Gale Launches New Chilton Library Platform to Improve User Experience and Accessibility

Cloud-Based Platform Provides Users More Innovative Features Including Video Library Tab and Vehicle Identification Number Tool

Car care guidance just got better for automotive DIYers, car enthusiasts and career and technical education students. Gale, part of Cengage Group, has migrated ChiltonLibrary, the most trusted digital resource for automotive repair and maintenance information, to a new cloud-based platform along with an array of new features and enhancements to improve user experience and accessibility.

With streamlined navigation in a more user-friendly environment, users can more easily access and find the information they need to safely service their vehicle and prepare for the upcoming winter months.

“The new ChiltonLibrary platform demonstrates our commitment to providing the best user experience possible,” said Shawn Clark, senior vice president of Gale’s domestic learning business.

“Automotive DIYers, enthusiasts and professionals consider ChiltonLibrary to be a top car care resource. These enhancements build upon the previous key features that have long made ChiltonLibrary the gold standard for auto repair and maintenance information.”

ChiltonLibrary is an essential database of trusted automotive information covering vehicle maintenance, service and repair. Dating back to the 1940s, the database has material covering all car procedures that one might perform at home.

Unlike other options, the database contains how-to videos and animations, warranty labor data, and remote access outside of libraries. ChiltonLibrary primarily gathers its content from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) data that includes detailed bumper-to-bumper diagnostic and repair information.

New features and enhancements include:

• New platform: The move to Amazon Web Services (AWS) enables publishing of interactive digital content anytime, anywhere, over any network and to any device. The platform supports enhanced search which delivers faster and more accurate results. Robust and customizable usage reporting provides valuable insights.
• New VIN (vehicle identification number) tool: The tool decodes the VIN and reveals each unique vehicle’s original equipment as well as any National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls. This is invaluable information for evaluating a potential vehicle purchase and for ensuring the specifications and procedures match a vehicle’s component.
• New Video Library tab: Home to more than 2,500 automotive fundamentals videos and animations, the Video Library follows the familiar Chilton organization by automotive system (e.g., brakes or heating and air conditioning). The most popular videos are shown by default on the video home page.
• Updated ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) quiz results page: After a user takes an ASE quiz, the tool displays results in an easy-to-understand format with graphs showing the percentage of questions answered correctly and incorrectly or not attempted.
• Real-Time content additions: The platform will be updated monthly with the latest information direct from the vehicle manufacturers. This includes all partial releases by manufacturers to ensure users have access to the most up-to-date content on the market.
• Labor estimating tool: This enables users to verify the time it takes to complete a repair.
• Improved accessibility: Inherent in the new platform are many features that allow content to be more accessible and comprehensible for everyone, whatever their hardware, software, language, location or ability.
• Usage reports: For libraries, ChiltonLibrary’s new platform enables a deep dive into the database usage. This includes information on specific pages frequented, most popular models and which library branches have the most usage.