Search for Books in the Library
Finding Information in Online Reference Books
Online reference books are really useful if you're still working on narrowing down your topic, or need background information. All of the sources that are compiled in the databases listed below are print books that have been digitized and put in a searchable format. They contain information that is similar to the information you'd find on Wikipedia, but it's a bit more reliable because it cannot be edited by users.
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SAGE Reference & Academic Ebooks This link opens in a new windowThis database allows you to search the content of a wide variety of reference books on many different subjects.
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Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new windowThis is a collection of online reference books on a really wide range of topics, ranging from the social sciences to hard sciences.
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Opposing ViewPoints This link opens in a new windowThis database contains a lot of different types of content (reference books, articles, statistics, etc.) It is often a helpful tool to use to find sources that provide an overview of a topic, especially if it is controversial.
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Health Source: Consumer Edition This link opens in a new windowConsumer health information, including reference books on health and medicine.
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Encyclopedia of Social Work This link opens in a new window
Social work encyclopedia with overviews and introductions for many topics.
Ask a Librarian
First Year Experience & Children's Literature Librarian
Sarah Fabian
she/her
Contact:
Please feel free to email me at sfabian@emich.edu to get help over email or find a time to meet if my available appointment times don't work with your schedule.