MENLO PARK LIBRARY DATABASE DETAILS


General articles
Use the search box on the previous page to simultaneously search 7 databases: Infotrac Custom Newspapers; Academic Onefile; Student Resource Center Gold; General Onefile; Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center; Infotrac Home Improvement Collection; Infotrac Gardening, Landscape & Horticulture Collection.
To search any of these databases individually, see the full list of Gale databases.

PowerSearch lets you search all 35 cross-searchable databases from Gale, containing over 124 million documents such as magazine, newspaper and reference book articles. Or you can choose only those databases relevant to your topic, and perform a single search of them. Additional databases listed on the MPL and Gale pages must be searched separately.

Infotrac (a.k.a. General Onefile) is a general interest database that integrates a variety of sources in one easy-to-use interface.  Use General Reference Center to find articles from magazines, reference books, and newspapers, many with full-text and images. Find the latest current events, popular culture, the arts and sciences, sports, hobbies, and more.

Informe  Una colección de revistas hispánicas con textos completos. Abarca negocios, salud, tecnología, cultura, temas de actualidad y otras materias.

Newspapers provides access to complete articles in over 100 US and International newspapers.

Student Resources in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on a broad range of topics, people, places, and events. The new solution merges Gale's authoritative reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience combined with new features such as "Search Assist" and quick fact boxes.

Kid's InfoBits is a periodical database designed for elementary school students, with easy access to full-text magazines, newspapers and reference books for information on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more.


Society & History
Use the search box on the previous page to simultaneously search 24 databases: Academic Onefile; Infotrac Culinary Arts Collection; Infotrac Fine Arts & Music Collection; Infotrac Agriculture Collection; Infotrac Communications & Mass Media Collection; Infotrac Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Issues; Infotrac Diversity Studies Collection; Infotrac Educators 200; Infotrac Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure Collection; Infotrac Vocations, Careers & Technical Education; Infotrac Environmental Issues & Policy Collection; Infotrac Gardening, Landscape & Horticulture Collection; Computer Database; Infotrac Pop Culture Collection; Infotrac Relition & Philosophy Collection; Gale Virtual Reference Library; Infotrac Home Improvement Collection; Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center; Infotrac World History Collection; Infotrac US History Collection; Infotrac War & Terrorism Collection; Military and Intelligence Database; Legaltrac; Infotrac Criminal Justice Collection; Infotrac Home Improvement Collection; Infotrac Communications & Mass Media Collection.
To search any of these databases individually, see the full list of Gale databases.


Opposing Viewpoints draws on the acclaimed social issues series published by Greenhaven Press, as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan Reference USA sources to provide:
U.S. History provides integrated access to over 4,000 historical (primary) documents, articles from more than 30 reference titles, and over 110 full-text journal covering themes, events, individuals and periods in U.S. history from pre-Colonial times to the present. The material also includes citations from over 180 additional history journals from the Institute for Scientific Information's Arts and Humanities Citation Index, as well as the entire "American Journey Online" series.

World History is a comprehensive collection of award-winning reference, full-text articles from leading scholarly publications, an array of primary sources, and images, maps and charts which provide expansive geographic and chronlogic research materials for the study of world history. From ancient Europe to Latin America and from the Far East to the Renaissance, world history curricula is supported with over 1,800 primary sources, over 27 reference titles and more than 110 journals.

American Decades (an 11-volume reference book in electronic form) covers 20th-century events and social history beginning in 1900 and ending in 1999. Each decade is covered in a single comprehensive volume. Chapters begin 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.

Renaissance (Renaissance and Reformation Reference Library, a 6-volume reference book in electronic form) Covering everything from Luther's Revolt to the writings of Shakespeare, this set provides comprehensive coverage of this amazing time. Includes extensive background information on the period, approximately 50 biographies of people of the era, and includes full or excerpted speeches, diary entries, newspaper and magazine articles, poems, and documents.

Biographies (Biography Resource Center + Lives & Perspectives) Biography Resource Center combines Gale biographies with related full-text articles from magazines and newspapers, thousands of images, and links to vetted websites. Search for current or historic figures based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender, as well as keyword and full text. Fully integrated, the Lives & Perspectives Collection module offers nearly 160,000 concise and in-depth biographies drawn from subject encyclopedias published under the highly respected Macmillan, Scribner and Gale imprints.

Countries and Their Cultures (a 4-volume reference book in electronic form) focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information.

Fashion & Costume (a 5-volume reference book in electronic form) provides a broad overview of costume traditions of diverse cultures from prehistoric times to the present day. Examines more than 430 items of human decoration and adornment, ranging from togas to turbans, necklaces to tennis shoes. Explores how and why items were created, the people who made them, and their uses. This set shows how clothing, headwear, body decorations, and footwear reflect the different cultural, religious, and societal beliefs.

Encyclopedia of Religion (a 15-volume reference book in electronic form) The second edition of this highly regarded encyclopedia, intended to reflect both changes in academia and in the world since 1987, includes almost all of the 2,750 original entries -- many heavily updated -- as well as approximately 600 entirely new articles. Preserving the best of the first edition's cross-cultural approach, while emphasizing religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture, this new edition is the definitive work in the field for the 21st century. An international team of scholars and contributors have reviewed, revised and added to every word of the classic work, making it relevant to the questions and interests of all researchers.

US Immigration and Migration Reference Library (a 6-volume reference book in electronic form) chronicles and interprets the phenomenal waves of immigration to the United States from the earliest times up to the present day, when restrictive policies have temporarily stanced the flow of immigrants. Covers the economic, religious, and political forces that compelled people to seek a better life in a new land; profiles both prominent and lesser-known people of the immigrant experience; and features key documents related to the topic.

College Blue Book (a 6-volume reference book in electronic form) is completely revised and updated, and remains the definitive guide to thousands of 2- and 4-year schools in the U.S. and Canada, their programs, degrees, and financial aid sources.

Associations & Non-Profits is officially known as the Gale Directory Library, and is composed of the Encyclopedia of Associations and National Directory of Nonprofit Organizations. Locate approximately 460,000 international and U.S. national, regional, state, and local nonprofit membership organizations in all fields, including IRS data on U.S. 501(c) nonprofit organizations. Also use it to monitor association trends; identify related associations; network and make professional contacts; market to associations, their members and markets.

Books & Languages

Overdrive offers eAudiobooks in MP3 and WMA formats, and eBooks in EPUB and PDF. See this handy comparison chart of requirements & compatibilities, or YouTube videos on how to download the audiobooks.

EBSCOhost (formerly Netlibrary) is a PLS-owned collection of ebooks in PDF format. First create a free NetLibrary account from INSIDE one of the PLS libraries, and then you can access the e-book collection from home by searching the PLS Online Catalog or by visiting http://search.ebscohost.com and clicking "EBSCOhost Research Databases".

Safari (IT) lets you read, browse, search and partially download ebooks for programmers and IT professionals. PLS currently subscribes to nearly 2,000 titles from various publishers, such as Sams, O'Reilly and Que.

BookFlix pairs classic video storybooks from Weston Woods with related nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic to build a love of reading and learning. The engaging way to link fact and fiction, BookFlix reinforces early reading skills and introduces children to a world of knowledge and exploration.
Menlo Park residents can access Bookflix through this web site. Residents of unincorporated Menlo Park must enter Bookflix though the San Mateo County libraries' web site, and residents of other cities must enter through their own local library's site.

Literature Resources from Gale Research authors and their works, literary movements and genres. Search across several major Literature databases to find full text of literary works, journal articles, literature criticism, reviews, biographical information and overviews.

BookBrowse for Libraries is a unique hybrid between a readers' advisory database and an online magazine. by combining rich content with a user-friendly, fully searchable interface that links back to the library's catalog. Key features include:

NoveList Plus is a comprehensive readers' advisory resource for fiction and nonfiction. With its intuitive interface and extensive proprietary content, NoveList Plus will help you to answer the question of what to read next.

Books & Authors offers new ways to explore books, authors, genres and topics. Combining over 140,000 titles, 50,000 authors, and thousands of read-alike, award winner and librarian's favorites lists, Books & Authors helps bring readers and literature together. Through the use of expertly written and arranged content and a dynamic, cutting edge user interface, Books & Authors makes exploration of genre fiction and essential non-fiction fun!

Language Learning by Mango is an online language-learning system teaching actual conversation skills for a wide variety of languages. It uses real-life situations and actual conversations to more effectively teach a new language. By listening to and repeating after material designed from native conversations, you'll not only learn the individual words and phrases, you'll know how they're used in practical situations and conversations. You'll learn more than grammar, vocabulary and conjugation, you'll learn how to communicate.

Business
Use the search box on the previous page to simultaneously search 11 databases: Infotrac Insurance & Liability Collection; Infotrac Small Business Collection; Infotrac Vocations, Careers & Technical Education; Computer Database; Infotrac Agriculture Collection; Infotrac Communications & Mass Media Collection; Infotrac Home Improvement Collection; Infotrac Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure Collection; Infotrac Culinary Arts Collection; Legaltrac; Infotrac Criminal Justice Collection.
To search any of these databases individually, see the full list of Gale databases.

Companies & Industries (Business and Company Resource Center) is a fully integrated resource bringing together company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information.

AtoZdatabases is a Premier Reference and Marketing Database including 30 million business profiles & 220 million residents. Ideal for sales leads, mailing lists, market research, employment opportunities, finding friends and relatives, and much more!
  • Update Frequency: Biweekly
  • Format: Web
  • Output: Email, Print or Download

Reference USA contains more than 12 million U.S. businesses, and offers the current information you need to locate companies, create marketing lists and to customize your search based on criteria that include:
  • company names
  • major industry
  • geographic location
  • size of workforce
  • SIC and NAIC codes
Small Business Articles (Small Business Resource Center) offers users complete small business management resources via a combination of unparalleled periodicals and reference content. From conducting industry research to financial planning, to marketing a product and franchising a business, the Small Business Resource Center provides users with all the information they need to succeed.

Career Transitions is an online career guidance center that walks users through the job-search process from beginning to end. It brings together all the tools needed to explore and take the leap to a new career. Career Transitions employs a step-by-step approach to help people: 1) explore new career possibilities; 2) assess their interests and experience; 3) identify ways to improve their prospects, including networking and education; 4) prepare for a job search; and 5) search and apply for jobs.

Business Plans Handbook (a book in electronic format) is a collection of actual business plans compiled by entrepreneurs seeking funding for small businesses throughout North America. The book presents approximately 25 sample plans taken from businesses in the manufacturing, retail, and service industries--only company names and addresses have been changed. Includes a sample business plan template and two fictional plans, a glossary of small business terms, and a directory section containing various listings of interest to entrepreneurs and consultants specializing in small business advice and planning.

Morningstar Mutual Funds Online provides fast and easy access to Morningstar Mutual Funds in a PDF format. Download the latest issue under Most Recent Issue, select an entire group of funds to review under Download Reports by Category, or find a specific fund under Search.

Auto Repair from ALLDATA claims to be the world's most comprehensive resource for automotive diagnostic and repair information.
  • Use the Online SEARCH feature to locate information quickly.
  • Access the latest Technical Service Bulletins with the NEW TSBs feature.
  • Print wiring diagrams on 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
Health & Science
Use the search box on the previous page to simultaneously search 8 databases: Infotrac Nursing & Allied Health Collection; Infotrac Psychology Collection; Infotrac Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Collection; Infotrac General Science Collection; Infotrac Agriculture Collection; Infotrac Culinary Arts Collection; Infotrac Environmental Issues & Policy Collection; Infotrac Gardening, Landscape & Horticulture Collection.
To search any of these databases individually, see the full list of Gale databases.

Health - General (Health and Wellness Resource Center) 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, etc. Included are links to diet, cancer, and health assessment sites as well as government databases. The material contained in this Resource Center is intended for informational purposes only.

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.

Consumer Reports is the full-text, online version of the popular consumer magazine.  Our licensing allows it to be available only from within the library, on one PC.  This PC is located next to the Reference Desk, under the clock.