rev. Nov. 8, 2010
The MPI Library's Online Databases for Middle/High School
These databases (except for the MPI online catalog) are password-protected subscription services. They are paid for by the MPI Library and are intended for use by MPI students and faculty. Students can ask any of the library staff for the IDs and passwords needed for off-campus access. Users on our campus network will not need to enter user IDs and passwords.
Articles from all the subscription databases can be formatted for printing or can be emailed to any address.
CLICK ON ONE OF THESE LINKS TO JUMP QUICKLY TO A DATABASE FURTHER DOWN ON THIS PAGE:
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LitFinder (literature-related) |
Gale databases (Discovering Collection and Gale Virtual Reference Library)
GOOD
DATABASES FOR:
CURRENT EVENTS: MAS Ultra—School Edition (EBSCOhost) * Global Issues in Context.
CURRENT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES: Issues and Controversies (Facts on File) * Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society (ABC-CLIO) * MPI Catalog.
HISTORY: MPI Catalog * Gale Virtual Reference Library—History Subcollections (Gale) * Discovering Collection (Gale) * Facts on File * ABC-CLIO * History Reference Center (EBSCOhost) * Encyclopedia of American Immigration (Salem History).
POPULAR CULTURE & DAILY LIFE (both contemporary & historical): Daily Life Through History (ABC-CLIO) * Pop Culture Universe (ABC-CLIO).
HEALTH/MEDICINE: Consumer Health Complete (EBSCOhost) * Magill’s Medical Guide.
SCIENCE: Science Online and Today’s Science (Facts on File) * Discovering Collection (Gale) * Gale Virtual Reference Library—Science/Environmental Subcollection (Gale) (note: this Sci/Envir subcollection only covers science history and environmental issues; other current science topics are not included).
Searching: After you do a search on the opening screen (Basic tab), note that on the search results screen, there are two tabs in the upper-right corner: sometimes the default "Search" list will get good results, but sometimes the "Browse" tab will get better results. A Keyword search may find more books than a Subject search, but with a greater risk of false hits. When you search, you can use truncation with the asterisk (*). On the Power tab you can do a Boolean search (AND, OR, NOT).
Sorting order: On the results screen, you may get better results by changing the sorting order (esp. by Call Number, Relevance, or Date).
Going back to a previous screen: If you want to go back to a previous screen, use the links on the green bar at the top. (Sometimes using the Back button generates error messages.)
DESTINY PERSONAL ACCOUNTS: All MPI students have personal accounts in Destiny (our online library catalog). You can log in from the Login button at the top-right corner of the catalog home page. (You can log in from off campus as well as on campus.) When you log in, use the same User Name and password that you use to log into the school network computers (in other words, your User Name is your student ID number.) When you log into your account, you can do several things, including:
-- see what books you currently have checked out and when they're due, or see what books are overdue, or what fines you owe;
-- renew books yourself (even from home!) – (but you can only renew books that are not overdue);
-- see your own borrowing history;
-- write book reviews;
-- send a book recommendation to a friend.
To learn how to
do the things listed above, watch this ONLINE TUTORIAL: Using Destiny Accounts (5 min.).
Or, if you prefer a written sheet, use this Student Destiny Account tip sheet (PDF).
EBSCOhost databases [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI
librarians for the MPI User ID and password.
See bottom of page for notes about EBSCOhost Mobile, an app that will let you access this database on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and other smartphones.
EBSCOhost primarily includes periodical (magazine and newspaper) articles, but also some reference book chapters, pamphlets, and primary source documents.
Many—but not all—of the articles are in full text (HTML or PDF).
CURRENT/GENERAL research: In the High School and Middle School Databases section, the MAS Ultra—School Edition database is for high school use. Middle Search Plus is for middle school use. There are also Nonfiction Book Collection databases for both middle & high school that include full text for thousands of books. There are also many other topic-specific databases (e.g., GreenFILE, Health Source, Computer Source, etc.)
HISTORICAL
research: Use the History
Reference Center database (a mix of eBooks and periodical
articles). You can browse major U.S. or World History topics with the Browse Subjects icons. If you’re doing a keyword search,
you can click on Advanced Search and
use the Timeline scrolling menu under Limit Your Results to limit
your search to a particular time period in either World or U.S.
history.
Or use the Nonfiction Book
Collection databases for both middle & high school that
include full text for thousands of books.
The EBSCOhost databases all open up by default to a Keyword search, but for common terms/topics, a Subject search (blue bar at top) may get more on-topic results. On the Basic Search screen (the Keyword screen), if you enter more than one word, the search returns records that contain ALL of the words in your search string. Use quotation marks for phrases (or select Boolean/Phrase in the Search Options section). You can use Boolean logic (AND, OR, NOT) and also truncation with the asterisk (*).
On the results page: The default sorting order is by Relevance. If you want only recent articles, use the Publication Dates slider on the side. After you’ve done that, if you want to put the most recent articles on top, use the Sort pull-down menu in the blue bar at the top and resort by Date descending.
The left-hand column also gives you options to narrow results by Subject—this may help if you have too many off-topic articles (look at the Show More link on the bottom of the list to see all the subjects). You can also limit your results by Source Types in the left column—sometimes (especially for historical topics) Books will find the best results.
Folder: You can use the Folder to collect good articles as you are browsing. When you’re in an article, click on the yellow folder icon at the top-right. The saved articles can be accessed from the Folder section on the right (or the Folder icon in the blue bar at the top).
My EBSCOhost accounts: To keep saved items indefinitely, create an account (click on Sign In to My EBSCOhost & then I'm a new user) and log in.
Changing databases: If you want to try searching in another database, use the Choose databases link at the top (next to the name of the current database). To get back to the home page, click on Select Another EBSCO service in that popup window.
Gale Databases: Discovering Collection and Gale Virtual Reference Library [top of page]
NOTE: Please
ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI password.
See bottom of page for notes about Gale's AccessMyLibrary, an app that will let you access these databases on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Searching: On this Gale Databases page (which uses the PowerSearch interface), you can select with checkboxes which of the cross-searchable Gale databases you would like to include in your search. For Gale Virtual Reference Library, you have the option of including either the main Gale Virtual Reference Library page (which includes ALL the GVRL eBooks), or one of the Subcollections (which are clustered by theme/topic). For many searches, it will work best to check off Discovering Collection and also whichever GVRL Subcollections fit your topic.
When searching, use quotation marks for phrases. You can do Boolean searches using AND, OR, NOT and also truncation with the asterisk (*).
On the results list page, note the tab options at the top; the default tab is Books (because all the articles are chapters from books), but there may also be items in the Multimedia tab. The article types are listed on the right of the result list.
To focus your topic, you can select one of the Limit By options in the pull-down menu on the left (Subject or Document Type).
You can Mark good articles with the checkboxes as you browse, and then click on Marked Items at the top to see your list.
Personal accounts: To keep Marked items indefinitely, create an account (click on Login & then Click here to set up an account) and log in.
Print/Email/Download options are in the Tools box in the top-right of each article.
Doing a new search: To do a new search within the same databases you checked off at first, click on the Home link at the top. To get back to the starting Gale Databases page where you select which databases you want to use, click on CHANGE DATABASES at the top.
BROWSING: Sometimes browsing gets better results than searching. To browse in either of these two databases, you need to click on the database title from the Gale home page, to go into just that one database. Here are some tips for browsing:
Browsing in
Discovering Collection
To browse, use the Topic Trees buttons (Cultures, Science, etc.) in lower-left of the home page or else the "popular topics" list.
On the results list page, you can click on one of the Subject Terms in the column on the left to focus your topic. Also note the tab options for different source types at the top (the Multimedia tab includes National Public Radio podcasts & transcripts as well as images/audio/video). The article types are listed on the right of the result list. Articles are color-coded for general reading level: green-dot for middle school; yellow-square for high school. You can Mark good articles as you browse, and then click on Marked Items at the top to see your list.
Print/Email/Download options are at the top-left of each article.
Browsing in Gale
Virtual Reference Library
You can browse the contents of any of the GVRL eBooks by looking at the Table of Contents page of a specific eBook (or multi-volume set). Or you can do a search just within one eBook.
First go into
the main Gale Virtual Reference Library page, where you can see all of the
eBooks listed under the Search box, clustered in boxes by topic. Click on
the title of one of the eBooks listed and then either:
a) Use the Quick Search box on the left, but be sure to check the box to
search "within this publication."
b) Browse by clicking on the eTable of Contents link and select the
volume you want from the pull-down menu.
On the results list page, article types are listed on the right side. In the yellow column on the left, you can Narrow Results by Document Type or by Subjects. You can Mark articles as you browse, and click on Marked Items at the top to see your list.
Global Issues in Context (from Gale) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI
librarians for the MPI password.
See bottom of page for notes about Gale's AccessMyLibrary, an app that will let you access this database on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
This database offers global perspectives on issues of international importance and current world events and topics in the news related to these issues.
You can explore either the Issues and Topics portals, or countries/regions/topics via the World Map, or Search World News. If you go to the World Map, use the three pull-down Browse options on the left to browse Topics, Countries, or Regions. If you select a Country or Region, click on the red pin on the map representing the country's capital to access a country portal page.
Personal accounts: If you create an account (select Register under Login menu) and log in, you can saved Marked articles for future sessions (see Marked Items in the Tools menu at the top), and can organize your Marked articles into custom folders. Also, through your account you can customize the eight featured international newspapers that appear on the home page.
World Book Advanced [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Login ID and password.
The World Book Advanced includes all articles from the 22-volume World Book Encyclopedia print set plus thousands of additional articles, reports, pictures, maps, and media. It also includes thousands of primary source documents. The site is updated daily.
To search, just enter your search term in the box (which appears on every page). The encyclopedia articles will be in the center column on the results page, with the most relevant articles at the top.
If an article is long, it is broken into sections, and the article will be displayed one section at a time. The sections will be listed in the column on the left. If you prefer to see all sections of a long article on one page, click on the View full article link in the Tools box at the top. The Print/Email/Save options are all in the Tools box at the top.
Before printing articles, click on the Print link to put the article in simple format for printing. You can choose to print a section, a subsection, or the whole article.
Once you're in an article, be sure to look at the Related Information box in the upper-right, which lists excellent extended resources (related World Book articles, magazine articles, Web pages). Below that, there also may be a Related Primary Source Content section.
Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Username and password.
This online Encyclopædia Britannica includes separate versions for high school, middle school, and elementary school.
Within an article, the Expand Your Research box in the upper-right lists extended resources (e.g, related magazine articles & Web pages).
Printing: Long articles are broken up into segments; there are options to print the whole article or else just one page. If you want to print out a group of pages, click on Print Article and from the printer-friendly version, go to Print Preview to figure out which pages you need (always print out the first page and last page as well, to get the article title from the start and the citation from the end).
Workspace: If you create a Workspace account, you can gather articles, images, etc., and you can organize all your saved items into different Projects. To create a Workspace account, click on the Workspace tab at the top and fill out the Create New Workspace screen. To log in to your Workspace, click on Workspace at the top, and then select the Open My Workspace tab, and log in.
ABC-CLIO databases (10 databases) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Username and password.
* Eight of the databases cover history, geography and government: American History; World at War; World History—The Modern Era; World History—Ancient and Medieval Eras; American Government; World Geography; and United States Geography.
* The database called Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society covers controversial issues in social studies and also science/technology.
* Two databases—Daily Life Through History and Pop Culture Universe—focus on the everyday lives and culture of ordinary people. Daily Life Through History spotlights the day-to-day lives of average people, past and present—including food & cooking, holidays & festivals, clothing & fashion, housing & furnishings, religion & spirituality, folkways, games & amusements, music & dance, family life, women's history & culture, and ethnic & regional cultures. Pop Culture Universe offers information on American and world popular culture, past and present—including business & advertising, arts & visual culture, fads, fashion, technology, movies, TV, radio, music, comics, sports & pastimes, food & drink.
Although you can cross-search a selection of databases on the home page, you will often get better results by browsing or searching within one of the specific database linked on the right of the home page.
Browsing: On the opening screen of each
database are tabs at the top. One
of those tabs (called—depending on the database—something like Eras or Decades or Topics or Issues) will let you browse a list of
selected articles organized by time period, by geographic area,
or by topic. The Analyze
tab presents some selected major topics that are explored in depth from
different viewpoints.
Keyword searching: When searching, you will usually get
much better results if you go to Advanced
Search, where you can check off boxes to limit your search by article type
("Categories"), time period, subject, or region. You can check off as
many boxes as you would like to include.
When searching, use quotation marks to keep phrases together. You can
also do Boolean searches using AND, OR, NOT. You do not need to use the
asterisk (*) for truncation, as their system automatically truncates words.
Search results: On the results page, you can use the
Sort menu to sort either by Relevance, Category, or by Title A-Z. There
are also Filter options on the left to narrow your search to specific
article types (e.g., the "Documents" section for primary sources).
Within each article are links on the left side to other articles that expand on your topic.
Facts on File databases (6 databases) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Username and password.
This is a set of six databases, but the user interfaces are different for the three on the right side compared to the three on the left side of the home page.
American History Online, Modern World History Online, and Science Online (Facts on File databases):
Browsing: In the two history databases, the Learning Centers are the best option (better than the Browse options). In the Science Online database, the Explore Subjects option works very well to break down broader science topics into narrower ones.
Keyword
searching: If you enter more than one word, the search returns records that
contain ALL of the words in your search string.
Use quotation marks to keep phrases together. You can do Boolean searches
using OR or NOT. You can use the asterisk (*)
for truncation, but some words will automatically be truncated.
Search results page: The search results are tabbed, with the default tab showing All Results. Select the appropriate tab for specific article types. (The Science Online database includes one tab with recent News Articles on the topic, from United Press International.)
Folder: You can Save items to the Folder as you browse (Save link). The saved articles can be accessed from the Saved Items link at the top.
Personal accounts: To keep saved items indefinitely, create an account (click on Folder Log In and then Create New Account) and log in.
Issues and Controversies in American History, Today's Science, and Issues and Controversies (Facts on File News Services databases):
Browsing: Use the various Indexes in the lower-left of the home page (varies by database). There are useful things in the Special Features section at the bottom too.
For topic ideas: Click on the Need a Research Topic? link in the lower-right corner.
Keyword
searching: If you enter more than one word, the search returns records that
contain ALL of the words in your search string.
Use quotation marks to keep phrases together. You can do Boolean searches
using OR or NOT. You can use the asterisk (*)
for truncation.
Search results: The tabs at the top separate the articles by type. Also, you can sort each list by Relevance or Story Date (on the left). Once you're in an article, check out the various links on the left side.
Folder: You can Save items to the Folder as you browse (use folder icon at top). The saved articles can be accessed from the Saved Items link at the top.
Personal accounts: To keep saved items indefinitely, create an account (click on Folder Sign-In and then Create New) and log in..
Encyclopedia of American Immigration (Salem History) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Username and password.
The database is titled Salem History, but all the articles come from one eBook called Encyclopedia of American Immigration.
Browsing: For browsing by broad category, click on the Browse tab at the top.
Keyword searching: You can search either from the Home tab or the Search tab. When your search results come in, note that they are separated into categories represented by the tabs at the top (All, Biography, History/Event, Primary Source, Resources).
Magill’s Medical Guide (Salem Health) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI librarians for the MPI Username and password.
Magill's Medical Guide is an authoritative reference source that provides medical information suitable for student research as well as use by general readers.
The database is titled Salem Health, but all the articles come from one eBook set called Magill's Medical Guide.
Browsing: For browsing by broad category, click on the Browse tab at the top. For more specific topic browsing, click on the Indexes tab.
Keyword searching: You can search either from the Home tab or the Search tab. When your search results come in, note that they are separated into categories represented by the tabs at the top (All, Children, Women, Men, Elderly).
LitFinder for Schools (from Gale) [top of page]
NOTE: Please ask one of the MPI
librarians for the MPI password.
See bottom of page for notes about Gale's AccessMyLibrary, an app that will let you access this database on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
LitFinder includes 126,500 poems, 5,000 short stories, 2,800 essays, 1,800 speeches, and 1,000 plays. It is international is scope and covers all time periods. It also includes biographies, summaries of literary works, photographs, and a glossary.
LitFinder features coverage of more than 600 nationalities and ethnicities and approximately 27,000 women writers. It focuses on contemporary works, including more than 3,500 full-text poems published for the first time in the current year, and new content is loaded on a quarterly basis.
Basic Search:
Often the Basic search screen will be adequate – e.g., if you want to find literary works by a particular author, or essays about either an author or a specific literary work. You can type a search term and use any of the limit results options below to focus your search.
If you are searching for the full text of a literary work (e.g. a poem, a play, or a song), select only the Primary Sources & Literary Works checkbox in the content type section of the search screen.
If you leave all the content type boxes checked, then the Results screen will have tabs at the top, separating the results into different content types (e.g., if you type “Robert Frost” and select the Person radio button and leave all the content type checkboxes checked, then there will be separate tabs on the results screen for Biographies, Topic & Work Overviews, Primary Sources & Literary Works, and Multimedia).
Person Search:
This will give more options when searching for a particular type of person—either works by them or articles about them—e.g. if you want to search for something by or about a female African-American poet from the 20th century. When you've selected one person from the result list, be sure to note the tabs at the top.
Works Search:
This will give more options when searching for a particular type of literary work (poem, play, speech, essay, etc.), or a literary work with a particular theme, or in a particular genre, or from an author of a particular nationality or ethnicity – or any combination of these options.
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iPhone/iPod Touch/Smartphone apps for library
databases:
EBSCOhost Mobile: You can put this app on your iPhone/iPod Touch; it also works on other popular smartphones including Android, BlackBerry, Dell Axim, and Palm 750.
1) On your iPhone/iPod or other smartphone, in Safari go to the EBSCOhost Mobile login screen at: http://search.ebscohost.mobi
2) Click the + button on your browser toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
3) On the resulting options menu, select Add to Home Screen.
4) On the Add to Home screen, type in a name for your icon and click Add.
Note: Ask at the library front desk for the
username/password to log in; it's a little different than the login for EBSCOhost
on a regular computer.
Gale's AccessMyLibrary—School
Edition app for
iPhone/iPod Touch (not for other smartphones)
With this app, you can access the four Gale databases to which the MPI library subscribes: Gale Virtual Reference Library, Discovering Collection, Global Issues in Context, and LitFinder.
This app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store; just search for "accessmylibrary." You'll find two versions: one (called "AccessMyLibrary") to access the Gale databases offered via the Hawaii State Public Library system, and one (called "AccessMyLibrary—School Edition") to access the MPI library's Gale databases.
(You might want to download the State Library's "AccessMyLibrary" version as well as the MPI version...the State Library subscribes to some really excellent Gale databases that MPI does not subscribe to. Also, the State Library has many eBooks in Gale Virtual Reference Library database that MPI does not have. The password to access the State Library version is your public library card number. If you don't have one, you can easily get one from any public library.)
Note: Ask at the library front desk for the password to log in.
--notes by M. Kemble, Mid-Pacific Institute Library
return to MPI Library Resources page