The Lafayette Public Library provides free access to the member content of the Consumer Reports website when you log in using your Library card.
Why is this fantastic? Consumer Reports is an independent nonprofit that provides trustworthy information and robust product testing in an age where online product reviews are often biased or not really written by, and for, the consumer.
The Library also continues to offer free access to searchable online back editions of the print magazine, as well as hard copies of recent issues that can be checked out.
The Consumer Reports website provides different content than the monthly magazine and is easily searchable. In addition to well-known buying guides for cars, you can also find articles on an array of timely issues, such as retirement planning in the age of coronavirus, vaccine safety advice, and more.
Getting Started
1. Go to: https://lafayetteco.gov/ConsumerReportsOnline
Or, visit the Library website, use the Research button, and then either go to the A-Z List entry for Consumer Reports Online, or use the quick link for the subscription website:
2. The landing page will open in a new tab.
Click on the ConsumerReports.org link.
This opens up the very user-friendly website with full access to subscription features.
3. From here, enter a term in the Search box to find reviews and ratings on a particular item. Alternatively, hover the mouse over Product Reviews in the top left-hand corner to browse by category. You can also click on Issues that Matter to find topical guides.
We hope you enjoy this incredibly useful resource!
Need to find an article that appeared in the print magazine?
Follow the steps above, but select Consumer Reports from our A-Z list or click on the Print edition in the quick links (or go straight to https://lafayetteco.gov/consumerreports.) You may be prompted to enter your Lafayette Library card number. You will then be taken to a page where you can either search, or click on the right to select a year and then a specific issue. Each article can be opened as PDF of the actual page of the magazine.
The full text link is a photo of the actual article.