Mira Costa High School Library
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Research Databases and eBooks

Need help using the research databases?  Come by the MCHS library or contact Mrs Forier assistance.

For help getting started on a research project, check out this student research guide. 
Recipe for Research: A Six-Step Process
Top 5 Searching Strategies

Research Databases

 EBSCO Academic Search Premier
Provides access to 4,600 acclaimed full-text journals, magazines, and other valuable cross-disciplinary resources and to 130,000 ebooks. 
user: miracostahs  password: Library@23

ProQuest Resources included in the California state-wide contract
​Lists of all the resources now available to California students including CultureGrams, ProQuest Central Student, SIRS Issues Researcher, SIRS Discoverer, ProQuest Research Companion, and eLibrary ProQuest Database
​
user: mbusd  password: Beach*18
https://www.proquest.com/​

Britannica School
A safe, up-to-date, and age appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.  Discover encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games, and other learning resources that support student research and reinforce curriculum standards.
user: mbusd  password: beach

Los Angeles County Public Library Databases
Use your Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach library barcode number (on the back of your library card) or our Mira Costa HS account number.  
Here are some Mira Costa Favorites:
Opposing Viewpoints
Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL)
Biography in Context
Literature Resource Center

MCHS Library Acct: 1111652201702
​
Gale Literary Sources - (formally Artemis)
This County of Los Angeles Public Library database includes literary criticism, biographies and overviews of literary topics and works from all genres, disciplines, time periods and regions of the world. Use the barcode number on the back of your Manhattan Beach Public Library Card to login. If you don't have your own library card, you can use the MCHS Library Acct: 1111652201702

​TeachingBooks
Books come to life with this engaging collection of resources.  Designed to further fun and connection to the very books and authors your students are reading, TeachingBooks' dream is to stimulate active reading, inspired thinking, and evidence-based discussions about the young adult books enjoyed throughout our community.
user: mbusd  password: beach

eBooks

Note: All these ebooks can also be found in our library catalog where you will also find print books.

EBSCO ebook Academic and High School Collection
Includes more than 130,000 full text ebooks on a wide range of topics which can be read online or downloaded to mobile devices.  user: miracostahs  password: Library@23

MackinVIA ebooks. Includes U.S. history decades books, classics, and miscellaneous other titles.
user: miracosta  password: mchs

Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues requires ABC-CLIO login
user: miracosta  password: mchs

Voices of Shakespeare's England: Contemporary Accounts of Elizabethan Daily Life requires ABC-CLIO login
​user: miracosta  password: mchs

Accessing the
Los Angeles & New York Times
and other newspapers through
ProQuest Central

user: mbusd  password: Beach*18
The following video (from Mrs Sullivan) can help you.
Still need help?  Please come see Mrs Forier


Free Database Options

Evaluating Sources
Need help evaluating the information you found?  Use the CRAAP Test.
The CAL State Chico Library allows the personal use of this CRAAP Test sheet to assist in evaluating a information.
General Information:
JSTOR Database

JSTOR is a subscription database that is now offering some journal content free of charge to non-subscribers. Students can also open free individual accounts to access a portion of the database articles.

Directory of Open Access Journals 
​Journals found in this directory do not require a subscription to access.

DeweyDigger 
​Great graphical approach to exploring subject areas


Google Newspaper Archive
Scanned copies of many newspapers
​
Google Books
"the world's most comprehensive index of full-text books"

Google Scholar
"Provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature."

History/Social Science:
Digital Public Library of America
Explore primary source sets, many with fair use policies.

Smithsonian
Explore your interests in the Smithsonian's vast collection and the research surrounding it.  Available to you online, with topics—from art to zoology.

Library of Congress
Use the largest library in the world online.
​

National Archives
Explore our Nation's history through its documents, records and photographs.
​
USA.Gov
Find answers to the most requested facts about the USA.  Including historical documents.
 
Columbia University U.S. Government Documents
Columbia University, a U.S. Federal government depository since 1882, welcomes use of its collections of U.S. Federal government  by members of the general public.

​
CIA World Fact Book
Information about people, government, geography, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues. Research done by the CIA.

IPL Political Science Magazine Links
This is a list of political science magazines available online. Also search the IPL2 site for good links on other topics.

​
Shmoop.com Civics, U.S. Government
This website offers guides and links on a wide variety of topics. Check this page for various Civics-related topics, and follow the links to a topic of interest. You can also search the site for topics, including The Growth of Presidential Power.

Media/Images:
**Plagiarism alert!  When using images or media - cite your sources and respect copy right and fair use policies.

Library of Congress Prints & Photographs

New York Public Library Digital Gallery

Smithsonian Institution Collections

AP Film Archive on YouTube
AP Archive is the film and video archive of The Associated Press, one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent news gathering

British Movietone Film Archive on YouTube
British Movietone is a newsreel archive, spanning 1895 to 1986
Biography:
Bio.com
InfoPlease Biographies

Science:
Sciencemag.org
PubMed
HighWire
ScienceDirect 
Current Drought information from NOAA

Literature:
Gale’s Literary Index
Poets.org

Current news:
Google Maps
Worldnewspapers.com
ProQuest Central New York Times
Google News
For more resources visit the "Newspapers" tab under "Research"

Exploring Current Trending Issues:
ProCon.org
Public Agenda Online
AllSides.com
​
Maps:
Google Street View
USGS National Geologic Database
David Rumsey Map Collection
LOC American Memory Map Collections

Historical Images:
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs
NY Public Library Digital Gallery
Smithsonian Institution Collections

Historical Videos:
Associates Presss Film Archive on YouTube
British Movietone Film Archive on YouTube

Careers: 
US Bureau Of Labor Statistics - Occupational Outlook Handbook 
Picture






Please be patient - the following section of the webpage is under construction - the librarian is still updating this page.  Thank you for your patience.  Come on by the library if you need help with something!

Overview of Library Website and Databases - provided by previous librarian - Mrs Sullivan

How to Use Advanced Search Part 1

How to Use Advanced Search Part 2

How to Search Within eBook

  • Home
  • About
    • About Your Library
    • Library Orientation Videos
    • Calendar
    • What Teacher Librarians Do
  • Research
    • Databases & eBooks
    • Newspapers
    • Pathfinders
    • Plagiarism
    • Citations - MLA
    • Fair Use - Creative Commons
  • Find A Book
    • Book Finder Databases
    • Book Lists
    • Book Awards Lists
    • Library Collections
    • Recommend A Book
  • Textbooks & Core Lit
    • Textbooks Policies
  • Free Access
    • Homework Help
    • Ebooks and More
    • Audiobooks
    • For Fun
    • Mental Health
  • MCHS