We're here to help! Ask the Young Adult Librarian or Reference Librarians to help you find things in the library.

Research Databases

"Help! I can't use Wikipedia!" The resources found in databases come from trusted sources that you and your teachers can cite with confidence. All you need to access these resources from school or home is a your library card. Available 24/7.

Use databases to find magazine and newspaper articles, encyclopedias, and reference books. For a complete list of databases covering history, current events, social studies, geography, literature, health, science and more, go to the Databases page.

General Research:

Britannica Library Edition: Young Adults [Go to database]

Gale in Context: Middle School Academic articles, images, topic selections and more for Middle Schoolers. [Go to database]

Gale OneFile: High School Edition Find information on high school research topics plus the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more. [Go to database]

Research Companion (ProQuest) Helps students do more effective scholarly research. Supports educators as they teach the core information literacy principles of finding, evaluating, and using information. [Go to database]

History and Social Studies:

Biography in Context (Gale InfoTrac) Biography In Context provides information and insight into the world's most influential people. This resource combines biographical information with multimedia and articles to present lives in context. [Go to database]

Global Issues (Gale in Context) Offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, and current events. Portals bring together a variety of sources for analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health, and cultural issues. [Go to database]

Milestone Documents in American History (Salem History) [In Library Access] [Home Access for Groton Residents]

NewsBank: Hot Topics, Special Reports, Daily Headlines & Activities [In Library Access] [Home Access for Groton Residents]

Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) Covers timely issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions. [Go to database]

U.S. History (Gale In Context) An engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. History. This resource combines content from reference sources with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites. [Go to database]

World History (Gale In Context) An engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in World History. This resource combines content from reference sources with with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites. [Go to database]

Science:

Science (Gale In Context) Science in Context provides topic overviews, experiments, biographies, pictures and illustrations, as well as articles from over 200 magazines and academic journals and links to quality web sites. [Go to database]

Science (Gale Interactive) Interactive Science (Gale) provides engaging, interactive models that bring science to life. Helps students better visualize and understand concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science. Students and instructors can manipulate and explore 3D models that are paired with reference and periodical content for further understanding. [Go to database]

Science Database (ProQuest) Over 7.3 million full text articles from over 1600 sources, supporting the needs of students studying applied and general sciences. Researchers have access to all the charts, diagrams, graphs, tables, photos and other graphical elements so vital to scientific and engineering literature. It supports the needs of students studying applied and general sciences. [Go to database]

Test Preparation:

Petersons's Test Prep (Gale Presents) Petersons's Test Prep includes full-length practice tests for GED, SAT, ACT, AP, PSAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, U.S. citizenship, and more. It offers information on undergraduate and graduate programs and tuition and scholarship assistance, as well as a resume builder and interviewing advice. [Go to database]

Useful Websites for Homework Help

  • CIA World Fact Book – Maps, Flags, and important statistical data on countries around the world.
  • Homework Spot – A free homework information portal that features the best K-12 homework sites, arranged by grade. Better than Google or Yahoo! because it has links for homework and nothing else!
  • How Stuff Works – Learn how everything works - in science, technology, computers, and much more!
  • IPL2 (Internet Public Library) for Teens – Features lots of links and other internet resources for teens, including term paper help, ideas for what to read, career paths, and the means for asking a question if you don’t find what you need.
  • Library of Congress - Digital Collections – Collections covering all facet and periods of American history. A great place to find primary source materials.
  • Math.com Homework Help – Free math lessons and math homework help from basic math to algebra, geometry and beyond. Includes online calculators and cool tools, and games to use and improve your math skills.
  • Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus
  • Multnomah County Library Homework Center – Links to 38 different homework topics developed by Multnomah County Library in Oregon.
  • RefDesk.com Homework Helper – Great homework help site for grades 1-12 PLUS college, arranged in sections by age group. Includes reference, research, quick facts, tools for research papers, and an "ask the expert" section. Prepare for the SAT or ACT for free at Number2.com or The College Board!

Science 4 Fun

Science 4 Fun was created by a GPL teen volunteer as a place to explore fun science experiments and concepts that help us be better, smarter, and less stressed students.