Online Databases - Alphabetical Listing

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African American Almanac    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

The African American Almanac provides historical and current information on African American history, society, and culture.  It includes a chronology, primary documents, directories of organizations and businesses, a bibliography of recently-published works, annotated lists of crucial court cases, a filmography, and hundreds of brief biographies, photographs, maps, and statistical charts.

American Men and Women of Science    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This respected resource is a biographical dictionary of the significant players in physical, biological, and related sciences.  Each edition includes biographical entries on approximately 120,000 living scientists.

Ask Us Now 

Maryland AskUsNow! is a 24/7 live online interactive service for the residents and students of the state of Maryland. It uses the expertise of trained librarians to provide answers to questions, research guidance, and help navigating the Internet. The librarian should be able to take you to various websites and will communicate with you using Internet chat. A normal session lasts no longer than 15-20 minutes. The librarian may offer to follow-up by e-mail if your question cannot be answered online in this timeframe.

Atlas of the Civil War      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This atlas describes the Civil War in five chronological sections, each of which frames the war as both a military conflict and a substantial social force that shaped the United States. In addition to substantial coverage of the war’s multiple military theaters, this atlas also devotes substantial attention to nonmilitary elements of the struggle. Maps of population, economic development, elections, transportation networks, and patterns of enlistment accompany the text articles to better illuminate the war’s social impact.

Auto Repair Reference Center    Tutorial

Auto Repair Reference Center contains information on most major manufacturers of domestic and imported vehicles, with repair information for most vintage makes starting as far back as 1954.

Baltimore Sun Archive 

The Baltimore Sun Archive launched in September 1996, bringing the news from Maryland's most trusted daily newspaper to a large and growing online audience.  Today, the site is updated 24 hours a day, seven days a week with follow-ups and breaking news, as well as original reporting, traffic, weather and sports. And our traffic has grown accordingly. Currently, an average of nearly 1 million readers visit this site every month -- many more when there is breaking news.

Biography Resource Center    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Search for people based on one or more personal fact such as birth and death year, nationality, ethnicity, occupation or gender, or combine criteria to create a highly-targeted custom search

Book Index with Reviews    User Guide

Book Index with Reviews is a comprehensive database that provides information on over 3.8 million book titles in a wide range of formats.  Fiction and non-fiction titles are included in the database, in all genres.  The product contains over 800,000 full text searchable reviews from Library Journal, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, CHOICE, and others.

Business Source Elite    Tutorial

Business Source Elite provides full text from over 1,090 journals covering business, management, economics, banking, finance, accounting and much more.

Career Information Center      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

The Career Information Center provides information every job seeker should have. Updated with a full volume devoted to computer careers, the first 12 volumes each focus on a different career area, and contain over 700 job profiles. Each profile includes a job summary chart, a job description, and up-to-date salary information. The 13th volume contains the index, as well as essays on different aspects of employment.

Children's Favorite Authors and Illustrators      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

 From 19th-century poet Edward Lear to contemporary stars such as Newbery Honor author Jack Gantos, this series provides child-friendly essays about popular storytellers in large type, and includes a list of selected works, quotes, abundant photos, and sources for further reading. Hours of delighted browsing and successful investigation await! The eight-volume set by Tradition Press includes interesting short biographies on the storytellers most familiar to today's young readers. In addition to photographs and book cover images, profiles include interesting facts, quotes about and from the subject, a selected bibliography of the person's work and suggestions for further study, including both print and online resources.

Cities of the World      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

A compilation of current information on cultural, geographic, and political conditions in 193 countries and their cities covering six continents, based on the Department of State's Post Reports. Maps and photos of many cities included.

Colonial America Reference Library      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

The Colonial America Reference Library provides students with the comprehensive information on the Colonial American period they need to write reports and class assignments including biographical profiles and primary source documents.

Credo Reference:  Start Your Research Here   Tour 

Credo Reference is a digital reference library that places a world of factual information at your fingertips. Containing a selection from 240 high-quality reference books from the world's leading publishers, Credo Reference is the ideal place to start any research.  Offering access to over 1.7 million individual entries, Credo Reference contains all the types of reference books that you'd want to see in any quality library: dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, and books of quotations, not to mention a host of subject-specific titles covering everything from the arts to accountancy and law to literature. And because all our books are provided by the best reference publishers, you know you can believe what you read.

EBSCO MasterFILE Premiere    Tutorial

MasterFILE Premier provides full text for more than 1,900 general reference, business, consumer health, general science, and multi-cultural magazines.

EBSCO's Encyclopedia of Animals    Tutorial

EBSCO's Encyclopedia of Animals has in-depth information on a variety of topics relating to animals, describing the nature and habitat of familiar animals.

Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

The Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior specifically addresses the new frontiers that have opened in the area of addictive studies, exploring not only the biological basis for addiction, but also recent enhancements in diagnosis and treatment.
 

Encyclopedia of American Religions    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Encyclopedia of American Religions contains general essays that historically trace the major religious families and traditions, as well as directory listings that include contact and descriptive information on individual churches, religious bodies, and spiritual groups.

Encyclopedia of Career Development      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

With over 300 articles, the Encyclopedia of Career Development is the premier reference tool for research on career-related topics. Covering a broad range of themes, the contributions represent original material written by internationally-renowned scholars that view career development from a number of different dimensions. This multidisciplinary resource examines career-related issues from psychological, sociological, educational, counseling, organizational behavior, and human resource management perspectives.

Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This uniquely interdisciplinary resource covers legal, sociological, psychological, historical, and economic aspects of crime and justice worldwide.  Entries cover civil and criminal issues, from domestic violence to terrorism, and cite pertinent legal cases as well as publications for further information.

Encyclopedia of Small Business    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Designed to provide entrepreneurs with how-to information that they can apply to their own business. Contains 600 detailed articles and overviews of all the key information needs of small business owners, including financing, financial planning, business plan creation, market analysis, sales strategy, tax planning, and human resource issues.

Encyclopedia of the American Constitution      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This six-volume edition of the 1987 Dartmouth Medal-winner includes all of the material from the original four-volume set and 1992 Supplement, as well as updated original articles and new articles covering concepts and court cases since 1992. Appendices include a case index and primary documents.

Encyclopedia of World Cultures    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This reference set lists and describes more than 1,500 global cultures.  Based on research of social scientists, it is the source for historical, social, political, economic, linguistic, religious, and other information on virtually every existing culture.

Facts on File    Overview

Contains Facts On File World News Digest,  Issues & Controversies On File, Today's Science On File,   The World Almanac^® Reference Database,   The World Almanac Encyclopedia

Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear Through the Ages    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Fashion, Costume and Culture provides a broad overview of costume traditions of diverse cultures from prehistoric times to the present day.  It also explores how and why items were created, the people who made them, and their uses, and shows how clothing, headwear, body decorations and footwear reflect the different cultural, religious, and societal beliefs.

Funk and Wagnall's New Encyclopedia    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

For students and adults alike, the Funk & Wagnall's New Encyclopedia database indexes over 25,000 records.

Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Fills a much-needed gap between legal texts focusing on the theory and history behind the law and more practical guides dealing with the law and its everyday effect upon its citizens. Articles include brief descriptions of each issue's historical background, profiles of various U.S. laws and regulations, details of how laws and regulations vary from state to state, and comprehensive bibliographies that include print and Web resources and lists of relevant organizations.

Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Entries describe the physical geography of every nation and dependency on Earth. Physical features, climate, and vegetation are discussed in detail using a consistent set of rubrics. Every entry features a physical relief map designed to illuminate the text of the entry. A World Rankings appendix includes dozens of tables ranking major features of the Earth, such as largest river by length and volume, tallest mountains by continent, and deepest oceans. Includes a glossary of geographical and geological terms.

Grizmek's Animal Life Encyclopedia      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

A completely revised and updated version of the original work published in Germany in 1960, this edition incorporates recent developments in the animal world as noted by prominent advisors and contributors from the scientific community.

Health Source: Consumer Edition    Tutorial

Health Source: Consumer Edition offers you an alternative resource to find authoritative information on health-related questions.

Heritage Quest    Overview  Tour  Search Guide  Sample Search

HeritageQuest Online is designed specifically for patrons in public libraries who are either just beginning their family research or who after years of work are still uncovering their past.

Having problems accessing Heritage Quest?  Click here.

Historical Atlas of the Islamic World      Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Among the great civilizations of the world, Islam remains an enigma to Western readers. Now, in a beautifully illustrated historical atlas, noted scholar of religion Malise Ruthven recounts the fascinating and important history of the Islamic world.

History Reference Center    Tutorial

History Reference Center is the world's most comprehensive full text history reference database, featuring full text for more than 2,000 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books from leading history publishers and more than 120 leading history periodicals.  The database contains more than 59,600 historical documents; more than 49,600 biographies of historical figures; more than 110,200 historical photos and maps; and more than 80 hours of historical video

Home Improvement Reference Center   Navigation Guide

Home Improvement Reference Center is designed to provide full text articles that show instructions, tips and suggestions for a variety of home improvement projects.  Thousands of repairs are available in the areas of outdoor, electrical, remodeling, plumbing, wood, decorating, and maintenance projects.  Ideal for the do-it-yourselfer!

Infotrac Health and Wellness    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Use this Resource Center to find magazines, journals, newspapers, definitions, directories, and information on: Fitness, Pregnancy, Medicine, Nutrition, Diseases, Public Health, Occupational Health and Safety, Alcohol and Drug abuse, Prescription Drugs, Herbal remedies, and alternative or complementary treatments, etc.

Learn-A-Test from Learning Express Library    Tutorial

LearningExpress Library provides a completely interactive online learning platform of practice tests and tutorial course series designed to help you succeed on academic or licensing tests, such as SAT, ASVAB, GED, Civil Service and much more!  You'll get immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results. Sign in and start on your path to success right now.

LegalForms    Tutorial    Informational Brochure

Thomson Gale LegalForms contains thousands of legal forms available with more forms being added daily.  Official, State Specific, Federal, Business, Personal, Real Estate and General Forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues are included.

Warning:  Public users should consult an attorney in your state for serious legal matters.

Literature Resource Center    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Access biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of more than 120,000 authors from every age and literary discipline.

Litfinder    Search Tips

Poem Finder is the largest, most comprehensive and most current poetry database available.  Story Finder provides thousands of full-text short stories plus explanations, biographies, pictures and more.  Essay Finder is a unique database of full-text essays and discursive writing based on books published in the 20th century which have been analyzed in standard library indexes.

Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage 

The purpose of the Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Project is two-fold.  First, the MDCH Project is a collaborative effort to digitize Maryland-related historical documents, images, audio, and video for Maryland's public libraries and cultural heritage institutions.  Second, the MDCH Project website provides centralized, one-stop access to these culturally significant items that will benefit the patrons and staff of the libraries and cultural heritage institutions, as well as future generations, by promoting research, education, and tourism.

Middle Search Plus    Tutorial

Middle Search Plus provides full text from over 140 general reference, health and science magazines

Newspaper Source    Tutorial

Newspaper Source contains full text for 245 regional U.S. newspapers, eighteen international newspapers, six newswires, nine newspaper columns and other sources.

Novelist    Navigation Guide  Search Tips  Training Center  

In addition to locating books to read, users can learn more about books and authors through Feature Articles, Book Discussion Guides, and BookTalks.

Novelist K-8    Navigation Guide  Search Tips  Training Center

NoveList K-8 allows you to discover the fiction titles that are popular with young readers as well as titles to use in your classroom.

p4A Antiques Reference    Search Tips

The p4A Antiques Reference database is used by most leading personal property appraisers throughout the United States, antiques dealers, museums, and agencies like the Internal Revenue Service to evaluate almost every kind of antique in today's collections.

Primary Search    Tutorial

Primary Search provides full text from 50 children’s magazines appropriate for elementary schools and children’s reading rooms.

Reference USA    Tutorial 

The Reference USA database contains detailed information on U.S. businesses, U.S. residents and U.S. health care providers

Regional Business News    Tutorial

Regional Business News incorporates 75 business journals, newspapers and newswires covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States

Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970    Navigation Guide  Map Legend

Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 provides access to more than 660,000 large-scale maps for more than 12,000 American towns and cities.  Sanborn fire insurance maps are the most frequently consulted maps in libraries, and are valuable historical tools.  In electronic form, Sanborn maps allow users to easily manipulate the maps, magnify and zoom in on specific sections, and layer maps from different years.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Provides more than 4,200 sources of education-related financial aid and awards at all levels of study.  Includes a section on federal financial aid that features a quick summary of programs sponsored by the federal government.  Also includes a state-by-state listing of agencies that users can contact in their home state.

Science Resource Center    Tutorial    Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Researching science topics has never been easier -- with Science Resource Center, thousands of topic overviews, experiments, biographies, pictures and illustrations are just a few clicks away and the latest scientific developments are covered in articles from over 200 magazines and academic journals and links to quality web sites. The database covers curriculum-related science topics and offers teachers an easy-to-use tool to identify content directly correlated to state and national standards.

Searchasaurus    Tutorial

Reference materials within Searchasaurus include magazines, encyclopedias, newspapers, books and more.

Testing and Education Reference Center    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) can help students find their perfect school match using a variety of search criteria, including institution name, location, tuition, major, average G.P.A. of incoming freshmen, religious affiliation and more. College Search - Search for colleges, distance (online) learning opportunities, programs for international students and nursing schools Graduate Search - Search thousands of graduate, law, MBA, nursing and distance learning (online) opportunities Specialty & Career Program - Search career schools, vocational schools, IT programs, Executive Education programs and private secondary schools Test Preparation - Practice for college/graduate school admissions; exams to help you earn college credit; civil service/licensing; military entrance exams; and the high school equivalency exam. 

Tutor.com    Frequently Asked Questions

Tutor.com Live Homework Help is available seven days a week from 2 p.m. through 12:00 a.m. Eastern time. Students in 4th-12th grades as well as college freshmen can use the service as often as they wish and receive help in math, science, social studies and English.

U*X*L American Decades    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

Covers 20th-century events and social history beginning in 1900 and ending in 1999.  Each decade is covered, with a chronology of world events and a general overview of the decade.  Within each topic, alphabetically arranged entries discuss historically important events, issues, definitions of difficult concepts or terms, and other interesting trivia and sideline stories.

Whilbr 

Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties in Western Maryland have a rich and diverse history.  View images from the collections of the libraries, historical societies, and individuals in the three counties.  There are photographs, newspaper articles, and indexes, rare books and more.

Witchcraft in America    Tutorial  Navigation Guide  Search Tips

This fascinating and informative source covers the history of witchcraft in the United States from the hysteria that facilitated the witch hunts during the Colonial Period to modern day followers of Wicca.  Chapters include full text or excerpts from trial transcripts, diary entries, public notices, and many other primary sources.  Biographical essays highlight prominent figures related to the Salem witch trials.

World Book Online Reference Center    Tutorial   Quick Start Guide

Continually updated, World Book Online Reference Center is a student's best source for accurate and accessible information. This comprehensive site includes all of the articles from the 22-volume print set, plus thousands more. In addition, there are more than 9,500 pictures and maps, 115 videos and animations, 9,300 sounds, more than 100 simulated historic Web sites.