BHS IRC Online Subscription Databases
Database
eLibrary
Proquest: CultureGrams
Proquest: History Study
Center
ProQuest Learning: Literature
InfoTrac
Newsbank InfoWeb
Today’s Science
ProQuest Newspapers
Description
More than 2000 full-text sources. Includes magazines,
newspapers, books, TV/radio transcripts, maps,
pictures, and audio/video clips.
Offers concise, reliable and up to date country reports
on 182 cultures of the world, U.S. states and Canadian
provinces, and more.
Gathers primary and secondary sources into over 500
survey and specific topics frequently taught in
American and World History classes.
Offers original full-text works, author biographies, and
contemporary criticism. Relevant secondary source
materials place works in context.
Offers a number of general and specialized databases
on topics such as health, business, education,
biographies, and literary criticism.
Provides articles from the electronic editions of 27
news magazines; a “Special Reports” section; and
current events “Hot Topics.”
Science news and information written especially for
students.
User ID
Password
Full-text articles from the electronic editions of sixteen
Massachusetts and Rhode Island newspapers.
To access BHS databases from any internet connected computer:

Brockton Public Schools homepage: www.brocktonpublicschools.com

Our Schools
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Brockton High School
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Library Resources – Destiny (2x)

Brockton High
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Select a database under Student Resources

Enter appropriate IDs and/or passwords
sdoherty, updated 3/08
The Internet vs. Databases
Handout is adapted from various public library handouts found online.
The Internet:
The Internet is a worldwide system of computer networks. When you search the Internet through search engines like Google and Yahoo, you are
searching the “free” areas of the Internet. Your results will be a list of web sites. Anyone can put up a web site, so you have to evaluate web sites
in order to determine if the information is accurate and reliable.
Library Databases:
School and public libraries also provide access to a variety of databases that are available through the Internet. These databases are not free.
Libraries subscribe to these databases for a fee and then provide access to them for patrons. These databases contain information such as
newspaper, magazine, and encyclopedia articles. The materials come from publishers, so they have been checked for accuracy and reliability.
When do I use the Internet and when do I use a database?
Use the Internet when you:
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Are willing to evaluate the web site's content
Want to go to a specific web site
Want information on a unique topic
Want government information such as tax forms
Are doing background, preliminary reading on a topic
The Internet does have some excellent information - including
some information that is not available anywhere else. You just
have to be willing to sort through the information and determine
what is reliable. The internet can be used for homework,
research, and for fun.
Use databases when you want:
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Newspaper articles
Magazine articles
Encyclopedia articles
Specialized reference
Academic journals
A wide variety of reliable published information
You can sometimes get the exact same article from a print
source, but it might be easier for you to get it from a database.
Many databases are available from home (internet-connected)
computers with school passwords or a library card number.
Tips for using databases:
1. Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) or Advanced options to focus searches.
2. Use quotation marks to search for two or more terms that are one topic (ie., “circus elephants”)
3. Select Full Text when given the option.
4. Preview and mark articles of interest, then look more closely at them.
5. Use tabs and other features.
6. Use the Print button.
sdoherty, updated 3/08
Citing Databases / MLA Style
Basic MLA format for database citations:
1. Follow the format for the original print source: book, newspaper article, etc.
2. Then add the database information: Name of database. Name of database service.
Name of library where accessed, location. Date accessed <URL of database>.
Sample entries for select BHS databases
Electric Library
1. A signed article on Electric Library that was originally published in Ms. Magazine follows MLA
magazine format for the first part of the citation:
Gonzales, Sarah. “That Masked Man.” Ms. 1 July 2005: 90.
2. Then the database information is added to the end of the citation:
Electric Library. ProQuest. Brockton High School lib., Brockton, MA. 7 Apr. 2006.
<http:www.elibrary.com>.
3. The full citation looks like this:
Gonzales, Sarah. “That Masked Man.” Ms. 1 July 2005: 90. Electric Library.
ProQuest. Brockton H. S. lib., Brockton, MA. 7 Apr. 2006. <http:www.elibrary.com>.
InfoTrac
Infotrac is the service for a number of different databases.
Example: An unsigned article from a reference book found in the Biography Resource Center
database
"Isabel Allende." Contemporary Hispanic Biography. Vol. 1. Gale Group, 2002.
Biography Resource Center. InfoTrac. Brockton H. S. lib., Brockton, MA.
2 Apr. 2006. <http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC>.
sdoherty, updated 3/08
ProQuest Newspapers
Basic format for newspaper articles found on Proquest:
Author name (if available). "Article Title." Newspaper Title Date, edition, section (if available):
page (or number of paragraphs if unavailable). Massachusetts Newsstand. Proquest.
Name of library where accessed, location. Date accessed.
<http://infoweb.newsbank.com>.
Example: Signed newspaper article
Bruun, Matthew. "Pain at the Pump: Consumers Fret about Soaring Gas Prices, but Will Their
Habits Change?. " Telegram & Gazette [Worcester, Mass.] 24 Mar. 2008, B.1.
Massachusetts Newsstand. Proquest. Brockton H.S. lib., Brockton, MA. 31 Mar.
2008 <http://www.proquest.com/>
Today’s Science
Because this database produces original articles for students rather than collecting print and
other materials, it is cited slightly differently. Follow this format for all articles:
Basic Format:
“Article Title.” Today’s Science on File. Issue date (month year). Today's Science @
FACTS.com. Facts On File News Services. Name of library where accessed, location.
Date of access. <http://www.2facts.com>.
Example:
"Genetically Engineered Food Coming Soon to a Store Near You...Will You Eat It?." Today's
Science On File Sept. 1992. Today's Science @ FACTS.com. Facts On File News
Services. Brockton H. S. lib., Brockton, MA. 7 Apr. 2006 <http://www.2facts.com>.
sdoherty, updated 3/08
SEMLS Research Databases for Home Users
<http://www.brocktonpubliclibrary.org/web/homedatabases.html>
You can access the following SEMLS [Southeastern Massachusetts Library System] databases
from home. You will need to type in your OCLN library card number for each database.
Magazine Articles
IAC Searchbank: Access to general-interest, academic, business, market-research and healthrelated articles.
Newspapers
Proquest Newspapers: Full-text articles from the Patriot Ledger from 1995, the New York
Times from 1999 and the Wall Street Journal from 1982.
Newsbank: Search major newspapers including the Boston Globe and Boston Herald.
Business Information
General BusinessFile ASAP: Includes articles on business and management topics as well as
directory listings for more than 150,000 companies.
Biography
Biography Resource Center: Includes over one million thumbnail biographies from the
Complete Marquis Who’s Who, the Who's Who of African Americans, and 250 full-text
periodicals.
Books & Authors
Contemporary Authors and Contemporary Literary Criticism: Provides biographical and
bibliographical information as well as critical essays on contemporary authors.
Netlibrary: Access eBooks that can be viewed online from any PC connected to the Internet.
Click on the Create a Free Account link in the upper right corner to create your personal
netLibrary account.
Standardized Test Practice
Learning Express: Learning Express provides a completely interactive online learning
platform of practice testes and tutorial course series designed to help patrons, students, and
adult learners succeed on the academic or licensing tests they must pass. You'll get immediate
scoring, complete answer explanations, and an individualized analysis of your results. You
must have a valid library card. The first time you access the practice test select new user. Your
library card number is the username. Your default password is 'ocln'.
sdoherty, updated 3/08
sdoherty, updated 3/08