Pathfinders
Specific Class Projects
- Sophomore Poetry Project
- English 10 Arthurian Project
- Victorian Social Issues Project
- Civil Rights Movement Project
- Literary Journalism Project
- Rome Research Project
- Medieval Trade Routes
Sophomore Poetry Project
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Go to Library catalog to find books such as these:
- Encyclopedia of American Poetry, ed. by Eric L. Haralson. Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001. Call no. REF 811.09 E56
- John Donne: A Collection of Critical Essays, ed. by Helen Gardner. Prentice-Hall, 1965. Call no. 821.3 D685j
- Granger's Index to Poetry (7th edition) ed. by William James Smith and William F. Bernhardt. Columbia University Press, 1982. Call no. REF 808.81 G758
- H.D.: The Life and Work of an American Poet, by Janice Robinson. Houghton Mifflin, 1982. Call no. 811.52 H111r
- A History of Modern Poetry: Modernism and After, by David Perkins. Belknap, 1987. Call no. 821.009 P448
- The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, ed. by Alex Preminger and T.V.F. Brogan. Princeton University Press, 1993. Call no. REF 808.103 N532
- The Oxford Book of American Poetry, ed. by David Lehman. Oxford, 2006. Call no. REF 811.08 o98l
- Poetry Speaks: Hear Great Poets Read Their Work From Tennyson to Plath, ed. by Elise Paschen and Rebekah Presson Mosby. Sourcebooks, 2001. Call no. 811.509 P745
Finding Books Outside OES
- Questia: E-library of over 70,000 scholarly books as well as academic journals.. Log in with your OES email address and Questia password
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- Worldcat: access to the combined catalogs of libraries throughout the US and world.
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Topical Websites
- Academy of American Poets: Terrific, well curated website that includes biographical information and represenative poems for nearly 2,000 American poets.
- Columbia Granger World of Poetry: Available through the Multnomah County Library Research Tools Collection, this resource includes the full texts of over 250,000 poems.
- Library of Congress Poetry Resources: The might of the nation's biggest library is brought to bear on poetry and poets. A very rich collection of poems, information, and links.
- Poetry Foundation. The website of one of the leading poetry organizations in the world includes poems, analysis, and other information about poems and poets.
- Poets' personal websites: Many contemporary poets, like Camille Dungy and Tracy Smith, have their own websites, complete with email addresses. Check it out!
English 10 Arthurian Project
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Using the OES Databases
- Topical Websites
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Go to Library catalog to find books such as these:
- Atlas of the Medieval World, edited by Rosamond McKitterick. Oxford, 2004. Call no. REF 909.07 M158a
- The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Myth and Legend, edited by John and Caitlin Matthews. Lyons, 2004. Call no. 299.16 E56
- The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, by Anthony S. Mercatante. Facts on File, 1988. Call no. REF 201.3 M553f
- Medieval Panorama, edited by Robert Bartlett. Getty Museum, 2001. Call no. REF 909.07 M489
- The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, edited by Norris J. Lacy. Garland, 1996. Call no. REF 809.93351 N532
- Oxford Companion to English Literature, edited by Margaret Drabble. Oxford, 2000. Call no. REF 820.3 O98
Finding Books Outside OES
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- SUMMIT Orbis Cascade Alliance: combined catalog of Pacific Northwest college and university libraries, and access to WORLDCAT, the combined catalog of libraries throughout the US and world.
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Using the OES Databases
- Proquest Research Library: General-interest magazines and newspapers
- Gale InfoTrac: Made available through the Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS). Magazines and journals across a wide spectrum of subject areas. For best results, go to "PowerSearch" and select the Academic OneFile and Popular Magazine indexes to search.
- JSTOR: Awesome full-text collection of academic journals, including titles such as Arthuriana and Arthurian Interpretations
- Ancient and Medieval History Online
- Oxford Art Online
Topical Websites
- Athuriana: A wealth of well curated and well organized information on all aspects of Arthurian literature and history
- The Camelot Project: A guide to scholarly resources on the Arthurian period, from the University of Rochester
- Internet Medieval Sourcebook: A collection of medieval texts and interpretatoins from Fordham University
Victorian Social Issues Project
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Finding Articles
- Topical Websites
- Statistical Websites
- Local Agencies and Organizations
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Go to Library catalog to find books such as these:
- American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare, by Jason DeParle. Viking, 2004. Call no. 362.5 D419a
- Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children, by Michael Thompson et al. Ballantine, 2001. Call no. 305.231 T468b
- Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England, by Judith Flanders. Norton, 2003. Call no. 942.081 F584i
- The New American Poverty, by Michael Harrington. Holt Rinehart and Winston, 1984. Call no. 305.569 H311n
- Parallel Lives: Five Victorian Marriages, by Phyllis Rose. Vintage, 1984. Call no. 306.81 R797
- Poor People, by William T. Vollmann. Harper Perennial, 2007. Call no. 362.5 V924p
- Victorian People and Ideas: A Companion for the Modern Reader of Victorian Literature, by Richard D. Altick. Norton, 1973. Call no. 942.081 A468v
- What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist--The Facts of Daily Life in 19th-Century England, by Daniel Pool. Touchstone, 1993. Call no. 820.9 P821w
- The Working Poor: Invisible in America, by David K. Shipler. Knopf, 2004. Call no. 305.569 S557w
Finding Books Outside OES
- Questia: E-library of over 70,000 scholarly books as well as academic journals.. Log in with your OES email address and Questia password
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- Worldcat: access to the combined catalogs of libraries throughout the US and world.
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Finding Articles
- Proquest Research Library: General-interest magazines and newspapers
- Gale InfoTrac: Made available through the Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS). Magazines and journals across a wide spectrum of subject areas. For best results, go to "PowerSearch" and select the Academic OneFile and Popular Magazine indexes to search.
- JSTOR: Awesome full-text collection of academic journals, including titles such as Arthuriana and Arthurian Interpretations
- The Oregonian: Full text from 1861-present, available through America's Historical Newspapers and NewsBank in the Multnomah County Library Databases
- Proquest Historical New York Times. The entire run of the Times, accessible from the OES database collection.
Remember: Almost any article you find in any of these databases or indexes can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the citation for the article and bring it to Chris Myers
Topical Websites
- Child Labor Education Project: Based at the University of Iowa, the Child Labor Education Project provides a wide-ranging collection of resources and data about the history, current state, causes, and effects of child labor in the U.S. and in other countries
- Children's Defense Fund: An independent, non-partisan national organization that advocates for children's welfare and collects data on the status of children in the United States
- CQ Researcher Excellent coverage of current political and social issues, accessible with your library card number through Multnomah County Library Databases.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library through OSLIS: Essentially an electronic version of a collection of subject-specific encyclopedias and other reference works. Click on a title and then use the hot-linked table of contents to find pertinent articles. Titles of interest for this project include Crime and Punishment: Essential Primary Sources and Social Policy: Essential Primary Sources.
- National Center for Children in Poverty: Based at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, the NCCP is "the nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low-income families and children."
- National Foster Care Coalition: A non-partisan, non-profit organization that gathers information and statistics on foster care and adoption
- National Poverty Center: A project of the University of Michigan, the National Poverty Center promotes and gathers scholarship about the causes and consequences of poverty
- Urban Institute: The website of a nonpartisan organization dedicated to collecting data and providing reports and analysis on a variety of social problems in the United States
- Opposing Viewpoints through OSLIS: Well curated, balanced collection of articles and opinion pieces covering both sides of major issues. Go to Gale InfoTrac under Databases, click on Power Search, select "Opposing Viewpoints," then click on "Issues"
- The Victorian Web: Broad-ranging collection of material about Victorian England, including a special section on Dickens
Statistical Websites
- Uniform Crime Reports: The official data collection site of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Adoption and Foster Care Statistics: From the Children's Bureau, a division of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, national and state statistics on adoptions and foster-care arrangements, as well as on child abuse and neglect.
- American Factfinder: The online data service of the United States Census Bureau (the government agency dedicated to collecting and sorting demographic data)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: This rich resource, produced by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides data on employment prospects, average pay, job requirements, and current employment levels for a variety of professions and types of work
- Pew Research Center: A nonpartisan "fact bank" that gathers data and public opinion on a range of issues in the United States
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: This website, maintained by a division of the United States Department of Justice, offers current data about inmate populations at federal penitentiaries and prison camps.
Local Agencies and Organizations
- OES Upper School Service-Learning Agency Listing: A very wide-ranging and well-maintained list of local social-service agencies
- State of Oregon Department of Human Services
- Multnomah County Department of Human Services
- Clackamas County Department of Health, Housing and Human Services
- Washington County Department of Health and Human Services
Civil Rights Movement Project
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Finding Articles
- Government and Institutional Online Collections
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Go to Library catalog to find books such as these:
- Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience (5 vols.). Oxford, 2005. Call no. REF 960.03 A258
- Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama, the Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution, by Diane McWhorter. Simon and Schuster, 2001. Call no. 976.1781 M177c
- Civil Rights in the United States. Macmillan, 2000. (2 vols.) Call no. REF 323.097303 C582
- The Eyes on the Prize Civil Rights Reader. Penguin, 1991. Call no. 323.4 E97
- Let Freedom Ring: A Documentary History of the Modern Civil Movement, by Peter B. Levy. Prager, 1992 Call no. 323.1 L645
- Let Nobody Turn Us Around: Voices of Resistance, Reform,and Renewal (An African American Anthology), edited by Manning Marable and Leith Mullings. Rowman & Littlefield, 2000. Call no. 973.0496 L645
- My Soul is a Witness: A Chonology of the Civil Rights Era, 1954-1965, by Bettye Collier-Thomas. Holt, 2000. Call no. 973.0496 C699m
- Parting the Waters : America in the King Years, 1954-63 (and its sequelae, Pillar of Fire and At Canaan's Edge), by Taylor Branch. Simon and Schuster, 1988. Call no. 973.0496 B816p
- Weary Feet, Rested Souls: A Guided History of the Civil Rights Movement, by Townsend Davis. Norton, 1998. Call no. 323.1196073 D264w
Finding Books Outside OES
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- SUMMIT Orbis Cascade Alliance: combined catalog of Pacific Northwest college and university libraries, and access to WORLDCAT, the combined catalog of libraries throughout the US and world.
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Finding Articles
- ProquestPlatinum: General-interest magazines and newspapers, including citations for The Oregonian from 1989 to present
- Gale InfoTrac: Made available through the Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS). Magazines and journals across a wide spectrum of subject areas. For best results, go to "PowerSearch" and select the Academic OneFile and Popular Magazine indexes to search.
- Proquest Historical New York Times. The entire run of the Times, accessible from the OES database collection.
- The Oregonian in full text: To access The Oregonian in full-text (for articles from 1988 to the present), you must go Multnomah County Library's online newspaper collection, click on "The Oregonian," enter a valid Multnomah County Library card number and PIN, then begin searching. For articles published before 1988, you must search The Oregonian on microfilm in one of the local public libraries.
- ArticleFirst: Accessible with your library card number from Multnomah County Library Databases
Remember: Almost any article you find in ArticleFirst or another index can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the citation for the article and bring it to Chris Myers
Government and Institutional Online Collections
Literary Journalism Project
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Reference Websites: Making Sense of the Internet
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Finding Articles
- The Local Angle
- A Few Useful Subject-Specific Websites (Just A Sampling)
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Great reference books: For background information, bibliographies, experts
- Back issues of The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, and Harpers: excellent models of literary journalism. Read Christopher Glazek's article, "The Street Silhouette," and Jose Antonio Vargas's article "The Face of Facebook."
- Very good general collection
- Questia: An online library of over 90,000 e-books, mostly academic in nature [You must log in with your own user ID and password to use Questia]
- Go to Library homepage
Reference Websites: Making Sense of the Internet
Finding Books Outside OES
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- WorldCat: the combined catalog of libraries throughout the US and world.
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Finding Articles
- Proquest Research Library: Magazines and newspapers
- Gale InfoTrac: Made available through the Oregon School Library Information System (OSLIS). Magazines and journals across a wide spectrum of subject areas. For best results, go to "PowerSearch" and select the Academic OneFile and Popular Magazine indexes to search.
- The Oregonian in full text, 1861-1972: Go to Multnomah County Library's online newspaper collection, click on The Oregonian Historical Archive, enter a valid Multnomah County Library card number and PIN, go to The Oregonian tab, then begin searching.
- The Oregonian in full text, 1987-present: Go to Multnomah County Library's online newspaper collection, click on The Oregonian, enter a valid Multnomah County Library card number and PIN, then begin searching.
- Oregon Newspapers Index: Indexing (citations only) of The Oregonian (1852-1987), The Eugene Register Guard (1963-2004), and The Oregon Daily Emerald (1900-1979)
- JSTOR: academic journals, primary sources, and books
Remember: Almost any article you find in ArticleFirst or another index can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the citation for the article and bring it to Chris Myers
The Local Angle
- Multnomah County: Information about agencies and services of the county
- Oregon.gov: The State of Oregon's official website. Includes full text of theOregon Blue Book
- Oregon Historical Society: Excellent resources in local and regional history
- Oregonlive.com: For very recent (within the past two weeks) articles from The Oregonian or The Hillsboro Argus; access older articles through the Multnomah County Library website
- Portland Online: The offical website of the City of Portland
- Portland Tribune: Great coverage of local news and institutions
- Willamette Week: For articles that take more of a literary journalism approach to local issues
A Few Useful Subject-Specific Websites (Just A Sampling)
- American Factfinder: A collection of data from the United States Census Bureau
- American Memory: The online collections of the Library of Congress, including rich resources in the areas of folklore, music, architecture, and history.
- National Archives: The United States' primary repository of documents, statistics, and historical data now offers online access to selected records. Worth checking out. The Access to Archival Databases catalog gives you specifics on what is accessible online
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: A useful overview of most major jobs or professions
- Georgetown University Research Guides: A terrific collection of subject guides
Rome Research Project
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- OES Databases
- Rome Websites
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Finding Articles
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Great reference books and monographs: For detailed information, background information, bibliographies
- Go to Library catalog
OES Databases
- Questia: Online library of over 75,000 scholarly books in e-book format, as well as over 7-million journal articles [Important note: Each OES student has her or his own Questia account. Check with Chris Myers if you have forgotten your account information.]
- Gale Biography Resource Center: For information on individual figures
- Facts on File Ancient and Medieval History Online: Some nice background information, good bibliographies, and a few primary sources
- Britannica Online: Great general coverage of a broad variety of topics
- JSTOR: Excellent collection of full-text academic journals as well as a growing number of e-books
Rome Websites
- Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Strong collection of primary sources from the ancient world
- Perseus Project: Well-maintained digital library, from Tufts University, that includes texts of primary sources as well as of valuable reference works
- ABZU: Excellent portal created and maintained by New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World
- LacusCurtius: Into the Roman World: Slightly unwieldy but still worthwhile collection of resources from the University of Chicago
- The Rome Project: Collection of web-based Rome information from The Dalton School
Finding Books Outside OES
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- SUMMIT: combined catalog of Pacific NW college and university libraries
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Finding Articles
- Proquest Direct: Magazines and newspapers, including The Oregonian in full text from 1989 to present
- Gale InfoTrac: Magazines and journals. For best results select General OneFile and Academic OneFile before beginning your search.
- JSTOR: See above
Remember: Almost any article you find in ArticleFirst or another index can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the citation for the article and bring it to Chris Myers
Medieval Trade Routes
- Upper School Library: Getting Started
- OES Databases
- Websites
- Finding Books Outside OES
- Finding Articles
Upper School Library: Getting Started
- Great reference books and monographs: For detailed information, background information, bibliographies
- Go to Library catalog
OES Databases
- Facts on File Ancient and Medieval History Online: Some nice background information, good bibliographies, and a few primary sources
- World Book Online: Great general coverage with good maps and photos
- Britannica Online: Great general coverage of a broad variety of topics
Websites
- Internet Medieval Sourcebook: Strong collection of primary sources from the medieval world
- Medieval History: Basic Resources: An excellent webpage from Rutgers University
- Perry-Castaneda Map Collection: A wide ranging collection of digitized maps from the University of Texas
Finding Books Outside OES
- Multnomah County Library catalog
- Washington County Libraries catalog
- Clackamas County Libraries catalog
- Orbis Cascade Alliance: combined catalog of Pacific NW college and university libraries
- WORLDCAT: Accessible with your library card number from Multnomah County Library Electronic Resources
Remember: Almost any book or publication you find in SUMMIT can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the record for the book and bring it to Chris Myers
Finding Articles
- Proquest Direct: Magazines and newspapers, including The Oregonian in full text from 1989 to present
- EBSCO: Magazines and journals. For best results choose the Academic Search Elite and MasterFile Premier databases
- ArticleFirst: Accessible with your library card number from Multnomah County Library Electronic Resources
Remember: Almost any article you find in ArticleFirst or another index can be requested for you through interlibrary loan. Print out the citation for the article and bring it to Chris Myers
Subject Webliographies
- Current Events and Contemporary Studies
- English and Literature
- History and Cultural Studies
- Science, Nature, & Mathematics
Current Events and Contemporary Studies
- Asia Source (Asia Society)
Provides information pertaining to Asia including; food, business, events, news, holidays, maps and statistics. Contains specific sections on holidays, chronologies, country comparisons, embassies, biographies, languages and more. Includes a searchable glossary and dictionary. - Atalapedia Online (Latimer Clarke Corporation Pty. Ltd.)
Full color physical and political maps from around the world, plus facts and statistics on geography, climate, people, religion, language, history and economy. - Background Notes (United States Department of State)
Presents online publications about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty around the world. Prepared by the regional bureaus of the US Department of State. - BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation) (Contains advertising.)
The largest news broadcaster in the world presents extensive, in-depth coverage of the world’s current events. Offers a good alternative perspective to that of American-based news media. Specific sections focus on world regions, business, health, science and nature, technology. Includes links to supplemental video and audio coverage. - BLS Career Information (US Bureau of Labor Statistics) For all ages.
Provides vocational guidance for young people interested in a variety of fields. - CIA World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency)
Quick reference to information for all countries including: geography, maps, people, government, economy, military, communication, travel, and international issues. - Constitution Finder (University of Richmond)
Features the constitutions of more than two hundred countries in both the original language and English. - Distinguished Women of Past and Present (Distinguishedwomen.com)
Provides biographical information (indexed by subject or name) of women writers, educators, scientists, heads of state, civil rights activists, artists and entertainers. Features bibliography links to Amazon.com. - Earth Trends: The Environmental Information Portal (The World Resources Institute)
A collection of online databases that provide access to massive amounts of data relating to the environment, geography and economics of countries around the world. Topics covered include: coastal and marine ecosystems, climate and atmosphere, agriculture and food, energy and resources. - Ethnologue (SIL International)
Information about over 6,900 languages with over 40,000 different dialects from around the world. Specific information for each language includes population, region and classification. - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (US Department of Education)
Lists hundreds of educational websites supported by US government agencies. Subjects include arts, history, health and physical education, language arts, mathematics, science, and world studies. - Girls Health (The National Women’s Health Information Center, Washington, DC)
Covers a wide range of health topics specifically for young women, such as fitness, nutrition, relationships, bullying, drugs, smoking, and others. - Healthfinder (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion/US Department of Health and Human Services)
Serves as an all-purpose source of free medical and health information for the general public. Features a health library, a section on doctors, dentists, and hospitals, and a directory of selected health information websites from government agencies, clearinghouses, nonprofits, and universities. - Homework Center (Multnomah County Library)
A selection of internet resources, organized by topics most commonly requested for homework assignments. Selected and annotated by librarians. - How Products are Made (Thomson Gale) Contains advertising.
Each entry includes background, history, diagrams, descriptions of raw materials and the manufacturing process, future projections, a bibliography, and (be warned) advertising links for the products described. - http://www.iemily.com/Iemily (iEmily Inc.)
Includes information on herbs, natural remedies, beauty tips, yoga, sexuality and other matters of lifestyle. Offers essays written by girls about a range of issues, including grief, self-image, self-injury and disabilities. - INFOMINE (Regents of the University of California)
Provides access to a collection of resources (many free) like databases, electronic journals, bulletin boards, mailing lists, online library catalogs, articles, directories of researchers, and other types of information assembled by librarians at 30 contributing universities. Sometimes this site is slow to load – it may take a few attempts, but it’s worth the effort! - The Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
Provides access to Library of Congress digital collections of text, audio and graphics. Collections include American Memory; Global Gateway: World Cultures and Resources; THOMAS (for legislative information) and more. - NationMaster.com (NationMaster.com; Luke Metcalfe, a web publisher and data miner from Sydney, Australia) (Contains advertising)
A vast compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, World Resources Institute, UNESCO, UNICEF, and OECD. Also includes quizzes on a wide array of subjects. - OFFSTATS (Ranier Wolcke, University of Auckland Library)
A metasite that pulls together links to official statistics from countries, government agencies and intergovernmental organizations. - US Census Bureau (US Census Bureau)
Complete US data listed geographical (by region, county, city, etc.). A surprising number of details about daily life, trends, and demographics is measured by the Census Bureau and presented on this site. - Urban Legends Reference Pages (Barbara and David P. Mikkelson) (Contains advertisements)
A searchable archive offering insight into urban legends, suspect news stories, rumors, gossip, and common fallacies. - USA.gov (Office of Citizen Services and Communications, US General Services Administration)
Official US government gateway for citizens, visitors, business and government employees. Provides access to federal, state, local, tribal and international government information.
English and Literature
- American Rhetoric (Dr. Michael E. Eidenmuller from University of Texas at Tyler) Contains banner advertisements
An index and database of more than five thousand full-text, audio and streaming versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews and other recorded media events. Includes an index and partial database full-text transcriptions of the one hundred most significant American political speeches of the twentieth century. - American Verse Project (University of Michigan)
Aims to assemble an electronic archive of volumes of American poetry written prior to 1920. Searchable text, and includes a word index and browse feature. Features authors such as Whittier, Teasdale, and Poe, as well as lesser known poets. - Bartleby.com (Alibris) Contains banner advertisements.
Access to full text of books on the web including reference, verse, fiction and nonfiction. Indexed by author, subject and title and features a browse function. Reference texts include Columbia Encyclopedia, American heritage Dictionary, Roget’s Thesaurus, American Heritage Book of English Usage, Columbia World of Quotations, Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, King James Bible, Oxford Shakespeare, Gray’s Anatomy, Strunk’s Elements of Style, World Factbook, and Columbia Gazetteer. - Bibliomania (Bibliomania.com Ltd.)
Free access to thousands of e-books, poems, articles, short stories and plays on the Internet. Study guides are written by Oxford and Cambridge University graduates and include summaries, discussions and commentaries on the texts. The reference section includes biographies, classic nonfiction and religious texts. - Documenting the American South (University of North Carolina)
A large-scale digital publishing initiative that features primary resources in history for the study of the history, literature and culture of the American South. Especially well represented are resources for study of the Civil War, the antebellum South, African-American history and Southern literature. - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (US Department of Education)
Lists hundreds of educational websites supported by US government agencies. Subjects include arts, history, health and physical education, language arts, mathematics, science, and world studies. - Homework Center (Multnomah County Library)
A selection of internet resources, organized by topics most commonly requested for homework assignments. Selected and annotated by librarians. - INFOMINE (Regents of the University of California)
Provides access to a collection of resources (many free) like databases, electronic journals, bulletin boards, mailing lists, online library catalogs, articles, directories of researchers, and other types of information assembled by librarians at 30 contributing universities. Sometimes this site is slow to load – it may take a few attempts, but it’s worth the effort! - Ipl2 (The Internet Public Library 2) (iSchool at Drexel University in partnership with several other universities)
A virtual library providing easy access to many reference resources, books, magazines and other websites selected by librarians. Organized by subject. Also has a section especially for teens. - The Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
Provides access to Library of Congress digital collections of text, audio and graphics. Collections include American Memory; Global Gateway: World Cultures and Resources; THOMAS (for legislative information) and more. - Mark Twain’s Mississippi River (Northern Illinois University Libraries)
A multimedia website that explores Mark Twain’s time in and around the Mississippi River through a number of interactive maps, historic images, audio content and essays. - NoveList (EBSCO Publishing)
OES subscription: Access from the library homepage
A readers’ advisory service designed to assist users in discovering new fiction books based on books and topics they’ve already enjoyed. - Poe Museum (The Museum of Edgar Allen Poe)
Provides basic information about the life and works of Edgar Allen Poe - Urban Legends Reference Pages (Barbara and David P. Mikkelson) (Contains advertisements)
A searchable archive offering insight into urban legends, suspect news stories, rumors, gossip, and common fallacies. - The Writers Almanac (Minnesota Public Radio) (Contains advertisements)
Provides archival access to audio and text files from past programs of The Writers Almanac, a daily radio program of poetry and history hosted by Garrison Keillor. Information includes author background and text of reading selections as well as program schedule. - yourDictionary.com (yourDictionary.com) (Contains advertisements)
Provides a portal for language and language-related products and services on the web, including 2500 dictionaries with more than 300 languages. All dictionaries are searchable and include translation, synonyms, antonyms, rhyming and more. Specialty areas include access to endangered languages, research, and fun mnemonics that will help avoid common spelling mistakes.
History and Cultural Studies
- Africans in America (PBS and WGBH Boston) Contains sponsors’ links (advertisements.)
A companion to the PBS television series, as well as a self-contained source of information and primary source documents relating to the topic of slavery in the United States. The main content is divided into four sections spanning the years from 1450 to 1865, with each section containing narratives, facts and resources and a teacher’s guide. - American Rhetoric (Dr. Michael E. Eidenmuller from University of Texas at Tyler) Contains banner advertisements.
An index and database of more than five thousand full-text, audio and streaming versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews and other recorded media events. Includes an index and partial database full-text transcriptions of the one hundred most significant American political speeches of the twentieth century. - AmericanPresident.org (Center of Public Affairs-University of Virginia)
Presents biographies and timelines for each president, first lady, cabinet member and staff, along with a list of key events and an image gallery for each president. In addition, there are organizational charts, essays and bibliographies on key areas of presidential responsibility such as economic and domestic policy, national security and legislative affairs. - Ancient History: Romans (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Covers a broad range of topics relating to ancient Roman civilization, such as gods and beliefs, gladiators, empire, and culture. Includes photos, bibliographies, and several interactive Flash-based games. There are links to the other ancient civilizations covered by the BBC, including Greeks, Egyptians, British, Vikings, India and others. - Asia Source (Asia Society)
Provides information pertaining to Asia including; food, business, events, news, holidays, maps and statistics. Contains specific sections on holidays, chronologies, country comparisons, embassies, biographies, languages and more. Includes a searchable glossary and dictionary. - Background Notes (United States Department of State)
Presents online publications about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty around the world. Prepared by the regional bureaus of the US Department of State. - Ben’s Guide to US Government (US Government Printing Office) For all ages.
Quick facts and information about the US government designed for students, divided by grade levels. Topics include: historical documents, branches of government, how laws are made, national vs. state government, elections, and citizenship. Also has college and career information. - Biography of America (WGBH Interactive for Annenberg Media)
Covers the history of the United States in 26 sessions, beginning with pre-European contact and ending in 1999. The Web site is based on a series of videos that are available for purchase, or viewable for free as streaming videos (in Windows Media format). Each section includes a timeline of events, with links to text coverage of most of the events listed, maps, complete transcripts, and a bibliography of print and web resources. - calisphere (University of California)
Focuses on the history of California, but relevant for the broader study of the west coast and all of North America. General topics of interest include the gold rush of 1849, the Great Depression, World War II and the Japanese-American internment. Presents an enormous collection of photographs and primary source documents. - CIA World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency)
Quick reference to information for all countries including: geography, maps, people, government, economy, military, communication, travel, and international issues. - Constitution Finder (University of Richmond)
Features the constitutions of more than two hundred countries in both the original language and English. - Digital History (University of Houston)
An extensive and well-organized site featuring high quality historical resources for students and teachers. - Distinguished Women of Past and Present (Distinguishedwomen.com) Contains advertisments.
Provides biographical information (indexed by subject or name) of women writers, educators, scientists, heads of state, civil rights activists, artists and entertainers. Features bibliography links to Amazon.com. - Documenting the American South (University of North Carolina)
A large-scale digital publishing initiative that features primary resources in history for the study of the history, literature and culture of the American South. Especially well represented are resources for study of the Civil War, the antebellum South, African-American history and Southern literature. - Eternal Egypt (Egyptian Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage)
A multimedia presentation offering cultural highlights, maps, timelines and museums for over 5000 years of Egyptian history. - Ethnologue (SIL International)
Information about over 6,900 languages with over 40,000 different dialects from around the world. Specific information for each language includes population, region and classification. - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (US Department of Education)
Lists hundreds of educational websites supported by US government agencies. Subjects include arts, history, health and physical education, language arts, mathematics, science, and world studies. - Foreign relations of the United States (University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents)
Digitized versions of a print series originally produced by the State Department’s Office of the Historian. The online archive covers volumes documenting major foreign policy decisions of the United States from 1861 to 1960. - The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization (Public Broadcasting System)
Offers a broad range of multimedia resources covering the Golden Age of Greece. Provides streaming video, interactive maps, and a wealth of information on daily life, social customs, political and military history, and many other aspects of Ancient Greece. - Homework Center (Multnomah County Library)
A selection of internet resources, organized by topics most commonly requested for homework assignments. Selected and annotated by librarians. - INFOMINE (Regents of the University of California)
Provides access to a collection of resources (many free) like databases, electronic journals, bulletin boards, mailing lists, online library catalogs, articles, directories of researchers, and other types of information assembled by librarians at 30 contributing universities. Sometimes this site is slow to load — it may take a few attempts, but it’s worth the effort! - Interactive Consitution (National Constitution Center)
Explore various aspects of the Constitution. Searchable by keyword, topic, and Supreme Court cases. - The Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
Provides access to Library of Congress digital collections of text, audio and graphics. Collections include American Memory; Global Gateway: World Cultures and Resources; THOMAS (for legislative information)and more. - Mark Twain’s Mississippi River (Northern Illinois University Libraries)
A multimedia website that explores Mark Twain’s time in and around the Mississippi River through a number of interactive maps, historic images, audio content and essays. - Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute (Stanford University)
Aimed primarily at teachers, the site includes transcripts and audio of some of King’s most important works, as well as other online resources regarding Dr. King and the civil rights movement. - A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the Constitution (Smithsonian National Museum of American History)
Gives a balanced and comprehensive portrayal of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Includes interviews, narratives, documents and images. - National Museum of the American Indian (National Museum of the American Indian)
A virtual tour of the museum’s New York annex. - NationMaster.com (NationMaster.com; developed by Luke Metcalfe, a web publisher and data miner from Sydney, Australia) (contains banner ads)
A vast compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, World Resources Institute, UNESCO, UNICEF, and OECD. - OFFSTATS (Ranier Wolcke, University of Auckland Library)
A metasite that pulls together links to official statistics from countries, government agencies and intergovernmental organizations. - Papal Encyclicals Online (Papal Encyclicals)
Provides papal encyclicals and other Catholic Church documents from 1226 to the present. - POTUS: Presidents of the United States (Internet Public Library and School of Information, University of Michigan)
A quick biography source for all the US presidents, as well as election results, cabinet member biographies and notable events of each presidency. - Timelines of Art History (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
A chronological, geographical and thematic exploration of the history of art from around the world. - US Census Bureau (US Census Bureau)
Complete US data listed geographical (by region, county, city, etc.). A surprising number of details about daily life, trends, and demographics is measured by the Census Bureau and presented on this site.
Science, Nature, & Mathematics
- Earth Trends: The Environmental Information Portal (The World Resources Institute)
A collection of online databases that provide access to massive amounts of data relating to the environment, geography and economics of countries around the world. Topics covered include: coastal and marine ecosystems, climate and atmosphere, agriculture and food, energy and resources. - eNature.com (Shearwater Marketing Group) (Contains advertisements and sponsored links)
Audubon field guides online and searchable, with descriptions and color photos of almost 5000 North American plants and animals. Although the site is not often updated, the information on North American plants, birds, and other wildlife is excellent. - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (US Department of Education)
Lists hundreds of educational websites supported by US government agencies. Subjects include arts, history, health and physical education, language arts, mathematics, science, and world studies. - Girls Health (Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Covers a wide range of health topics specifically for young women, such as fitness, nutrition, relationships, bullying, drugs, smoking, and others. - Healthfinder (National Health Information Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Serves as an all-purpose source of free medical and health information for the general public. Features a health library, a section on doctors, dentists, hospitals and insurance, and a directory of selected health information websites from government agencies, clearinghouses, nonprofits, and universities. - Homework Center (Multnomah County Library)
A selection of internet resources, organized by topics most commonly requested for homework assignments. Selected and annotated by librarians. - How Products are Made (Thomson Gale) Contains advertising.
Each entry includes background, history, diagrams, descriptions of raw materials and the manufacturing process, future projections, a bibliography, and (be warned) advertising links for the products described. - Iemily (iEmily Inc.)
Includes information on herbs, natural remedies, beauty tips, yoga, sexuality and other matters of lifestyle. Offers essays written by girls about a range of issues, including grief, self-image, self-injury and disabilities. - INFOMINE (Regents of the University of California)
Provides access to a collection of resources (many free) like databases, electronic journals, bulletin boards, mailing lists, online library catalogs, articles, directories of researchers, and other types of information assembled by librarians at 30 contributing universities. Sometimes this site is slow to load – it may take a few attempts, but it’s worth the effort! - Infrared Astronomy (Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology)
Provides a wide range of material on the study of infrared astronomy. Includes infrared images and video, activities and information about the science and technology of infrared science. - Ipl2 (The Internet Public Library 2) (iSchool at Drexel University in partnership with several other universities)
A virtual library providing easy access to many reference resources, books, magazines and other websites selected by librarians. Organized by subject. Also has a section especially for teens. - JetStream: An Online School for Weather (National Weather Service Southern Region)
Covers the fundamentals of weather and severe weather. The major areas addressed are: forecasting, the atmosphere, the ocean, global weather, synoptic meteorology, thunderstorms, tropical weather, remote sensing and the National Weather Service. - Kepler’s Three Laws of Planetary Motion (David P. Stern, retired physicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center)
Consists of an overview of Kepler’s laws, with examples, applications, problems and related history. - National Library of Virtual Manipulatives for Interactive Mathematics (Utah State University/National Science Foundation)
A collection of online mathematics activities, organized by grade level and subsections such as Numbers & Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability. - NationMaster.com (NationMaster.com; Luke Metcalfe, a web publisher and data miner from Sydney, Australia) (Contains banner ads)
A vast compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, World Resources Institute, UNESCO, UNICEF, and OECD. - North American Mammals (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History)
Over 400 profiles of mammals of North America, with scientific information, maps, habits, images, some audio clips and more. - Physlets (Wolfgang Christian from Davidson University)
Dedicated to helping students understand processes and concepts of physics. Includes graphics illustrating such processes as linear momentum, elastic linear collisions, the movement of sound waves, and others. - The PLANTS Database (US Department of Agriculture)
A database of plant information listed by both common and scientific names. Special topics include ecological site information, alternative crops, cultural significance, and fact sheets on specific plants. - Science Buddies (Kenneth Lafferty Hess Family Charitable Foundation)
Focuses on promoting and assisting student-based science projects. Covers the basics of science projects, such as project selection, methods and strategies. Extra resources include tips for engineering and programming projects, Ask the Expert, and information about judging and evaluation standards. - Science Café (University of California, San Francisco)
Multimedia presentations and ongoing discussions from top researchers on a variety of medical topics. - SciLinks (National Science Teacher’s Association)
A partnership between textbook publishers and the NSTA, this site provides access to web sites that will expand student’s understanding of scientific concepts, provide current science news and present activities to supplement material found in high school and college science textbooks. Though it may appear otherwise, NO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. - Seaturtle.org (Seaturtle.org)
Contains everything from the latest scientific research on seaturtles, to reports on conservation efforts, to career information in the field of marine biology. Includes podcasts and other multimedia presentations. - SOS Math (Math Medics, LLC) (contains banner ads)
Provides tutorials and practice exams on elementary to college-level mathematics. - Star Journey (National Geographic) (Contains banner ads)
Provides a star chart, photographs from the Hubble space telescope, and articles on astronomical matters. - Treehouses on the Tree of Life (for all ages) (Tree of Life Project)
Composed of more than 2000 web pages providing information about phylogeny and biodiversity. - US Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications: Data Services (US Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department)
Provides information on all types of astronomical phenomena, including moon phases, seasons, eclipses and more. - Weather Scope: an Investigative Study of Weather and Climate (for all ages) (Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education at Stevens Institute of Technology)
Immerses students in a hands-on, data-driven approach to the study of weather and climate. Includes instructions on constructing weather instruments, data collection and analysis, and several projects. Although this site doesn’t have ads, some of the sites it links to are commercial sites. - Webopedia (INT Media Group, Inc.) Contains banner advertisements and sponsored links.
An online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology information. Includes a quick reference section for information on everything technological. - Wise: Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (Wise, UC Berkeley)
A web-based science learning environment that helps students to learn about and respond to scientific controversies through designing, debating and critiquing solutions. Topics include hybrid cars, static electricity and global warming. Requires free membership.