Information & Research butterfly

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Contact us by filling out our online Contact Form, emailing referencedesk@cityofpacificgrove.org, visiting the Library or calling 831-648-5762.



Recommended Information SourcesThe resources listed here have been purchased or recommended by Library staff to answer common questions and help with research on a wide variety of topics. Recommended resources for homework help are available on the Kids and Teens pages. Resources about Pacific Grove and the local area are available on the Community page.

The links on these pages are to sites selected as particularly useful by the staff of the Pacific Grove Public Library. The City of Pacific Grove and the Library are not responsible for the content of sites maintained by other organizations. The content of those sites does not reflect the opinions, standards, policy or endorsement by the City of Pacific Grove, its officials or its staff.

General Reference

Biography Reference Center More information
Containing many of the top-ranked biographical reference collections and magazines, this database offers a comprehensive collection of full-text biographies, as well as thousands of unique narrative biographies. This resource provides superior coverage for several of the most popular and heavily-researched biographies and genres, including those contained within Biography Today and Biography.
Britannica School Edition
Britannica School is the go-to site for learning more about any subject—for all grades and all reading abilities—offering thousands of up-to-date, curated, and curriculum-relevant articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended Web sites, and three separate databases—Elementary, Middle, or High.
Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos
El contenido editorial, medios enriquecidos y características interactivas de World Book Enciclopedia en español para jóvenes estudiantes.
History Reference Center More information
Designed for secondary schools, public libraries, junior/community colleges and undergraduate research, this database features full text for more than 1,990 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books from leading history publishers, such as Branden Publishing, Compass Point Books, Houghton Mifflin, Lerner Publishing Group, Mason Crest Publishers, Morgan Reynolds Inc., Oliver Press, Oxford University Press, Rourke Publishing LLC., Salem Press, Stackpole Books, Toucan Valley Publications and more.
World Book Online
Using the same expert information found in The World Book Encyclopedia, these easy-to-navigate websites include World Book Kids, World Book Info Finder for elementary and middle shcool homework and research needs, World Book Reference Center for advanced researchers and information seekers, Timelines, and Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.
Internet Movie Database Search
Tax Forms and Information: California
The Time Now
Britannica Escolar
Escolar is the leading knowledge-building resource that is universally trusted for accurate and age-appropriate content in Spanish.
EBSCOhost MasterFILE
MasterFILE Complete offers the largest collection of the most popular full-text magazines, journals, and other highly-regarded sources from the world's leading publishers, covering virtually every subject area of general interest.
Explora
Full-text magazines, journals, and other highly-regarded sources from the world's leading publishers with a simple search that quickly delivers relevant results and easy-to-browse categories organized by popular topics.
Points of View Reference Center
Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, this database provides the basis from which students can realize and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills.
Foundation Center Online
Niche Academy
Niche Academy is an online learning platform made for libraries.
Tax Forms and Information: Federal
Unit Conversions

Books

Book Index with Reviews
Book Index with Reviews™ is a comprehensive database that provides information on over 5 million books with almost 800,000 full-text searchable book reviews from the sources that you trust: Library Journal, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and others.
Novelist
NoveList is the premiere database of reading recommendations, providing a comprehensive source of information about books that includes expert recommendations, reviews, articles, lists and more.
Bookreporter
Mid-Continent Public Library Juvenile Series and Sequels
Literary Reference Center
This comprehensive, full-text database provides a broad spectrum of information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines and timeframes—to give students, professors, and researchers a foundation of literary reference works to meet their research needs.
Book Awards
EarlyWord
New York Times Best Sellers
Order of Books - Books in Series

Business and Job Searching

AtoZdatabases - job searching and marketing
This simple, user-friendly, web-based solution provides details on every business and every household within the U.S.
Business Source Premier
Business Source Premier is the industry’s most used business research database, providing full text for more than 2,300 journals, including full text for more than 1,100 peer-reviewed titles. This database provides full text back to 1886, and searchable cited references back to 1998. Business Source Premier includes full text coverage in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics updated daily.
California Business Portal
JobStar California: Local Job Search Guide
Brainfuse JobNow & VetNow
Brainfuse JobNow & VetNow features free live online assistance, resume lab help, and wide range of academic tools to help job seekers, veterans and their families reach their goals. The program is offered through the California State Library. View the user guide at: https://www.brainfuse.com/curriculumupload/1600807328086.pd
Small Business Reference Center
This database offers a wide variety of information on small business and entrepreneurial subject areas, common business types, a help and advice section, and provides information on how to create business plans that lead to successful funding.
Central Coast Small Business Development Center
Small Business Administration

Consumer Information

Consumer Reports through EBSCOhost
Consumer Reports magazine articles and ratings through EbscoHost.
ConsumerSearch Product Reviews
Motor Trend IntelliChoice
The Wirecutter
Consumer Information Center U.S. Government
Kelley Blue Book
NADA vehicle pricing and information

Genealogy

Monterey County Herald Obituary Index
The index includes obituaries from January 1, 1995 to June 30, 2014 and local news articles and features from January 1, 1995 to June 30, 2003. The Monterey County Herald index was created by staff and volunteers of Monterey Public Library and Pacific Grove Public Library.
RootsWeb
FamilySearch
Social Security Death Index

Health and Medicine

Consumer Health Complete
The single-most comprehensive resource for consumer-oriented health content. It is designed to support the information needs of patients, and to foster an overall understanding of health-related topics. CHC provides content covering all areas of health and wellness from mainstream medicine to the many perspectives of complementary, holistic and integrated medicine.
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus Understanding Medical Words
Healthfinder - Consumer health information
Medline Plus

Language Learning

Read It - ELL Reference Center
This multi-purpose information resource is designed for middle and high school students and anyone that is new to the English language. This database will help ELLs succeed academically and in everyday life by providing assistance as they conduct research, build their background knowledge and develop study skills.
Open Culture Free Language Lessons
Defense Language Institute Language Resources
Rosetta Stone
An effective, easy-to-use program to improve your English or learn another language with the Rosetta Stone Library Solution on your own time.

Law and Government

Legal Information Reference Center (LIRC)
Providing exclusive online full text for many of the top consumer legal reference books, Legal Information Reference Center contains hundreds of full-text publications and thousands of legal forms, with more content being added on a regular basis.
California State Home Page
State & Local Government on the Net
Voting Records of Members of Congress
Benefits.gov: Your Path to Government Benefits
Government Printing Office
Vote Smart

Libraries

Library Services for People with Print Disabilities
California’s Library Services for People with Print Disabilities, in association with the Library of Congress, provides free Braille and audio books, magazines and playback equipment to all eligible Californians unable to read standard print. Follow the link to find your local braille and talking book library and sign up for free library service.
Monterey Bay Area Libraries
LibrarySpot

Maps and Geography

Best Places to Live, Work, Play, or Retire
How far is it?
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

News

New York Times
California Digital Newspaper Collection
Carmel Pine Cone
Historical Monterey Newspapers
Newspaper Source Plus
Provides more than 1,400 full-text newspapers, with more than 55 million full-text article andcomprehensive full text for major newspapers. Newspaper Source Plus also brings critical news content with ongoing updates though out the day with its News View component.
Californian (Salinas)
Cedar Street Times
Monterey Herald

Science and Technology

Science Reference Center
A comprehensive research database that provides easy access to a multitude of full-text, science-oriented content. Designed to meet every student researcher's needs, Science Reference Center contains full text for hundreds of science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other sources.
U.S. Naval Observatory - Sun and Moon Data
National Weather Service
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Statistics

Consumer Price Index - Pacific Cities
U.S. Census Bureau Home Page
National Center for Education Statistics

Telephone Directories

AtoZdatabases - job searching and marketing
This simple, user-friendly, web-based solution provides details on every business and every household within the U.S.
AnyWho

Travel

Welcome to Hostelling International
XE Currency Converter

stay informed

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