Research Databases
- All Databases, A-Z Listing
- Biography
- Business & Economics
- Genealogy
- Government & Political Science
- Health & Psychology
- History
- Literature & Reading
- Newspapers
- Science
All Databases, A-Z Listing
ABC-CLIO World History: Ancient & Medieval Eras
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from antiquity to the 16th century
ABC-CLIO World History: Modern Era
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from the 1500s to present
Alt Health Watch
Provides information on complementary, holistic, and integrated approaches to healthcare and wellness.
AtoZ Databases
Detailed information on 30 million businesses and executives and 2 million new businesses. Includes data on over 200 million residents as well as new movers/homeowners. Special features include a background and criminal history search. Information provided on U. S. healthcare professionals. Includes a jobs database and email marketing.
Biography Reference Center
More than 450,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
Britannica Encyclopedia
Quick facts and in-depth information on history, geography, people, places, science, and more.
Cameron's Collection
Resources for students facing stress, anxiety, & other mental health issues
Consumer Health Complete
Supports the health and wellness information needs of patients. Covers mainstream medicine as well as complementary and holistic medicine.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Environment Complete
Scholarly coverage in the areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Current insight into today's most debated political and social issues
Gale in Context: US History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
Gale in Context: World History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
Health Source
Subjects include fitness, nutrition, diabetes, aging, & women's health
History Reference Center
Documents, photos, maps, film, and video from leading history journals, plus biographies of historical figures
Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center
Arts & crafts, games & electronics, outdoors & nature
Humanities Source
Covers literary, scholarly, and creative thought
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
Literary Reference Center
Summaries, literary criticism, reviews, novels, & author interviews
MasterFile Complete
Popular full-text magazines and reference books. Contains Consumer Reports. Covers subjects including: business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion.
MyHeritage Reference Center
Family history/genealogy resource including more than 6 billion historical ​records from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and other regions
Newspaper Source Plus
Millions of articles as well as transcripts from radio & tv
New York Times
Activate your access with your @bps-schools.com email address. After activation, you need to open your email and confirm.
NoveList Plus
Find just the right book by subject, awards won, made into movies, etc.
Points of View Reference Center
Multiple Sides of 400+ issues to help develop persuasive arguments
Political Science Complete
Covers political topics with a worldwide focus
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Covers a broad range of subjects in the fields of psychology, behavioral sciences, and related disciplines.
Science Reference Center
Reference sources on biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environment, health, history of science, life science, physics, & wildlife
Small Business Reference Center
Covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. Includes information on accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. State-specific information included.
Teen Health & Wellness
Up-to-date, nonjudgmental, straightforward self-help support. Topics covered include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, and more.
Biography
ABC-CLIO World History: Ancient & Medieval Eras
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from antiquity to the 16th century
ABC-CLIO World History: Modern Era
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from the 1500s to present
Biography Reference Center
More than 450,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
Britannica Encyclopedia
Quick facts and in-depth information on history, geography, people, places, science, and more.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
History Reference Center
Documents, photos, maps, film, and video from leading history journals, plus biographies of historical figures
Business & Economics
AtoZ Databases
Detailed information on 30 million businesses and executives and 2 million new businesses. Includes data on over 200 million residents as well as new movers/homeowners. Special features include a background and criminal history search. Information provided on U. S. healthcare professionals. Includes a jobs database and email marketing.
Biography Reference Center
More than 450,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Current insight into today's most debated political and social issues
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
MasterFile Complete
Popular full-text magazines and reference books. Contains Consumer Reports. Covers subjects including: business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion.
New York Times
Activate your access with your @bps-schools.com email address. After activation, you need to open your email and confirm.
Points of View Reference Center
Multiple Sides of 400+ issues to help develop persuasive arguments
Political Science Complete
Covers political topics with a worldwide focus
Small Business Reference Center
Covers all aspects of starting and operating a business. Includes information on accounting, finance, human resources, management, marketing, tax, and more. State-specific information included.
Wall Street Journal
Breaking news and current headlines from the US & around the globe
Genealogy
MyHeritage Reference Center
Family history/genealogy resource including more than 6 billion historical ​records from the United States, Europe, Latin America, and other regions
Government & Political Science
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
Current insight into today's most debated political and social issues
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
MasterFile Complete
Popular full-text magazines and reference books. Contains Consumer Reports. Covers subjects including: business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion.
Newspaper Source Plus
Millions of articles as well as transcripts from radio & tv
New York Times
Activate your access with your @bps-schools.com email address. After activation, you need to open your email and confirm.
Points of View Reference Center
Multiple Sides of 400+ issues to help develop persuasive arguments
Political Science Complete
Covers political topics with a worldwide focus
Wall Street Journal
Breaking news and current headlines from the US & around the globe
Health & Psychology
Alt Health Watch
Provides information on complementary, holistic, and integrated approaches to healthcare and wellness.
Cameron's Collection
Resources for students facing stress, anxiety, & other mental health issues
Consumer Health Complete
Supports the health and wellness information needs of patients. Covers mainstream medicine as well as complementary and holistic medicine.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Health Source
Subjects include fitness, nutrition, diabetes, aging, & women's health
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
New York Times
Activate your access with your @bps-schools.com email address. After activation, you need to open your email and confirm.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Covers a broad range of subjects in the fields of psychology, behavioral sciences, and related disciplines.
Science Reference Center
Reference sources on biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environment, health, history of science, life science, physics, & wildlife
Teen Health & Wellness
Up-to-date, nonjudgmental, straightforward self-help support. Topics covered include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, and more.
Wall Street Journal
Breaking news and current headlines from the US & around the globe
History
ABC-CLIO World History: Ancient & Medieval Eras
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from antiquity to the 16th century
ABC-CLIO World History: Modern Era
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from the 1500s to present
Biography Reference Center
More than 450,000 biographies. Includes complete full text run of Biography Today and Biography Magazine as well as thousands of narrative biographies.
Britannica Encyclopedia
Quick facts and in-depth information on history, geography, people, places, science, and more.
Digital Public Library of America
Online exhibitions & primary source sets.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Gale in Context: US History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
Gale in Context: World History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
History Reference Center
Documents, photos, maps, film, and video from leading history journals, plus biographies of historical figures
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
Library of Congress: Finding Primary Sources
Primary sources of American history
New York Times: TimesMachine
Primary sources! View all back issues of the NYTimes from 1851 to 2002, exactly as they originally appeared.
Literature & Reading
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Humanities Source
Covers literary, scholarly, and creative thought
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
Literary Reference Center
Summaries, literary criticism, reviews, novels, & author interviews
NoveList Plus
Find just the right book by subject, awards won, made into movies, etc.
Newspapers
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
Newspaper Source Plus
Millions of articles as well as transcripts from radio & tv
New York Times
Activate your access with your @bps-schools.com email address. After activation, you need to open your email and confirm.
New York Times: TimesMachine
Primary sources! View all back issues of the NYTimes from 1851 to 2002, exactly as they originally appeared.
Science
Britannica Encyclopedia
Quick facts and in-depth information on history, geography, people, places, science, and more.
EBSCO eBooks
200,000+ full text, nonfiction titles
Environment Complete
Scholarly coverage in the areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy
Explora for High Schools
Provides hundreds of popular magazines and reference books for high school libraries. Covers subjects such as art, history, sports, and music. Includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents.
Gale eBooks
Find chapters or articles within reference volumes on all subjects
Gale in Context: High School
Recommendation: click on Browse Topics to start your research. Contains overviews, multimedia, articles, scholarly sources, & web links.
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
Science Reference Center
Reference sources on biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environment, health, history of science, life science, physics, & wildlife
Resources for Class Projects
- APUSH: Influential American Project
- ASL: Cochlear Implant Debate
- World History: "Where would you want to live in the Bronze Age?"
APUSH: Influential American Project
1. Get organized! Don't waste your research efforts; be organized from the beginning. Consider how you will take notes and cite your sources.
NoodleTools is available to all students and has an easy option to add an annotation to your bibliography.
This Graphic Organizer can help you ensure that you're fulfilling project requirements. The three body paragraphs / subtopics on this doc correlate with your three informational requirements:
- Brief biography
- Secondary claims that explain their achievement
- Secondary claims that explain the impact of their achievement.
2. Choose your topic. Begin with background research.
During this part of the research process, it is appropriate to use Google or a chatbot for brainstorming and refining your topic. However, you may be even better off using one of the following databases, which will link you to researchable topics and credible sources:
Gale in Context: High School
Click on Browse Topics to start your research. Then select "Biography." As soon as you get to a person's page, check the "Quick Facts" to verify that their Nationality is American.
Gale in Context: US History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
Britannica Encyclopedia
Click on Biography, then filter using National/Cultural Association "American." You can filter further in the "Known for..." category, too!
Biography Reference Center
Browse by genre, but note the nationality of each person.
3. Once you've chosen your influential American to research, you will have to seek out additional resources to fulfill the project requirements. Try out our databases! These would likely be the best to start with:
Gale in Context: High School
Click on Browse Topics to start your research. Then select "Biography." As soon as you get to a person's page, check the "Quick Facts" to verify that their Nationality is American.
Gale in Context: US History
*Login with your Baldwin Library card for access.
Note: It may seem obvious to use the person's name as your keyword (i.e., "Margaret Atwood"), but don't forget about searching specifically for their accomplishments, perhaps alongside their surname.
For example, if you're researching Atwood's accomplishments and impact, you might also want to search for...
- "Handmaid's Tale," her most popular/notable work
- "Feminism AND Atwood," as her writing has significantly influenced feminist discourse, exploring themes of gender, power, and oppression.
- "Environment AND Atwood," as she advocates for climate action and highlights the interconnectedness of humans and nature in her writing.
Alternatively, try searching for the name of your person, then "search within" the results to narrow down the results to a particular subtopic.
4. Primary sources offer a first-hand perspective on events, people, and ideas, providing authentic and unfiltered information. Here are some sources to help you find images, videos, and newspaper articles from the past:
New York Times: TimesMachine
Primary sources! View all back issues of the NYTimes from 1851 to 2002, exactly as they originally appeared.
*You will need the assistance of software like NoodleTools to help you cite these sources. In NoodleTools, New Source, choose "Website" then "Newspaper."
ABC-CLIO World History: Modern Era
Reference sources, primary sources, and images from the 1500s to present
Digital Public Library of America
Online exhibitions & primary source sets.
JSTOR
Academic journals, books, & primary sources. Create an account to get 100 articles free each month.
Library of Congress: Finding Primary Sources
Primary sources of American history
Need more help? Visit your librarian or refresh your memory with Mrs. Truesdell's slides from the research intro lesson.
ASL: Cochlear Implant Debate
Materials for Research:
Recommended Databases for this Project:
*Some databases may require you to login. Click here for usernames and passwords.
Britannica High School
- Try this article on cochlear implants for background information. Also check out this article's "Related" resources for vetted websites.
- Search this database for peer-reviewed sources.
Explora / EBSCO eBooks
- (eBook) The Artifical Ear: Cochlear Implants and the Culture of Deafness
- (eBook) The Silent Garden: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Deaf Child (see Cochlear Implant chapter on page 285)
Gale eBooks
- This article provides an overview on cochlear implants from a health encyclopedia.
- Find similar articles under "Explore" and "Related Subjects"
Gale in Context: High School
- Tip: search "cochlear implants" and narrow down your search results to Academic Journals for data from studies, etc.
Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints
- Search for "cochlear implants" to find articles like the following, then browse related articles, too.
- "Sound judgement: Does curing deafness really mean cultural genocide?"
- "The hearing divide"
- "A tight little island in the world of deafness"
- "In the world of the deaf, hearing poses dangers"
- "Parents2: Hearing both sides: Why would parents deny a deaf child the chance to hear?"
- "The Evolving Debate over Cochlear Implants"
- "Sounds like a good idea"
Google Scholar
- Search for scholarly articles -- the free ones typically show a PDF link to the right of the search result
JSTOR
- We are currently using a free trial for expanded access to content until 4/12/25. Login with username seaholmhs and password Birminghammaples.
- Search for "cochlear implant" for book chapters and scholarly articles such as:
New York Times
- Use the search feature to find news articles as well as opinion pieces related to cochlear implants.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
- Search this database for peer-reviewed sources.
- Search this database for peer-reviewed & popular sources.
Sources from the Web
- (Academic Article) Cochlear implantation in the world's largest medical device market
This paper will: (1) explore the reasons for low utilization of CIs in the United States and (2) discuss what actions might help the CI intervention become more widely known and accepted as the appropriate treatment option for deaf individuals who meet FDA and Medicare candidacy criteria.
- (Article & Audio) Cochlear Implants Redefine What It Means To Be Deaf
From All Things Considered
- (Opinion Article) A Clearer Message on Cochlear Implants
From the New York Times
- (Article) Apparent Benefits of Cochlear Implantation Before Age 2
From the Hearing Health Foundation
- (Article) Audism and the ethics of childhood cochlear implantation
From Medical Device Network.
- (Article) Cochlear Implants Should Be Recommended For Adults More Often
From the Hearing Health Foundation
- (Article) Cochlear Implants: The Miracle Ears
From the Hearing Health Foundation
- (Article) Defiantly Deaf
From the New York Times magazine, 1994
- (Article) Explanations for Cochlear Implant Hesitancy—and What to Do About It
From the Hearing Health Foundation
- (Article) Hear Me Out
Hearing Each Other for the First Time: The Implications of Cochlear Implant Activation
- (Article) Your Concerns About Cochlear Implants, Answered
From the Hearing Health Foundation
- (Video) Can We 'Cure' Deafness and Blindness? Should We?
Actor Marlee Matlin joins groundbreaking researchers in deafness and for a wide-ranging discussion of cutting-edge research and how it will affect lives.
- (Video) Deaf Culture Is Shifting As Hearing Tech Gains Traction (HBO)
As more parents opt for cochlear implants, VICE News explores their impact on the medical condition that gave rise to a cultural identity.
- (Video) How technology has changed what it's like to be deaf | Rebecca Knill
"Complete silence is very addictive," says Rebecca Knill, a writer who has cochlear implants that enable her to hear. In this funny, insightful talk, she explores the evolution of assistive listening technology, the outdated way people still respond to deafness and how we can shift our cultural understanding of ability to build a more inclusive world.
- (Video) Protecting and Interpreting Deaf Culture | Glenna Cooper | TEDxTulsaCC
Deaf advocate Glenna Cooper shares her personal journey as a Deaf child of hearing parents who were told to avoid teaching their daughter sign language.
- (Video) What If You Couldn't Talk? | Justina Miles |TEDxPenn
Miles advocates for the importance of American Sign Language (ASL) in cognitive development and social inclusion, calling for greater acceptance and integration of Deaf culture.
- (Website) A.G. Bell: Hearing Technology
Click on "Cochlear Implants" to narrow down the information for your research needs.
- (Website) Benefits and Risks of Cochlear Implants
From the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- (Website) Cochlear Implants
From the National Institute of Health
- (Website) Cochlear.com
A website by the makers of the implant
World History: "Where would you want to live in the Bronze Age?"
"Harappa Emerges As Major Indus River Valley City"
From: Global Events: Milestone Events Throughout History (Vol. 2: Asia and Oceania. )
"Indus Valley Civilization"
From: Encyclopedia of India (Vol. 2. )
"Indus Valley Religion"
From: Encyclopedia of Religion (Vol. 7. 2nd ed.)
UXL World Eras, Volume 1: Ancient Mesopotamia
UXL World Eras, Volume 2: Ancient Egypt
This series provides in-depth coverage of a given era, focusing on a cultural group and its interaction with other peoples of the world, with a strong emphasis on daily life and social history.
World Eras, Volume 5: Ancient Egypt
World Eras, Volume 8: Ancient Mesopotamia
Examines major civilizations that have flourished from antiquity to modern times, with a global perspective and a strong emphasis on daily life and social history.
Go to "Browse Topics" and choose:
- Ancient China
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Middle East
Tip: Try out the "search within" feature on each Topic Page. For example, if you are already on the Ancient Egypt page, search within for "health" to narrow down your results to health-related articles about Ancient Egypt.
ABC-CLIO World History: Ancient & Medieval Eras
Tip: Search for "Harappa" as well as "Indus River Valley" to get more results.
Database Passwords
A library database is an online searchable collection of information. Library databases contain copyrighted, licensed, proprietary information that is not free -- but don't worry, because the bill has already been paid! A portion of your tax dollars are used to fund education and schools. Libraries buy subscriptions to databases so you can find research and information on a variety of topics.
To prove that you are a licensed user of these resources, you may be asked to provide a username and/or password.
Please note, students must be logged in to their @bps-schools.com Google account to gain access to the password document.
NoodleTools Research Platform
Cite your sources! Take notes! Organize your research!
Additional Online Resources
Baldwin Public Library
All BPS students and staff are eligible for a Baldwin Library card, free of charge. Use it to check out books and access most online databases.
Michigan eLibrary
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a free search engine that helps users find scholarly literature from many sources and disciplines. It can be used to search for: articles, books, theses, abstracts, and court opinions.
Google Scholar ranks documents based on a number of factors, including:
- The full text of the document
- The publication source
- The author
- How often and recently it has been cited in other scholarly literature
Google Scholar's citation feature provides citations in various formats, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago, which can be copied and pasted into work.
Some tips for using Google Scholar include:
- To find newer articles, click Since Year in the left sidebar
- To see only the new additions, click Sort by date in the left sidebar
- To receive new results by email, click the envelope icon in the left sidebar
- If a paper or article links to a commercial publisher website, ask a librarian to help find a copy
Research & Writing Tips
Research process:
Choosing a topic:
Searching for sources:
- Create a Keyword Search (online interactive)
- Database Search Skills
- Top 5 Searching Strategies
- Understanding Library Terms for Research
Evaluating sources:
Taking notes & drafting your project: