General Sources
- Following are general sources for research; see the subcategories below for resources that are more narrow in scope.
- Biography
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Geography & Maps
Miscellany
Statistics
Books & Audio-Visual
- AlleyCat
- Use AlleyCat, the CCAC online catalog, to find materials at any of the CCAC libraries
Reference & Overview Sources
| Full Text? | Database Name | Vendor | Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| yes | American Heritage Dictionary Select "Dictionary" from menu at top of page. |
EBSCOhost | info |
| yes | Biography Reference Bank Select | H. W. Wilson | info |
| yes | Britannica Online | Britannica | info |
| yes | Credo Reference | Credo | info |
| yes | Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia | EBSCOhost | info |
| yes | Image Collections Select "Images" from menu at top of page. |
EBSCOhost | info |
Magazine & Journal Articles
| Full Text? | Database Name | Vendor | Help |
|---|---|---|---|
| yes | Academic Search Premier | EBSCOhost | info |
| yes | MasterFILE Premier | EBSCOhost | info |
| yes | Middle Search Plus | EBSCOhost | info |
| yes | Primary Search | EBSCOhost | info |
Web Sites
- Academic Info
- A directory of Internet resources tailored to a college or advanced high school audience. The major component of the site is its Subject Index; other sections are Reference Desk and Student Center. The site is searchable.
- Allacademic
- A clearinghouse for free academic resources on the Internet. Much of the content consists of articles and book reviews from journals that may be searched by author's last name, title of the article or publication, subject, or word in the abstract (summary). The site enhances all content by providing abstracts, author information and qualifications, e-mail hotlinks to authors, and numerous links to other scholarly publications. Source citations can be formatted in MLA, APA, or Chicago style.
- FindArticles.com
- Offers free full-text articles from 300 periodicals, including magazines, trade and scholarly journals. Coverage starts in 1998 and includes a variety of subjects. Use the Library's Subject Gateway pages to locate magazine and journal indexes focused on specific subjects.
- Internet Public Library
- Launched in 1995 by the University of Michigan School of Information and Library Studies, and presently maintained by Drexel University's College of Information Science and Technology as well as a consortium of Information Schools, the Internet Public Library (IPL) provides online access to a number of information resources. One of IPL's many practical features is the Ask a Question button which allows the site's user to send a reference question to a librarian. Other aspects of the IPL include a number of links to websites arranged by subject, links to electronic texts by classic authors, free computer literacy tutorials, and various other useful features.
- The Librarians' Index to the Internet (LII)
- The Librarians' Index to the Internet (LII) is a searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 9,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users of public libraries. LII is used by both librarians and the general public as a reliable and efficient guide to Internet resources.
- Martindale's 'The Reference Desk'
- Sites and online reference material on many topics. There is so much here that it can be hard to find something on a specific topic, but usually the hunt is worth it. Resources are organized more or less hierarchically. Not searchable.
- MuseumStuff.com
- MuseumStuff.com is the one-stop shop for museum information, where Internet users can discover and explore thousands of museums and related resources around the country. This search engine, which features a "broad range of museum 'stuff,'" offers links to various museums, virtual exhibitions, museum events, fun and game sites for secondary and post-secondary students, and educational links. The museum links are arranged in three separate categories -- art, history, and science -- and can be accessed from the main page. The virtual exhibition section offers 55 topics ranging from African American, to ceramics, to evolution, to motorcycles, to religion, to zoos/ animals. Viewers can search for museum events by organization name, month, and specific day, or perform an advanced search using a combination of selections. On the whole, this gateway to museum stuff provides enough resources to pique the interest of persons in many different areas.
- refdesk.com
- Links to Web dictionaries, encyclopedias, telephone directories, search engines, maps, homework helpers, weather reports, newspapers and magazines.
- Specialty Search Engines
- Part of the Search Engine Watch site that provides tips and information about searching the web, this page identifies "specialty search engines." Also called topical search engines, "vertical" search engines or "vortals," they'll help you find web pages dealing with specific subject issues.
- Virtual Reference Shelf
- Selected web resources on many topics compiled by the Library of Congress. The range of general and subject-specific reference sources offered by VRS compares favorably to a well-stocked public library.