Ocean County Library Literature Databases

1. Ocean County Library Literature Databases

2. How do I find literature databases? • Sign on to the library Website at www.theoceancountylibrary.org • Click ‘Research & Info’ (navy strip running across the page under the picture of a book/sailboat) • All the databases are accessible from this page • Under the left-hand column called ‘Subject Databases’ scroll down and click the link for ‘Literature and Literary Criticism’ • Alternatively in the center column enter a database name in the ‘Search’ box or click the link under ‘Browse All Titles Alphabetically’

3. How do I sign in from home? • Have your library barcode ready • Most databases will ask for your barcode • Some require a password in addition to the barcode • NetLibrary requires a userid and password – open an account in person at the reference desk of any branch before using it at home

4. Do I need all these databases? • One might be enough – or not • Coverage in these databases is a good starting point for research, but not as in-depth as books or articles limited to one author or work • There is overlap among database coverage • Most cover biographical information, author’s works • Most provide some critical analysis of works, but to varying degrees • Databases differ in • Which grade levels are targeted (most are geared towards high school students) • Which authors are covered – this is determined by which reference works are included in the database – this varies from database to database • Whether living or historical persons are emphasized • Whether biographical information, literary criticism, etc. is emphasized

5. What if all the books are out? • NetLibrary (library database) has books to read /download online – good for classics • NOTE: You must set up an account in person at a branch before using it at home • Project Gutenberg has free books online for computer or e-reader • http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page • I need help with writing and doing a research paper! • Writing Skills • Learning Express Library • Writing Skills Improvement provides help with basic writing skills • Writing Improvement Program provides practice essays at various levels from elementary through high school and adult as well as ACT and SAT essay preparation. • Research and Research Paper Guides • Literary Reference Center (EBSCOhost) • Literature Resource Center

6. I need to look at or search for themes for or related to my paper! • Bloom’s Literary Reference Online (Facts On File) – browse topics and themes alphabetically, by type (e.g., literary movements, genres, themes, historical events, people, places); look at topics selected for highlighting; or use advanced search with entry type of topic/theme to search for a specific topic/theme • Literary Reference Center (EBSCOhost) – limited to contexts (historical, social, religious, scientific) for works as opposed to themes; under ‘browse authors’ can select movement; under ‘browse works’ can select genre or search for locale; under ‘advanced search’ can search for literary character or locale • Literature Resource Center – under ‘Person Search’ search can browse or search for a theme, subject, genre, or literary movement

7. I need to pick an author by certain criteria – gender, language, time period, nationality, ethnicity, genre, literary movement! • Bloom’s Literary Reference Online (Facts On File) – browse works by genre or era, authors by nationality, type of literature, genre or date range; use ‘Advanced Search’ to search in full text or titles by phrase, and/or/not equivalent; partial list of Nobel Prize winners in ‘browse authors; list of banned books in ‘browse works’ • Literature Resource Center – use ‘Person Search’ search to select by gender, year of birth/death, ethnicity, nationality, genre, theme, literary movement or time period • Literary Reference Center – under ‘advanced search’ can select author by gender, cultural identity, national identity, time period; with ‘browse authors’ can select country, culture, genre or (literary) movement

8. Most Helpful Databases • Authors and Their Works • Bloom’s Literary Reference Online (Facts On File Online) (author, title) • Literary Reference Center (EBSCOhost) (author, title) • Literature Resource Center (author, title) • Gale Virtual Reference Library (multi-discipline, not just literature) and subcollections: Literature Resources for Students, Black Americans Reference Library • Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost)

9. Other Databases to Check • Biography in Context • EBSCOhost • Biography Collection Complete • Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia • History Reference Center • MAS Ultra – School Edition • Masterfile Premier • Middle Search Plus • Primary Search • Professional Development Collection • Facts On File Online • Various history databases • NoveList • Marquis Who’s Who

10. Specific Database Information • Bloom’s Literary Reference Online (Facts On File Online) • High school+ • International • Current and historical • Wide range of authors, works • Content includes biography, work overviews and synopses, literary criticism/analysis, and topics/themes • Features selected authors, works, topics/themes that are highlighted and a timeline that can be customized by keyword • EBSCOhost (Multiple Databases – also listed separately) • All grade levels, elementary to graduate school, scholars • International • Current and historical • Covers full range of authors, works • Content includes biography, theater and book reviews, popular magazine articles, literary criticism, journal articles, some peer-reviewed

11. Literary Reference Center • High school and college • International • Current and historical • Covers short and long fiction writers, poets, dramatists, nonfiction writers • Content includes biographies, plot summaries, literary criticism, reviews, interviews, periodicals, reference books, images, and full text classics, poems and short stories • Includes a literary-historical timeline, encyclopedia of literature, literary glossary, dictionary, research and citation guides • Literature Resource Center • High school through graduate school • International • Current and historical • Covers novelists, poets, essayists, journalists and more • Content includes biographies, work overviews, critical analysis of works, further readings, Websites, magazine articles, compare/contrast pages • Includes a literary-historical timeline, literary index cross-referencing to other Gale databases

12. Gale Virtual Reference Library • High school + • International • Current and historical • Covers novelists, poets, dramatists, short story writers, graphic novelists • Content includes biographies, topic/work overviews, critical essays, plot summaries, reviews, literary movements in encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources • Multi-discipline – not just literature • Book facsimiles with encyclopedia style entries

13. NetLibrary • K-12+, public, academic • Use the library catalog to find materials in NetLibrary or search NetLibrary directly • View nonfiction, some fiction online; some items can be downloaded • ListenNJ • All ages • Fiction and nonfiction that can be downloaded to computer, e-reader or mobile device • NoveList & NoveList K-8 • All ages • Primarily a reader’s advisory tool • Lists an author’s works, grade level • Find similar books, book talks, discussions

14. Biography in Context • High school + • Current and historical figures • International coverage • Contains thumbnail and narrative biographies, magazine articles, Websites • Biography Collection Complete • High school + • Current and historical figures • International coverage • Contains narrative biographies, images, primary sources, features lexile reading levels • Who’s Who by Marquis • High school + • Current and historical figures • International coverage • Contains thumbnail biographies searchable by country, occupation, religion, hobbies, political affiliation and more • Learning Express Library • 4th grade to graduate school • Interactive • Offers practice tests for writing, AP courses (english, history, government), college prep (ACT, SAT),graduate school (GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, GRE), career exams (armed forces, police force, firefighter), teacher certification, a U.S. citizenship test and ESL courses

15. Does the library have items listed in ‘Further Readings’? • Sometimes • Check the library catalog • If there is enough time, Interlibrary Loan Requests can be made for materials

16. Search Considerations • When available, read ‘Description’ of databases • ‘Help’ often provides additional information • Basic Search • Keyword • Author, Title, Subject • Advanced Search • Boolean • Truncation, wildcard, proximity • Command line • Limit search by date, publisher, peer-reviewed • Expand search using related terms, full-text search • Revise search • Save to folder • Output via print/email

17. Are there other online resources beyond databases? • Link to a Topic • African American Resources • Contemporary Literature • The Black Book Review Online • Black Issues Book Review • Voices from the Gaps • Black Culture and History • Biographies • Historic Black Writers • Electronic Text Center - African Americans • Paul Laurence Dunbar • Biographies • The Jewish Virtual Library – Biographies and more

18. Libraries on the Web • Internet Public Library www.ipl.org • Shakespeare Online • Internet Shakespeare Editions http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca • Shakespeare Resource Center • Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet • The Complete Works of William Shakespeare http://shakespeare.mit.edu/works.html

19. Are you stuck? Call the library for help! 732-349-6200 x.5100 question@theoceancountylibrary.org Prepared by Marguerite Dugas 02/11