Research Databases
The tools used for finding articles are databases. The library subscribes to several. Some are periodical databases, which contain articles from magazines, newspapers and journals (periodicals). Others are reference databases, which are more like online encyclopedias. Some databases, like History Resource Center: U.S. is a combination of the two, providing articles from reference works and from periodicals.

Choosing a Database
The first step is to choose an appropriate database for your research. Some databases are multi-subject, meaning they cover a broad range of disciplines, while others are specialized. Some of the multi-subject databases the library subscribes to are:

• Academic Search Premier
• ProQuest Direct
• General Reference Center
• eLibrary Academic

Examples of specialized databases are:

• Contemporary Authors
• Contemporary Literary Criticism
• History Resource Center: U.S.

For most research projects, one of the multi-subject databases, is a good place to start -- ProQuest Direct or Academic Search Premier. Click here to see a list of databases the library subscribes to.