Research Databases
Most of the resources below are funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
and are accessible by all MA residents with a library card.
Research by Category
Click any of the categories below to begin!
Arts & Music
Culinary Arts Collection - Includes 150 of the major cooking and nutrition magazines. Coverage includes thousands of searchable recipes, restaurant reviews, and industry information.
Fine Arts and Music Collection - With more than 100 full-text magazines and journals covered in databases such as the Wilson Art Index and RILM, this collection will provide your students with resources to support research in areas such as drama, music, art history, and filmmaking.
Biography, Genealogy & History
American Ancestors (in Library access only) - Compiles the New England Historic Genealogical Society's collection of more than 12 million documents, manuscripts, records, books, microfilms, photographs and other artifacts dating back to the 14th century.
American History - From the explorers of the Americas to the issues of today´s headlines, American History investigates the people, events, and stories of our nation´s evolution. investigates the people, events, and stories of our nation´s evolution. Username: sdatabase Password: sdatabase
Ancestry Library Edition (access at the Library) or (access from home) - Discover your unique family history! This resource includes billions of records from around the world, including from U.S., U.K., and Canadian census and vital records, immigration and passport records, periodicals and books, photos, and more. Funded by the West Springfield Public Library.
Remote access is available for West Springfield residents with a WSPL card number.
Biography in Context - Over 400,000 biographies covering figures from literature, science, multicultural studies, business, entertainment, politics, sports, government, history, current events and the arts.
US History In Context - This collection of over 40 journals provides balanced coverage of both current thought and events in U.S. History, as well as scholarly work being established in the field; useful both to the novice historian and to the advanced academic researcher.
War & Terrorism Collection - A definitive periodical collection of hand selected titles for analysts, risk management professionals and students of military science, history, social science.
World History In Context - As any historian will state, the study of history is as much about the present as the past: to that end, this collection provides well-rounded coverage of both the current thinking and events in World History, as well as scholarly work being established in the field. This compilation of journals provides robust and balanced coverage of this field, useful both to the novice historian as well as to the advanced academic researcher.
World History: Ancient and Medieval : Ancient and Medieval - World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras covers early human history around the globe—from prehistoric times to the beginnings of the Renaissance. Username: sdatabase Password: sdatabase
Books & Literature
Novelist - NoveList is a comprehensive tool to help you get the most our of your reading time. Browse recommendations, find series lists, retrieve author read-alikes, find discussion guides for your book group or search for more books like the one you just finished that you absolutely loved. Hundreds of thousands of titles, both fiction and non-fiction are included. Funded by CWMARS, card required for login.
Overdrive Digital Catalog - Download thousands of ebooks, audio books or video right to your computer. In many cases, transfer to your mobile device and enjoy on the go. Funded by CWMARS, card required for login.
Business Economics and Theory - With a strong emphasis on titles covered in the EconLit database, this collection provides academic journals and magazines focusing on topics in economics. Perfect for business classes, users will find more than 150 full-text journals to support their research.
Insurance & Liability Collection - Protection of assets is a concern for all: from the individual property owner to the multinational corporation, all have a vested interest in ensuring the retention of their assets, be it physical or intellectual. This collection, of journals, takes a broad view of this multimillion dollar industry, covering such topics as labor relations, mortgage banking, legal issues, and more.
Computer & Technology
ChiltonLibrary.com - ChiltonLibrary provides exclusive photographs, diagnostics designed by instructors, step-by-step repair procedures, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) maintenance schedules, wiring diagrams, recalls and Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for automobiles and light trucks in one easy-to-use web site. For a video on how to get started, click: HERE. Remote access is available for West Springfield residents with a WSPL card number.
Information Science and Library Issues Collection - This collection, comprised of content from more than 100 leading industry journals, provides current and accurate information for this fast-moving field. Information professionals and other knowledge workers - from the research specialist to the information architect - will find appropriate and useful information in their areas of expertise, including such topics as information infrastructure, data processing techniques, metadata architectures, and more.
Continuing Education
Peterson's Career Prep - Discover which careers suit you best, research potential career options, and explore the requirements and outlooks for the occupations you're interested in. Includes a free résumé builder. Does require users to create an account to save searches and résumés.
Testing & Education Reference Center - Our innovative, web-based products and online practice tests for the GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT Assessment, ASVAB, and TOEFL, provide consumers with the depth and breadth of information they need to make informed decisions about their education or career. Our financial aid database of nearly $5 billion worth of scholarships, grants, and prizes is fully searchable on the Web and available in printed guides. The range of test preparation offered by Peterson's has recently expanded into civil service, licensing, certification, and military preparation with the acquisition of ARCO.
Remote access is available for West Springfield residents with a WSPL card number.
Vocations & Career - Collection Finding the right career can be a daunting and high stakes task: finding an appropriate institution of learning, job searching, and maintaining a career are all topics covered by this collection, providing current and applicable content for all vocational milestones. Offering content from nearly 400 journals, this collection provides content from general career guides to highly specialized industry journals.
En Español
Spanish Edition: Escolar (K-8) - Knowledge-building resource for students of age-appropriate digital content and learning tools in Spanish.
Britannica Moderna - Spanish language encyclopedia covers all fields of knowledge, including arts, geography, philosophy, science, sports, and much more.
General Knowledge
Academic OneFile - 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.
Expanded Academic ASAP - From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images!
General OneFile - A one-stop source for news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: business, computers, current events, economics, education, environmental issues, health care, hobbies, humanities, law, literature and art, politics, science, social science, sports, technology, and many general interest topics. Millions of full?text articles, many with images.
Britannica Library - Comprehensive encyclopedia meeting the reference needs for all patrons from students, to business professionals and lifelong learners. Offers "adult" and "kids" interface. Includes a dictionary, thesaurus, videos, images, primary sources, and e-books. (PLUS read-aloud at all levels and translation for over 50 languages)
Health & Wellness
Health Reference Center Academic - This multi-source database provides access to full-text nursing and allied health journals, plus the wide variety of personal health information sources, all in a single, easy-to-use database. The material contained in this database is intended for informational purposes only.
Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Collection - Targeted collection of journals covering proven and experiment research and treatment techniques in the fields of physical therapy and sports medicine.
Home & Garden
Agriculture Collection - With broad coverage of agriculture and its related fields, this collection provides a comprehensive view of this growing body of knowledge. Comprised of nearly 200 titles, researchers will have access to current and authoritative content that spans the industry -- from practical aspects of farming to cutting edge scientific research in horticulture.
Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture Collection - Targeted collection of journals and e-reference sources for gardening enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Home Improvement Collection - Even the smallest home improvement project can be daunting: with this collection of nearly 100 home improvement focused titles, hobbyists and professional carpenters alike will immediately put their projects on a more solid foundation. Coverage includes such topics as architectural techniques, tool and material selection, zoning requirements, and many more.
Homework Help
Kids InfoBits - Kids InfoBits is a database developed especially for beginning researchers in Kindergarten through Grade 5. Featuring a developmentally appropriate, visually graphic interface, the most popular search method is moving from a broad subject to a narrower topic using the subject-based topic tree. The curriculum-related, age appropriate, full-text content is from the best elementary reference sources and magazines. This database includes coverage of geography, current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history and sports.
Middle School Research in Context - Created specifically for middle-schoolers, Research in Context combines the best of Gale's reference content with age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources, and much more. Students will find outstanding support to complete assignments in core subjects including literature, science, social studies, and history.
Journals, Magazines & News
Boston Globe - Full-text coverage from 1980.
Communications and Mass Media Collection - From marketing professionals to students studying for advanced degrees in linguistic theory, this collection provides current and accurate information from more than 100 journals focused on all aspects of the communications field. Key subjects covered include: advertising and public relations, literature and writing, linguistics, and many more.
Diversity Studies Collection - A must-have for social science, history and liberal arts coursework, this collection explores cultural differences, contributions and influences in our global community. This set includes more than 150 journals.
General Science Collection - A collection of over 1,000 peer-reviewed journals, providing researchers with the information needed to stay current on the latest scientific developments.
Newsbank - The Springfield Republican (1988 - current), Advocate (North Adams: 2010 - current), Amherst Bulletin (1994 - current), Berkshire Eagle (2003 - current), Daily Hampshire Gazette (1994 - current) North Adams Transcript (2003 - current), Recorder (Greenfield: 1997 - current), Springfield Examiner (2011 - current), Valley Advocate (1996 - current).
New York Times - Search the full text of The New York Times (starting in 1985).
Popular Magazines - Popular Magazines includes 1000 of the most searched magazines across our InfoTrac esources. Full-text articles from titles like Consumer Reports, Time, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, US News and World Report, Vogue, Fortune, Business Week, National Review, Cosmopolitan, NPR and even Oprah are included in this database.
Psychology Collection - This set explores what makes people "tick" from childhood to death. This collection gives individuals a basic understanding of the study of the mind, emotions and how the human mind develops -- and diminishes -- over time. Your library's users will have instant access to 200 subject-appropriate full-text periodicals.
Religion & Philosophy Collection - Why do some people believe in Heaven? Is it fear, hope, upbringing or blind faith? Users of this collection can research different religions, philosophies and how they impact our daily lives.
Legal Resources
Criminal Justice Collection - Targeted collection of 700+ journals covering criminal justice including law enforcement, paralegal topics, and homeland security.
Gale LegalForms - Mass - Access a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms and resources across the most popular legal areas.
Agriculture Collection - With broad coverage of agriculture and its related fields, this collection provides a comprehensive view of this growing body of knowledge. Comprised of nearly 200 titles, researchers will have access to current and authoritative content that spans the industry -- from practical aspects of farming to cutting edge scientific research in horticulture.
Environmental Studies in Context - Understand environmental issues that affect people globally through topic overviews, journals, news, and multimedia content.
Environmental Studies and Policy Collection - Environmental Studies and Policy Collection provides access to scholarly journals, magazines, and other reference sources covering environmental issues and policies. The database includes diverse perspectives from the scientific community, governmental policymakers, and corporate interests.
Science in Context - Science in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics.