About the Reference Databases

Unless noted as "In Library Use Only” these resources are available from any internet connection. Access to most databases will require a valid C/W MARS library card number. Please contact the Northborough Free Library if you have any questions about using these resources. For a few databases, access is available only to Northborough residents.

 

Click here to return to databases listed by subject

 

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Academic One File is the premier source for peer-reviewed, full-text articles with authoritative and extensive coverage of the sciences, technology, medicine, the arts, theology, literature, and other subjects from the world’s leading journals and reference sources. Updated daily, millions of articles and podcasts are available in both PDF and HTML.

Academic One File Select covers everything from art and literature to economics and the sciences. This resource for academic research integrates the full text of publications from across the disciplines and now includes vocational/technical titles used by community college students, filling a specific need for curriculum-oriented collections. 
 
Access World News provides coverage from a variety of news publications worldwide, including major national and international newspapers, local and regional titles, newswires, blogs, web-only content, videos, journals, magazines, transcripts and more. Access World News is updated daily to keep students informed of current issues and events.
View Access World News tutorial here...
 

Agriculture Collection provides a comprehensive view of agriculture and related fields. This database includes content that spans the industry--from practical aspects of farming to cutting edge scientific research in horticulture.

 

Ancestry Library Edition contains thousands of family history databases, including vital records, census records, ship passenger lists, military records, and lots more! Available for use only at the library. View Ancestry tutorial here...

 
 

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B

Biography in Context delivers nearly a million biographical entries spanning history and geography. This Gale Group resource offers media-rich content in context by integrating reference material, periodical information, and multimedia content that's updated daily. There are 600,000+ biographies covering more than 525,000 individuals, with 50,000 new or updated bios added annually. Daily updates are also made to account for awards and events. Furthermore, there are hundreds of topic pages covering the highest-interest features.
 

Boston Globe provides access to issues from 1980 to today. The Boston Globe’s detailed indexing helps users quickly find the news information they need. Each issue is indexed thoroughly, so users have access to not only top news stories but also the information contained on the various sections of the paper. The indexing covers not only complete bibliographic information but also companies, people, products, etc.
 

Boston Metro Collection from Newsbank provides full text and selected coverage from over 95 local eastern Massachusetts newspapers from Abington to Worcester, including the Metrowest Daily News, the Shrewsbury Chronicle, The Northborough-Southborough Villager, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, and more.
View Newsbank Tutorial here...

Britannica Encyclopedia Moderna covers all fields of knowledge, including arts, geography, philosophy, science, sports, and much more. Users will enjoy a quick reference of 24,000 entries and 2.5 million words. More then 4,800 images, graphs, and tables further enlighten students and clarify subject matter. The simple A-Z organization and clear descriptions will appeal to both Spanish speakers and students of Spanish.

 
Britannica Escolar is a Spanish language encyclopedia for grades K-8.
 
Britannica Fundamentals is for children aged 4-7. It's an interactive learning environment of developmentally-appropriate activities for early childhood. Interactivity is focused on maps and videos, games and learning materials, word and letter activities. Fundamental early childhood concepts include animals, colors, geography, numbers, shapes, sounds, time and more.
 
Britannica Library Edition offers home pages for three levels—Children, Young Adults, or the Reference Center--allowing users to find the most suitable content for school projects or for learning something new. Research sources include three databases, thousands of curated articles and magazines, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, recommended websites, along with a pop-up Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus.
 
Britannica School Edition is the go-to site for learning more about any subject—for all grades and all reading abilities—offering thousands of up-to-date, curated, and curriculum-relevant articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended Web sites, and three separate databases—Elementary, Middle, or High.
 
Business Collection provides coverage of all business disciplines, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing and strategy; as well as business theory and discipline. Users will understand the activities of industries and companies worldwide through business and trade publications, complemented by a selection of international, domestic, and regional news publications.
 
 
 

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C

C

 
Communication & Mass Media Collection provides access to journals and magazines focusing on all aspects of the communications field. Key topics included in the database include advertising and public relations, literature and writing, linguistics, and more.
 
Consumer Reports Online offer product reviews and ratings on cars, electronics, appliances, and more.
View Consumer Reports tutorial here...
 
Criminal Justice Collection provides access to journals and magazines on topics in criminal justice and related fields. Key subjects included in the database include law enforcement, security, and terrorism.
     
Culinary Arts Collection provides access to journals and magazines on all aspects of cooking and nutrition. The database includes thousands of searchable recipes, restaurant reviews, and industry information.

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D
 
Diversity Studies Collection provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that explore cultural differences, contributions, and influences in the global community. The database is a must-have for social science, history, and liberal arts coursework.

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E
Economics & Theory provides access to academic journals and magazines focusing on topics in economics and related fields. The database has an emphasis on titles indexed in the American Economic Association's EconLit bibliography.
 
Elementary gives children a safe place to find answers to their questions, practice research skills, and explore interests inside and outside the classroom. It also gives teachers access to digital resources that can supplement and enhance in-person and online instruction.
 
Environmental Studies provides users with comprehensive information, empowering learners to critically analyze and understand important topics that affect people around the world. Explore topics and events within Earth systems, global change, pollution, populations, and more.
 
Environmental Studies and Policy Collection provides access to scholarly journals, magazines, and other reference sources covering environmental issues and policies. The database includes diverse perspectives from the scientific community, governmental policymakers, and corporate interests.

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F
Fine Arts and Music Collection provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that support research in areas including drama, music, art history, and filmmaking. The database emphasizes full-text content for publications included in the Wilson Art Index and RILM bibliography.

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G
Gardening and Horticulture provides access to academic journals and magazines focused on both the practical aspects and the scientific theory of horticulture studies. The database offers biotechnologists, farmers, hobbyists, and landscape architects alike access to important content relevant to their pursuits.
 
Gender Studies Collection provides balanced coverage of this significant aspect of culture and society. The database offers access to scholarly journals and magazines covering topics including gender studies, family and marital issues, and more.
 

General OneFile is a one-stop source for news, magazine, and periodical articles across a wide range of general interest topics and academic disciplines. With millions of articles available in both PDF and HTML full-text, General OneFile serves a wide audience of readers.

 

Global Issues in Context offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events. Featured are hundreds of continuously updated issue and country portals that bring together a variety of specially selected, highly relevant sources for analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health, and cultural issues.

 

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Health and Medicine is created specifically for students, knowledgeable consumer health researchers, and health care professionals. It provides access to more than 2,500 embargo-free, full-text periodicals, reference books, pamphlets, and hundreds of videos demonstrating medical procedures and live surgeries

Health Reference Center Academic provides access to medical and professional periodicals, health and fitness magazines, and reference books and pamphlets. The database is designed for both nursing and allied health students as well as consumer health researchers. The material contained in this database is intended for informational purposes only.

 
   

Health & Wellness Resource Center provides access to alternative-medicine focused magazines, journals, newspapers, directories, definitions, videos, and reference information on medicine, nutrition, diseases, public health, pregnancy, herbal remedies, etc. Included are links to diet, cancer, and health assessment sites, as well as government databases. Easily access 700+ videos from Healthology Inc.'s consumer health video library. Spanish language videos are available. The material contained in this Resource Center is for informational purposes only.

HeritageQuest Online provides access to more than 4.4 billion records. It delivers an essential collection of genealogical and historical sources—with coverage dating back to the 1700s—that can help people find their ancestors and discover a place’s past.
 
High School Edition is designed for middle- and high-school students and provides access to age-appropriate, authoritative digital content for classroom assignments. Learners can research magazines, journals, newspapers, and reference books covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.
 
Home Improvement Collection provides access to titles covering topics including architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and others. The database offers content that meets the needs of hobbyists and professionals alike.
 
Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure Collection provides access to scholarly journals, magazines, and trade publications that cover topics including the cultural and economic aspects of travel and tourism. The database offers current and relevant content that provides well-rounded coverage of both the historical and the current state of affairs in hospitality and tourism

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I

Information Science provides access to scholarly journals and trade publications essential for library science students, information science and technology students, and other knowledge workers. The database offers coverage of topics including information infrastructure, metadata architecture, publishing, and more.

 
Insurance & Liability Collection provides access to academic journals and trade publications covering the insurance industry, including topics such as labor relations, mortgage banking, legal issues, and more. The database offers content of interest to individual property owners and multinational corporations alike.

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L

Leadership & Management provides access to authoritative periodical content covering topics such as 21st-century skills, organizational dynamics and leadership, adult learning and continuing education, and more. Updated daily, this library resource is useful for researchers or any professional interested in career development.
 
Learning Express is the ultimate one-stop shop for test preparation and skill building. It features hundreds of online tutorials, practice tests, and eBooks. It also offers a job search utility and workplace skill building tools in reading, writing, math, and basic science. Users can also find information on career certification and licensure exam prep, college and grad school entrance test prep, TOEIC® test prep, and more.
 View Learning Express tutorial here...
 
Legal Forms offers a wide selection of essential state-specific (Massachusetts) and multi-state legal forms that may be customized for the most common legal procedures. These forms are used by attorneys and law firms. Includes real estate contracts, wills, premarital agreements, bankruptcy, divorce, landlord tenant, filing for copyrights, and many others.

 

Literature Resource Center contains up-to-date biographical information, overviews, full-text literary criticism, and reviews on more than 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.


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Middle School provides reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and much more. Students will find outstanding support to complete assignments in core subjects including literature, science, social studies, and history.
 
Military & Intelligence Database provides access to scholarly journals, magazines, and reports covering all aspects of the past and current state of military affairs. The database offers content in key subject areas including governmental policies, the socioeconomic effects of war, the structure of the armed forces, and more.
 

Morningstar Mutual Funds Library Edition Morningstar provides access to daily market news and commentary, snapshots on investments, easy-to-use portfolio management tools, and video reports and articles. It also features major market news and analyst insights. Remote access is available to Northborough residents. Please contact the Library for instructions. View Morningstar tutorial here...


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N

News is an innovative full-text newspaper resource that allows you to search articles instantly by title, headline, date, author, newspaper section, or other fields. News provides access to more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, as well as leading titles from around the world. It also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts and transcripts.
 
Nursing & Allied Health Collection provides access to academic and other reference content covering all aspects of the nursing profession, from direct patient care to health care administration. The database provides current and authoritative content for professionals already working in the field as well as students pursuing a nursing-focused curriculum. 

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O

O
Opposing Viewpoints covers timely issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusion


P

P
 
Pebble Go is a collection of curriculum-based resources for students to research through and learn from. It is specifically aimed at K-3 with easily navigable guidance.
 
Peterson's Career Prep will help job seekers create a résumé, search for jobs, and more. Peterson's Career Prep's focused and streamlined content accommodates job seekers at all levels, whether they’re entering the workforce for the first time or searching for new opportunities.
 
Peterson's Test Prep offers standardized test preparation, provides information for researching and selecting college and graduate schools, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. Students can turn future goals into realities with test prep assistance for career certification exams, as well as, advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing and networking, and so much more. 
 
Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine provides access to academic journals and magazines covering the fields of fitness and sports. The database offers a wide spectrum of information, including proven treatment techniques, experimental research, and more.
 
Pop Culture Collection provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that both analyze and contribute to popular culture. The database offers useful information for researchers in social science, history, art, and liberal arts courses.
 
Popular Magazines provides access to the most searched magazines across the InfoTrac products. All of the titles are selected based on actual publication searches performed by library patrons and the database includes many titles recommended by Bowker's "Magazines for Libraries."
 
Psychology Collection provides access to academic journals and magazines that cover the study of emotions, personality, and the human mind. The database offers content of interest to both researchers and general users.

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R

Religion & Philosophy Collection provides access to scholarly journals and magazines of interest to both researchers and general users. The database offers balanced content that covers topics across a wide range of philosophies and religions.
 
Research Companion helps students do more effective scholarly research and supports educators as they teach the core principles of information literacy of finding, evaluating, and using information.
 

Rosetta Stone is an online language learning tool that offers 30 languages and 5 levels of instruction to meet a range of community needs, including American English. Focused activities and core lessons build reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Mobile apps help learners to refine and reinforce new language skills on-the-go. View Rosetta Stone tutorial here...


S

S

Science in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics. This continually updated resource includes content from Gale's authoritative reference collection along with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, experiments, images, videos, audio files, and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.

 
Science Database is a growing resource of 7.3 million full text articles from over 1,600 sources. In full-text format, researchers have access to all the charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, photos, and other graphical elements that are vital to scientific and engineering literature. It supports the needs of students in applied and general sciences.
 
Science Interactive (Gale Interactive: Science) is a highly visual online learning tool that takes visual-spatial learning to the next level by bringing the lab to the classroom. High-value, rich-media digital content selected from authoritative classroom resources paired with interactive 3D models to deliver a virtual laboratory simulation experience for students in middle school and high school grades. Students can entertain their curiosity and inspire grade improvement through an experience that allows zooming in, rotating, or pulling models apart to explore and experiment with complex scientific topics.
 
Small Business Resource Center covers all major areas of starting and operating a business: financing, management, marketing, human resources, franchising, accounting, taxes, and more. Startups, established businesses, and business students alike can find answers from its mobile responsive experience.

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U

U. S. History in Context is for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. History. It 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.


V

V

Valueline provides investment analysis of 17,000 widely-followed analyst covered companies with full-page reports and analyst commentaries. This powerful on-line investment tool also features unbiased ratings and reports, analytical summary and index, guided selection and opinion, and market-driven supplements. View Value Line tutorial here...
 

Vocations and Careers Collections provides access to journals and magazines that aid users in researching a vocation, finding an appropriate institution of learning, job searching, and maintaining a career. The database offers current and applicable content from general career guides to highly specialized industry journals.


W

W

War & Terrorism Collection provides access to academic journals and magazines of interest to analysts, risk management professionals, and students of military science, history, and social science. The database offers balanced coverage of both historic and contemporary topics in the fields of war and terrorism.
 

World History in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in World History. It 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.

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