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  • Last updated: August 31, 2009


Summary of Databases for Members of the Boston Regional Library System


Database Help!  
  Regional member libraries may get help with database access problems by calling the Regional Services Office.
Phone Number: 617-859-2380
E-mail Questions: brl@bpl.org

Remote Access: Enter here 
It's easier than ever---now you can access all of the online resources available through the Boston Region at home using one simple step! You will need to have a valid Mass. library card number ready. Once you enter your number, you will be taken to a page on the MLIN server where you can search all 3 of these databases (all except OCLC FirstSearch) for the duration of your web session.

Library Card Number:


Gale Resources via the MBLC (In Library and Remote Use)

For individual links to each database for your library homepage, visit the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Statewide Database Licensing page.

Gale Group databases included are:

Academic OneFile (Includes The New York Times FullText from 1995 and will be searchable as a separate database).
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. With millions of articles available in both PDF and HTML full-text with no restrictions, researchers are able to find accurate information quickly. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1995. Updated daily.
 

Biography Resource Center
This comprehensive online database combines more than 422,000 biographies from Gale sources with full-text magazine articles on contemporary and historic figures in literature, science, multicultural studies, business, entertainment, politics, sports, government, history, arts and other fields.

 

Contemporary Literary Criticism Select
Offers an extensive collection of critical essays on contemporary authors, using several powerful search options and an integrated index that extends to every print volume in this acclaimed series.

 

Educator's Reference Complete
This collection of more than 1,100 periodicals and 200 reports is a great resource for any educator -- from the school teacher and administrator to those studying in the field at the collegiate and graduate level. Content included in the database is almost entirely full-text, with the majority of the titles also covered in the ERIC database. This database covers multiple levels of education from preschool to college, and every educational specialty -- such as technology, bilingual education, health education, and testing. Educator's Reference Complete also focuses on issues in administration, funding and policy.

 

Expanded Academic ASAP
This easy to use interface helps researchers from all academic disciplines to find scholarly journals, news magazines and newspapers. **Plus includes access to Ingenta content (4,900 full text).

 

Gale Virtual Reference Library (eBooks)
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, 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).

To see a listing of the individual eBook titles along with a description for each please go to this page.

 

General Business File ASAP
Enables precise retrieval of periodicals, newspapers, newswires, company profiles and investment reports in a single search.

 

General Reference Center Gold
Integrates a vast array of key business and general interest publications - from national news magazines and encyclopedias to trade publications - to present the full-text and image resources students and researchers need.

 

Health Reference Center Academic
Provides current, reliable health information for your patrons, offering access to the full text of nursing and allied health journals, plus the wide variety of personal health information sources in InfoTrac's award-winning Health Reference Center.

 

InfoTrac Junior Edition
Designed for junior high and middle school students, InfoTrac® Junior Edition features the titles most critical to their libraries and curriculum.

 

InfoTrac OneFile
Provides instant, user-friendly access to an unprecedented number of periodicals, including 5,050 full-text titles, putting 35 million database records and more than 9,000 titles at users' fingertips with a single search inquiry.

 

InfoTrac Powerpacks
Custom collections built around specific subjects or topics. You can view all of the available Powerpack descriptions or the direct access URLs by clicking the appropriate link.

 

InfoTrac Student Edition
Designed for secondary school students, InfoTrac® Student Edition is the quick and easy way to do classroom assignments and get answers to general reference questions.

 

Kid's InfoBits
Kids InfoBits includes curriculum support references from Blackbirch Press, nearly 100 full-text age appropriate magazines and 2 newswires. Kids InfoBits is jam-packed with eye popping graphs, charts, maps and more than 2,500 searchable images.

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OCLC FirstSearch Basic Package ( Library Staff Use Only)

If you have registered a static IP with the regional office, go to http://firstsearch.oclc.org/fsip

If you have dynamic IP addresses, go to http://firstsearch.oclc.org

You will need to enter your authorization id ("autho") and password to access the search interface. Contact the Region if you need your autho and password. These can also be used to facilitate a search from home, or to access your library's administrative module:

To log in to your Administrative Module for statistics and other account information, go to:http://firstsearch.oclc.org/admin

How our subscription works: There are 5 simultaneous user licenses for the Region. For our subscription databases included in the package, you will be able to make as many searches and retrieve as many citations or articles as you wish.

 Subscription Databases
WorldCat
OCLC ArticleFirst
OCLC Electronic Collections Online (citations only)
OCLC Netfirst
OCLC Union Lists of Periodicals, PapersFirst
ProceedingsFirst
ERIC
GPO
MEDLINE
World Almanac

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Gale Resources via the Boston Regional Library System

For individual links to each database for your library homepage, visit the Gale website dedicated to BRLS resources at http://access.gale.com/brls.

General Business File ASAP

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.

General Reference Center Gold 1980 -

A general interest database that integrates a variety of sources - newspapers, reference books, magazines, and trade publications. Find articles on current events, popular culture, business and industry trends, the arts and sciences, sports, hobbies, and more.

Junior Edition 2006 -

Now with over 330 titles, cross searchable with E-Books, this periodical 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.

Student Resource Center - Gold

Student Resource Center - Gold offers easy access to award-winning content based on national curriculum standards. Covering all core curriculum areas, including history, literature, science, social studies, and more, SRC - Gold provides a premium selection of reference material, more than 1,100 full-text periodicals and newspapers, primary sources, creative works, and multimedia, including hours of video and audio clips and podcasts. Premier reference content includes the American Journey Series, American Decades, Career Information Center and the SRC Health Module. New to the database are Lexile reading levels for periodicals, an integrated national and state curriculum standards search with content correlated to the standards, and popular topic picklists.

Student Resource Center - Junior

Student Resource Center - Junior offers easy access to award-winning content based on national curriculum standards. Covering all core curriculum areas, including history, literature, science, social studies, and more, SRC - Junior provides a premium selection of reference material, more than 340 full-text periodicals and newspapers, primary sources, creative works, and multimedia, including hours of video and audio clips. New to the database are Lexile reading levels for periodicals, an integrated national and state curriculum standards search with content correlated to the standards, and popular topic picklists. For Middle Schools only.

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center is a one-stop source for information on today's hottest social issues. Drawing on acclaimed series published by Greenhaven Press and other Gale imprints, OVRC features viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, primary source documents, statistics, images and podcasts, and links to Websites. New to the database are Lexile reading levels for periodicals and an integrated national and state curriculum standards search with content correlated to the standards.


 

Proquest's Massachusetts Newsstand   (In Library and Remote use)

Berkshire Eagle (2005-current)
Boston Globe (1980-current)

Boston Herald (7/26/1991-current)
Chicopee Business West (1992-current)
Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise (2005-current)
Haverhill Gazette (12/31/92 - 8/9/97)
Lowell Sun (2004-current)
New Bedford Standard Times (1/4/92 - 8/19/97)
North Adams Transcript (2005-current)
Plymouth County Business Review (1991-current)
Quincy Patriot Ledger (1991-current)

Springfield Republican (1988-current)
Worcester
Telegram & Gazette (1989-current)

If your institution's external IP addresses are on file with the region, then this link should allow you direct access to the databases.
http://proquest.umi.com/login

To create a link to the Massachusetts Newsstand, or to use links for individual newspapers, you will need to create in-library links, which can be found on the MBLC website: http://mblc.state.ma.us/grants/licenses/proquest.php

To access usage statistics for your library, go to http://infoweb.newsbank.com/stats

This database provides full-text coverage of all 12 newspapers listed above. Remote access is available and this subscription is offered without reservation to all member libraries. 

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An online publication of the Boston Regional Library System (BRLS).
This site is maintained as a service to the staff of member libraries of the BRLS. Offers of services or distributions may be limited to those member libraries.


Copyright 1997-2003, BPL

Last Updated: 8/1/2006

Questions or comments about this site? Send to brl@bpl.org.