SHPL-ONLINE REFERENCE SOURCES

All library patrons have access to the following online reference sources both in the library and from your home computer. To make this section more "user friendly", the library now offers a simple, alphabetic list of all online reference sources available from your home computer. If you would prefer a list of online reference sources by subject, click here.

Starred (*) databases use your library card number as a login.  Others require a drivers license or state ID number, unless other directions are given.

	Power Search It! Save time by clicking on the Power Search button to search multiple online reference sources at one time. Or, you can search individual sources below.
Academic OneFile: Recommended for: Colleges and Universities. Mostly full text. Academic OneFile is the premier source for peer-reviewed, full-text articles from the world's leading journals and reference sources. With extensive coverage of the physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects, Academic OneFile is both authoritative and comprehensive.
Ancestry Library Edition: One of the largest databases of genealogical information. Has census records, immigration records, and more. This database is available on the library's computers only. If you are using the library's wireless access in the building, you may also use them. Remember, though, this link is only available on LIBRARY computers.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index: Recommended for: Genealogy. Index only. Biography and Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) indexes current, readily available reference sources, as well as the most important retrospective works that cover individuals, both living and deceased, from every field of activity and from all areas of the world. Bibliographic citations only -- no full-text. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Books and Authors:  Recommended for: General user, Reading Advice. A database to help you decide what to read. Search by character, topic, setting, time period, genre, title, author and series. Create your own reading room. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Business and Company Resource Center:  Recommended for: General user, Professionals. Business and Company Resource Center is a fully integrated resource bringing together company profiles, brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
ChiltonLibrary.com:  Recommended for: General user. Full text. ChiltonLibrary.com represents the most authoritative automotive repair information available to car owners. There are thousands of year, make, and model combinations covering the most popular vehicles of the past 30 years, plus additional coverage of specialty models. ChiltonLibrary.com gives you the confidence to service or repair virtually any system on your vehicle. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Computer Database: Recommended for: General use. Some full text. Computer Database has over 2,687,481 articles from journals, trade magazines and popular computing magazines. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Culturegrams: Concise, reliable, and up-to-date information on the cultures of the world, including the history, customs and lifestyles of the world's people.
Ebooks on EBSCOHOST: More than 20,000 full-rext ebooks available on all topics. NOTE: You must first register at your library before you can use this resource (formerly NetLibrary).
eLibrary: Recommended for upper elementary through high school. Video, audio, books, pictures, magazines, maps, newspapers and transcripts of TV and radio shows.
eLibrary Elementary: Recommended for: K-12. All full text. Video, audio, books, pictures, magazines, maps, newspapers, & transcripts of TV and radio shows. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Expanded Academic ASAP: Recommended for: Junior and Community Colleges. Mostly full text. Magazine, newspaper and journal articles appropriate to college and university -level research. All topics. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Gale Virtual Reference Library Recommended for: General user. All full text. Gale Virtual Reference Library is 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. Because each library creates its own eBook collection, the content you see may vary if you use the database at different libraries (your school, your public library, or your office). Michigan residents or Michigan library access only. You can also click on individual Gale Virtual Reference Library titles below. *Alternative Energy *American Decades *Ancient Civilizations Reference Library *Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America *Biology *Career Information Center *Chemical Elements: From Carbon to Krypton *Colonial America Reference Library *Countries and Their Cultures *Development of the Industrial U.S. Reference Library *Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages *Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History *Encyclopedia of Business and Finance *Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion *Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior *Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology *Encyclopedia of Religion *Encyclopedia of Small Business *Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine *Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer *Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law *Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders *Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine *Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America *Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History *Growing and Knowing: A Selection Guide for Children's Literature *Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia *St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture *UXL Graphic Novelists *West's Encyclopedia of American Law *Witchcraft in America *World of Earth Science
General BusinessFile ASAP: Recommended for: General user. All full text. Analyze company performance and activity, industry events and trends as well as the latest in management, economics and politics. Access to a combination of broker research reports, trade publications, newspapers, journals and company directory listings with full text and images available. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
General OneFile:  Recommended for general user. Mostly full text. A one-stop source for news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, humanities, law, literature and art, politics, science, social sciences, sports, technology, and many general interest topics. Millions of full-text articles. Updated daily.
General Reference Center Gold:  Recommended for: General user. Mostly full text. General Reference Center Gold on InfoTrac Web provides one-stop access to general interest magazines, business periodicals, reference books, maps, historical images, and newspaper articles. Records are available with a combination of indexing, abstracts, image, or full text formats. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Health and Wellness Resource Center: Recommended for: Students, Patients, Health Professionals. Mostly full text. Provides instant access to carefully compiled and trusted medical reference materials. Includes nearly 400 health/medical journals, hundreds of pamphlets, over 700 health-related videos from partner Healthology, Inc., and articles from 2,200 general interest publications in addition to a broad collection of Thomson Gale reference titles. Includes video. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Health Reference Center Academic Recommended for: Students, Patients, Health Professionals. Mostly full text. Provides access to professional and personal health magazines, journals and reference sources. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
HeritageQuest Online: Recommended for: Genealogy, local history and biography researchers. Some full text. HeritageQuest Online includes all of the images and extensive indexing from the 1790 - 1930 U.S. federal censuses. It offers more than 22,000 digitized book titles, including early family histories and local histories. Additionally, there are more than 250 primary-source documents such as tax lists, city directories, probate records and more. It also includes Periodical Source Index (PERSI), Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, the Freedmans Bank Records, and the U.S. Serial Set Private Relief Actions, Memorials and Petitions. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Helping Hand: This state of Michigan Web site is for people who are dealing with economic hardship. It contains information about jobs and training, unemployment, health care, family support, and housing.
Informe!: Recommended for: Spanish Language Resources. Full text. Una coleccin de revistas hispnicas con textos completos. Abarca negocios, salud, tecnologa, cultura, temas de actualidad y otras materias. Michigan residents access only.
InfoTrac Junior Edition:  Recommended for: Middle and Junior High School. Full text. Over 330 titles, cross searchable with E-Books, this database is designed for students in junior high and middle school with access to a variety of indexed and full-text magazines, newspapers and reference books for information on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
InfoTrac Newsstand: Recommended for: General user. A collection of more than 1,000 full text newspapers from around the country and the world. Translate articles into 11 different languages, create e-mail alerts and customize your search options and results format. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
InfoTrac Student Edition: Recommended for: High School. Mostly full text. Over 1100 titles, cross searchable with E-Books, this database gives access to a variety of indexed and full-text magazines, newspapers, podcasts, and reference books for information on current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Job and Career Accelerator: Easy-to-use online application combining everything you need for a successful job search.
Kids InfoBits:  Recommended for: K-6. All full text. Kids InfoBits is a database developed especially for beginning researchers in Kindergarten through Grade 5. Featuring a developmentally appropriate, visually graphic interface, the most popular search method is moving from a broad subject to a narrower topic using the subject-based topic tree. The curriculum-related, age appropriate, full-text content is from the best elementary reference sources and magazines. This database covers geography, current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history, sports and more. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
LearningExpress Library: contains test preparation materials and interactive practice exams, based on official tests, that will help you improve your scores on academic, civil service, military, and professional licensing and certification exams.  Immediate scoring, complete answer explanations, and individualized analysis of your score is provided. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
LegalTrac:  Recommended for: General user, professional. Some full text. Students, law school faculty and legal researchers will all find the legal publications they need in LegalTrac. Drawing on a wide variety of the most highly regarded legal publications, LegalTrac provides indexing for more than 1,400 titles including major law reviews, legal newspapers, bar association journals and international legal journals. Each title included in LegalTrac is selected on the basis of criteria provided by a special advisory committee of the American Association of Law Libraries. LegalTrac also contains law-related articles from over 1,000 additional business and general interest titles. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
Livemocha: Livemocha is a language learning database featuring courses in 36 languages at beginning and intermediate levels, using many of the same language learning techniques as the renowned Rosetta Stone. The site also functions as a social networking site with other learners, boasting a global community of more than five million members. Clicking on the link will take you to Livemocha's site, where you can register. Free to everyone.
For Magazine Index (or Reader's Guide) see General Reference Center Gold
Making of Modern Michigan:  Recommended for: General user. Some full text. Michigan's unique heritage is represented through photographs, family papers, oral histories, genealogical materials and much more from local history collections around the state. No login required.
Making the Right Connection: a user-friendly directory for Macomb County school personnel to help link students and their families with community services. Some full text.
MeLCat: Recommended for: General user. A catalog of materials available through Michigan libraries. Patrons of participating libraries can order items from other statewide participating libraries and have them delivered to their local library branch.
Michigan Authors and Illustrators: Recommended for: General user, Reading Advice. A searchable database of Michigan authors and illustrators. Provides biographical and contact information. Indicates whether person will do library presentations. No log-in required.
MSU Turfgrass Information File (TGIF):  Recommended for: General user. Some full text. In the 1960s, the Michigan State University (MSU) Library began to collect printed turfgrass materials. In 1968, the personal collection of the late O.J. Noer, pioneer turf agronomist, was added to the library holdings through the O.J. Noer Foundation. Today, the combined collection is recognized as the most extensive public collection of turfgrass material in existence. Between 1983 and 1992, the United States Golf Association (USGA) Turfgrass Research Program supported the development of the USGA Turfgrass Information File (TGIF). Using the Noer Collection as a foundation, TGIF was designed to systematically inventory published turf research and make the bibliographic information available via a computerized database. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
New York Times: Recommended for: General user. All full text. The daily newspaper New York Times 1995-present. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
NoveList: Recommended for: Readers of fiction of all ages, librarians and teachers. Helps to find the next best fiction to read. Search by author, title, series, plot, or even books like the one you just finished. Browse lists of award winners, lists of genres, and lists based on age. Create and save lists of your own favorites. Find book discussion guides and more. This has something for children, young adults, and adults, plus specific information for teachers and librarians. Michigan references or Michigan library access only.
Nursing Resource Center: Disease and drug overviews, careplans, relevant journal results and animated anatomy and physiology diagrams to complement the core encyclopedia texts.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context: This database is a dynamic online library of current even topics--- the facts and arguments of each topic's pros and cons.
For Reader's Guide (or Magazine Index) see General Reference Center Gold
SIRS Discoverer:  Recommended for: K-9. All full text. A children's database of articles, books, video, audio on all topics. The interface is appropriate to children and includes reading levels, teacher's help pages, and more. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
SIRS Renaissance:  Recommended for: High school, College and University. Full text. Provides dynamic information on the following topics: architecture and design, culture, literature, multimedia, music, performing arts, philosophy and religion, and visual arts. Full-text articles are selected from more than 1,200 domestic and international publications. Many articles are accompanied by full-color images, including art reproductions, photographs, and illustrations. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.
SLC Digital Media Archive:  This archive gives users access to local historical and genealogical materials in digital form. View old pictures, maps, and documents from Macomb County, Troy, and Harper Woods.
Small Business Resource Center: Learn how to start, finance or manage your small business. Includes sample business plans, how-to guides, articles and Web sites.
WorldCat:  Recommended for: General user. The world's largest online catalog of books and magazines. Includes a description of the item and which libraries own the item. Michigan residents or Michigan library access only.