Skip to Main Content

*Library DIY

Searching Reference Sources

Reference databases are general in nature and provide facts about a wide array of subjects. They are useful for locating introductory or background information needed to start your research. Reference databases include sources such as biographical information, dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, handbooks, almanacs, manuals, and yearbooks.

Burgess Library provides access to the following reference databases:

 

Britannica Academic 

Explore the updated online encyclopedia from Encyclopaedia Britannica with hundreds of thousands of articles, biographies, videos, images, and Web sites.

Credo Reference 

Provides cross-searchable access to over three million entries from 273 titles and 57 publishers. Features full-text content from hundreds of reference books covering every major subject.

Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia 

This database provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.

Gale Virtual Reference Library 

A database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7.

History Reference Center 

Offers full text from more than 1,620 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books, cover to cover full text for more than 150 leading history periodicals, nearly 57,000 historical documents, more than 78,000 biographies of historical figures, more than 113,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 80 hours of historical video.

Science Reference Center 

A comprehensive research database that provides easy access to a multitude of full text science-oriented content. This database contains full text for nearly 640 science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife.