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Research Tools

The Berkeley Public Library has a variety of research tools available to the community. Whether you are looking for information for a research project or need assistance for a homework assignment, you can find the information you need fast.

Ancestry & Genealogy

Ancestry.com An extensive resource for genealogy and family history research. Search Census, birth, death, and military records. Library use only.

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Genealogy & Local History @ Newberry Library Explore the Newberry’s collections of family and local histories; censuses, probate, deed, court, tax, and cemetery records; military rosters; and genealogical guides.

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NARA Resources for Genealogists The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides access to resources for exploring family history and includes online tutorials, guides, and access to archival databases.

Arts & Crafts

Creative Bug Unlimited access to art and craft classes taught by top designers and artists. Sewing, painting, and more. 1000+ video classes available!

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Hobbies & Crafts Source is a database of detailed "how to" instructions and creative do-it-yourself ideas that meet the interests of nearly every hobby enthusiast.

Automotive & Home

Auto Repair Source Find accurate, authoritative and up-to-date service and repair information for thousands of domestic and imported vehicles. All content comes from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and includes step-by-step repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts and labor estimates, service bulletins, and recalls. 

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Home Improvement Source provides detailed, user-friendly “how-to” information covering a variety of do-it-yourself home improvement and repair projects.

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Small Engine Repair Source provides detailed, user-friendly repair guides for all manner of small engines, from motorcycles and ATVs to generators and outdoor power equipment.

Books, Literature, & Language

Literary Reference Source is a rich full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories and poems.

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Read It! is designed for middle and high school students and adults who have a basic foundation of English grammar and reading but need adapted reading material on a variety of subjects.

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Mango Languages believes that language connects cultures. Once you click 'Use Mango as a Guest', you'll be able to establish an account and get access to all the language learning tools for free.

 

NoveList Plus A comprehensive source of information about books that includes expert recommendations, reviews, articles, lists and more. 

 

NoveList K-8 The same detailed resources as NoveList, but focused exclusively for growing minds and their parents! 

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Comics Plus! Use your library card to get instant access to 100s of your favorite graphic novel and manga titles for free, online!

 

Primary Search is a full-text database of carefully curated content for elementary school libraries. It includes full text for the most popular children's magazines, e-books, and easy-to-read encyclopedic entries written specifically for kids. 

Business, Law, & Finance

Business Source Complete The industry's most widely used business research database, Business Source Premier features full text and searchable cited references for top journals covering a variety of business disciplines.  

 

Small Business Source Exclusive full text for many top consumer small business reference books, as well as tools to address many small business topics. Includes business-focused videos, a help and advice section, and details on how to create business plans. 

 

Consumer Reports In addition to product ratings and reviews, find in-depth advice, tips, and trends written by Consumer Reports experts. Contains frequently updated articles, blogs, and video content. 

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Legal Information Source This online database provides access to the latest State and Federal legal forms for all U.S. states. 

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Regional Business News provides full-text regional business publications for the United States and Canadian provinces. Users can search newspapers, magazines and other resources from trusted news sources. 

Consumer Health & Wellness

Alt Healthwatch is a full-text alternative health research database focused on complementary, holistic and integrated approaches to health care and wellness.

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Consumer Health Complete Provides valuable, authoritative consumer health information.  

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Health Source: Consumer Edition is a full-text database covers a wide variety of subjects, including information on specific diseases as well as overall health topics.

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Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition is a trusted full-text database covering nursing and allied health topics, including pediatric nursing, critical care, mental health, nursing management, medical law and more.

 

Medline Plus The National Institutes of Health provide access to reliable health information from researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses, and educators. 

 

NIH Health Information NIH Health Information provides free information on diseases, clinical trials, community resources, fitness and nutrition, and more.

General Information & Multidisciplinary

Academic Search Complete A leading scholarly database, Academic Search Premier provides access to acclaimed full-text journals, magazines, and other valuable research and informational resources. 

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Agricola contains bibliographic records from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Library, AGRICOLA provides millions of citations relating to the field of agriculture. 

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ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) is an authoritative database of indexed and full-text education literature and resources.

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Ethnic Diversity Source is a full-text database is a dedicated resource covering the culture, traditions, social treatment and lived experiences of different ethnic groups in America.

 

LGBTQ+ Source is the definitive database for LGBTQ+ studies. It provides scholarly and popular LGBTQ+ publications in full text, plus historically important primary sources, including monographs, magazines, newspapers and videos.

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MAS Complete is a research database that contains full text for hundreds of popular magazines and e-books covering news, politics, science, sports, culture and more.

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MasterFILE Complete offers the highest quality collection of popular full-text magazines, reference books, videos and other sources covering virtually every subject area.

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Primary Search Designed for elementary school students, Primary Search is a full-text database providing popular children's magazines, easy-to-read encyclopedic entries, and a vast image collection.

 

Middle Search Plus Designed for middle school students, Middle School Plus is a full-text database providing popular middle school magazines and reference books. Covering subjects such as history, current events, science, and sports; it also includes thousands of biographies and primary source documents, plus over a million photos, maps and flags.

 

Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers and newswires and offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources. 

 

World Fact Book Provides information and statistics on the people, culture, history, geography, government, and economy for 267 world entities.  

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​Points of View Reference Center Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, this database provides rich content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues, and develop analytical thinking skills. 

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Read It! Designed for middle and high school students and adults who have a basic foundation in English grammar and reading but need adapted reading material for a variety of subjects. Offers resources to help build background knowledge, conduct research and improve study skills.  

History

History Reference Center Designed for secondary schools, public libraries, and undergraduate research, History Reference Center features full-text for more than 1,990 reference books, encyclopedias, and non-fiction books. 

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Biography Reference Center offers in-depth profiles, full-text articles, images, and abstracts. 

Science & Technology

Science Daily Updated several times a day with breaking news and feature articles seven days a week, Science Daily covers discoveries in all fields of the physical, biological, earth and applied sciences. 

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Science Reference Source Designed to meet every student researcher's needs, Science Reference Source contains full-text for hundreds of science journals, magazines, encyclopedias, reference books, and a vast collection of images. 

Test Prep & Professional Development

Learning Express is a suite of highly-acclaimed eLearning solutions provides interactive tutorials, practice tests, e-books, flashcards and articles for academic skill-building, standardized test preparation, career development and more. 

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Professional Development Collection is a highly specialized database of full-text electronic information especially for educators, professional librarians and education researchers. 

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Magoosh ACT Prep  

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Magoosh SAT Prep 

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