |
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FirstGov
for Consumers |
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Easy-to-use, up-to-date site that provides
access to consumer information from over 100 governmental agencies. |
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Identity Theft Resource Center |
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Provides information and tips on identity
theft for consumers, businesses, and law enforcement. |
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Maryland
Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division |
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Helpful consumer protection links with
an emphasis on Maryland's laws. |
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Quackwatch |
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Information about alternative health practices
and treatments. |
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SafeShopping.org |
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This site, written for the layperson by
the American Bar Association, covers all aspects of buying goods online. |
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Digital Television |
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DTV Digital Television |
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Official FCC (Federal Communications Commission) site that addresses the switch to digital tv which will take place February 17, 2009. Anyone with an “analog” only TV who gets his/her TV signal using an outside antenna or “rabbit” ears will need a converter box to view tv after February 17, 2009. Coupons towards the purchase of a convertor box are available at this site as well as publications about the change. (Note: This change does not affect anyone who subscribes to cable or satellite TV.) |
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General
Sources |
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Annual Credit Report |
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This central site allows you to request
a free credit report from each of the consumer credit reporting
companies. |
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Product
Information |
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AM
Best Insurance |
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Source of Insurance Company news. With
registration visitors can to obtain ratings and pay a fee for various
reports. |
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CNET |
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Source for reviews and price comparisons
on computer and technology products. Includes information on
software, internet providers, cell phones and many entertainment electronics. |
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Consumer
Energy Information |
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Consumer information from the U.S. Department
of Energy, regarding energy for home, business/work, school and transportation
needs. Provides links to other organizations and an Ask-an-Expert
service. |
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Consumer
Search |
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Site collects product reviews from print
and electronic sources on hundreds of products for easily accessibility. |
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Consumer
World |
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1,800 of the most useful consumer resources
on the Internet, categorized for easy access and maintained by a consumer
advocacy attorney. |
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Ebix.Com
Internet Insurance Exchange |
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Commercial site that provides company information,
ratings, consumer advice and some premium quotes. |
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Epinions.com |
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Get personal recommendations and reviews
from consumers on a wide range of products, including cars, electronics,
books, appliances, toys, and much more. Search for products or browse
and limit by price, brand, or other product features.
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Household Products
Database |
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Consumer guide to information over 4000
common household products. Search by product name or ingredient to
learn more about what is in the products, potential health effects,
and about safety and handling. From the National Library
of Medicine.
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Insure.com:
The Insurance Guide |
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Commerical site that provides news, company
ratings, and information on complaints filed against companies. |
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