Reference

Search thousands of academic journals at once on a broad range of disciplines.

Academic Search Complete Help, opens a new window

This research database covers the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present and includes hundreds of full-text history journals and books.

America: History & Life With Full-Text Help, opens a new window

Resources for genealogical and historical research, including military, court, census, birth, marriage, and death records, and more.

Ancestry Library Edition Help, opens a new window

Note: Looking for "Ancestry Library Edition (from home use)"? Unfortunately, remote access to Ancestry Library Edition is no longer available. Please visit any San Mateo County Library location where you can access this resource on any public computer or your internet-enabled device connected to the library's WiFi.

HeritageHub (requires 29041 library card) and HeritageQuest (requires 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card) are both accessible from home.

Asian Life in America is a newspaper database that can support discussions and conversations on Asian heritage, history, culture, and daily life. Explore and gain a deeper understanding of the Asian American experience as recorded by the news media, from the 18th century through today. 

This biographical database offers in-depth profiles from Current Biography and World Authors, the periodical coverage of Biography Index and the specialist content of Junior Authors & Illustrators.

Biography Reference Bank Help, opens a new window

Provides thousands of reliable full-text biographies, including the complete full text of Biography Today and Biography, plus narrative biographies not available in other databases

Biography Reference Center Help, opens a new window

This online database is the go-to site for elementary school research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

Un excelente recurso digital en español que ayuda a enriquecer el aprendizaje de los estudiantes de primaria y secundaria.

Un excelente recurso digital en español que ayuda a enriquecer el aprendizaje de los estudiantes de primaria.

Un excelente recurso digital en español que ayuda a enriquecer el aprendizaje de los estudiantes de secundaria.

This online database is the go-to site for high school research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

This online database is the go-to site for middle school research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

This online database is the go-to site for K-12 research. Fifty-three thousand schools throughout the country use Britannica School to build essential information literacy skills, differentiate instruction, and support STEM education.

Access information from thousands of top business journals covering topics such as marketing, management, accounting, sales, and more.

Business Source Complete Help, opens a new window

CA Building Codes, includes Building, Fire, Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical.

CA law consists of 29 codes covering various subject areas.

Information to help you work better with an attorney, and represent yourself in some legal matters.

California missions eBooks that can be read online for free.

When asked for a Username and Password please enter Username: missions Password: missions.

Need to find out about California Mission or California Indians? How about California Governors or Explorers? California Social Studies Fact Cards will help you out with facts at your fingertips for California Indians, Explorers, Missions and Mission life, Ranchos, Datelines and more.

Información para ayudarle a trabajar mejor con un abogado y representarse a sí mismo en algunos asuntos legales.

Summaries and commentary for hundreds of literary classics.

Use EBSCOhost to select and search reference databases of your choice. This interface is recommended for advanced searchers. For students and general searchers, try one of the Explora databases below:

• General Research
• Elementary School Research
• Middle School Research
• High School Research

EBSCOhost Help, opens a new window

Students can search multiple databases at once for elementary school research (grades K-5). All full-text articles included are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles).

Databases searched:

• Primary Search
• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
• American Heritage Children’s Dictionary
• Topic Overviews K-5

Elementary School Research Help, opens a new window

An authoritative database of indexed and full-text education literature and resources.

ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) Help, opens a new window

EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit working to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost Internet service and computers, and free digital literacy courses accessible to all unconnected Americans.

Your source for population, housing, economic, and geographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Explore Census Data Help, opens a new window

Find trusted Weiss Ratings guides to stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), banks, credit unions, and insurance companies online with the Financial Ratings Series powered by Greyhouse Publishing.

Also access a Medigap tool detailing Medicare supplemental insurance options as well as helpful financial literacy resources on subjects such as making a budget, managing debt, and starting a 401K.

Financial Ratings Help, opens a new window

Students can explore topics ranging from climate change to automobile emissions. This resource will help you critically analyze important environmental topics that will affect people around the world. Discover more about topics and events such as Earth systems, global change, pollution, and populations. Gale in Context allows for easy selection of content appropriate for different grade levels.

This resource allows middle and high school students to learn complex science concepts with highly visual digital content that includes 3D models and a virtual laboratory experience for students.

Search multiple databases at once covering general interest topics, business resources, literary reference, news articles and more.

Databases searched:

• MasterFILE Premier (with Consumer Reports)
• Business Source Complete
• Newspaper Source Plus
• Biography Reference Center
• Topic Overviews Public Libraries
• Associated Press Videos

General Research Help, opens a new window

San Mateo County Libraries now offers a fully accredited online high school diploma and career certification program through Career Online High School (COHS). COHS is available via the internet, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. A limited number of scholarships are available to card holders who are California residents and 19 years of age or older.

Resources for genealogical and historical research, including the U.S. Federal Census, Freedman’s bank records, the PERSI index, and more. Requires 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

Students can search multiple databases at once for full-text articles, images, videos, and more for high school research (grades 9-12).

Databases searched:

• MAS Complete
• Newspaper Source Plus
• History Reference Center
• Literary Reference Center Plus
• Science Reference Center
• TOPICsearch
• Biography Reference Center
• Topic Overviews 6-12
• Associated Press Videos

High School Research Help, opens a new window

The definitive full-text database covering world history (excluding the United States and Canada) from the 15th century to the present.

Historical Abstracts With Full Text Help, opens a new window

Contains thousands of reliable resources including primary source documents, biographies, photos, maps, and more.

History Reference Center Help, opens a new window

Contact information for local, state, and federal elected officials.

Includes exclusive full text for many top consumer legal reference books, as well as thousands of legal forms.

Legal Information Reference Center Help, opens a new window

A combined catalog of books from participating public and academic libraries throughout California and Nevada. Members of the LINK+ consortium utilize a single searchable catalog to seamlessly borrow books from each other. Requires "29041" or "29047" library card.

This full-text database that combines information from major respected reference works, books, literary journals as well as original content from EBSCO Publishing.

Literary Reference Center Plus Help, opens a new window

Search and browse full-text articles from magazines, reference books, and other primary source documents.

MasterFILE Premier Help, opens a new window

Health information from the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine.

MedLine Plus Help, opens a new window

Información de salud de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud y la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina.

Ayuda con MedLine Plus, opens a new window

Students can search multiple databases at once for full-text articles for middle school research (grades 6-8). All full-text articles included are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles).
Databases searched:

• Middle Search Plus
• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
• Topic Overviews 6-12

Middle School Research Help, opens a new window

Morningstar is a respected tool for collecting financial information, obtaining portfolio analysis, learning about investment options and reading financial news commentary. Find data on over 14,500 stocks, 24,800 mutual funds, 1,500 exchange-traded funds, and 700 closed-end funds. Also find analyst reports on over 3,500 securities, offering in-depth background and analyst opinions on top investments. Requires a 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

Morningstar Investment Research Center Help, opens a new window

Engage elementary and middle school students with age-appropriate digital content on exciting subjects such as science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space.

72-hour complimentary, unlimited access pass to the full edition of The New York Times online and eligible apps without a subscription. Find all regular newspaper content, photography, and videos dating back from 1851 to the present. Personalize your access through email newsletters, mobile apps, and customizable news feeds and recommendations. Mandarin and Spanish versions are also available.

Getting Started
To get started, register for a free account either by being logged into smcl.org or from within a San Mateo County Libraries location using a library computer or using your own device on the library WiFi. Once registered, you will be able to enjoy your 72-hour access pass from anywhere by logging in with the same email and password entered during registration.

After your 72-hour pass expires, you may activate a new pass by visiting the pass activation page while once again being logged into smcl.org or from within a San Mateo County Libraries location using a library computer or using your own device on the library WiFi.

Search full-text articles from over 1,200 newspapers, newswires, and news magazines.

Newspaper Source Plus Help, opens a new window

Search current and archived issues of local newspapers for full-text news articles, editorials, events, people, government, sports and more. Search each paper individually or search all six local papers at the same time using the links below. Requires a 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

• San Francisco Chronicle, opens a new window – 1/1/1985-present (no obituaries included)
• San Mateo County Times, opens a new window – 9/15/2001-present
• San Mateo Daily Journal, opens a new window – 10/2/2000-present
• San Jose Mercury News, opens a new window – 6/1/1985-present
• Half Moon Bay Review, opens a new window – 8/15/1997-present
• Pacifica Tribune, opens a new window – 9/24/2003-present (no data 9/10/2009-6/6/2012)
• Search all six local papers at the same time., opens a new window

Newspapers – Local Help, opens a new window

Helps children grades K-8, parents, & teachers identify books appropriate for children's reading abilities and interests. Find suggestions for new fiction, nonfiction and audiobooks. Requires a 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

Novelist K-8 Plus Help, opens a new window

Tell NoveList what you like to read, and it will suggest similar books you might like! Find new fiction, nonfiction, and even audiobooks and authors based on your old favorites. Requires a 29041, 29731 or 29735 library card.

Novelist Plus Help, opens a new window

Contains resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events.

EBSCO Points of View Reference Center Help, opens a new window

A highly specialized database of full-text electronic information especially for educators, professional librarians, and education researchers.

Professional Development Collection Help, opens a new window

Designed to bring instant results to users across thousands of journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, reports, and other types of content. This multidisciplinary resource brings together some of ProQuest’s most used databases in education, humanities, psychology, science, social sciences, and news.

Central Student Help, opens a new window

An online resource of reports on 209 countries, each U.S. state, and all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. Reports contain information on daily life and culture, including the history, customs, and lifestyles of the world's people, as well as audio, video, images, maps, infographics, and classroom exercises.

Culturegrams Help, opens a new window

A reference collection of periodical and digital media content designed to support middle and high school students, college-prep and college-level researchers, and professional educators.

eLibrary Help, opens a new window

ProQuest is used by researchers and librarians around the world. Through its partnerships, ProQuest has built a growing content collection that now encompasses 90,000 authoritative sources, six billion digital pages and spans six centuries.

Supports information literacy, writing, and research skills instruction occurring in libraries, classrooms, and online learning environments.

Research Companion Help, opens a new window

A general reference database providing safe, reliable, curriculum-aligned content and features for use by students and educators in Primary and early Secondary schools.

SIRS Discoverer Help, opens a new window

Delivers the pros and cons on social issues with relevant, credible information. Analyses and opinions hand selected from thousands of national and international sources such as newspaper and magazine articles, videos, charts, maps, statistics, primary sources and government documents.

SIRS Issues Researcher Help, opens a new window

Students can access all of Redwood City Public Library's eResources using their Empower Card. Requires 29731 or 29735 library card.

Offers up-to-date business and residential data in the United States. With Reference Solutions, you can find jobs, business opportunities, company research, market trends, addresses and phone numbers, and much more.

Reference Solutions Help, opens a new window

Este base de datos de texto completo en español cubre temas dentro y fuera de la academia y ofrece contenido de una variedad de fuentes, incluidos libros de referencia, revistas de interés general e informes de salud.

Ayuada con Referencia Latina (en inglés), opens a new window

The Civil Grand Jury serves as an ombudsperson for the citizens of San Mateo County. The jury may receive and investigate complaints by individuals regarding the actions or performances of county or public officials. The yearly Final Reports and responses are available online starting from 1998.

Rules and regulations for a wide variety of situations and issues as handled in San Mateo County.

San Mateo County Code Help, opens a new window

Designed specifically for junior and senior high schools, Science Reference Center is an excellent source of reliable information on life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, technology and more.

Science Reference Center Help, opens a new window

Database of nonprofit and public services available to people who live or work in San Mateo County.

Professional educators can search multiple databases at once for full-text articles from peer-reviewed education journals and educational reports.

Databases searched:

• Professional Development Collection
• ERIC

Provides multimedia content to complement children's and young adult books. Resources include audiobook readings, author videos, book discussion guides and lesson plans for over 40,000 books in English and Spanish.

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Find lesson plans, discussion questions, novel units, reader's theater scripts, and other instructional support for the books you're reading in any K–12 classroom.

• Ready-to-use and vetted for quality to save you time
• Stimulate discussions about the books you're teaching
• Use for book clubs and to prompt conversation about books at home
• Choose from thousands of guides for both fiction and nonfiction
• Great for new educators and teachers-in-training

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Compile, organize, analyze, and share instructional materials associated with the books in your curriculum.

• Create your own booklists
• Manage text sets
• Analyze text complexity differentiation
• Seamlessly edit, sequence, and annotate lists
• Immediately have instructional materials
• Distribute lists with QR codes, emails, or permanent links

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Have the author reveal, anytime, the author's purpose, writing, and research processes with these TeachingBooks.net exclusively created primary source materials.

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Have ready-to-use vocabulary lists — often organized by chapter — for the books that you're teaching. Vocabulary lists include:

• Definitions
• Example sentences pulled from each book
• Audio pronunciations

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Get to know the latest award-winning books with exclusive primary source recordings that introduce students to authentic writing and research processes.

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Include diverse cultural experiences in your instruction as reflected in quality fiction and nonfiction books.

• Identify exceptional multicultural books for all content areas
• Bring culture and race to the forefront of literary conversations with authentic, primary source instructional materials

TeachingBooks.net Help, opens a new window

Voter’s Edge California is a comprehensive, nonpartisan online guide to elections covering federal, state, and local races in the state of California.

With Voter’s Edge California, voters can:

• Access their full, personalized ballot by entering their address.
• Get in-depth information on candidates, measures, and who supports them.
• View candidate biographies, top priorities, answers to questions, photos, policy videos, endorsements, and detailed information about who funds their campaigns.
• Browse unbiased explanations of ballot measures; find out who supports, opposes, and funds them.
• Check where, when, and how to vote, including information on their local polling locations.
• Keep track of their choices to make voting easier.
• Share information about the election with friends and family.

A joint project of MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (LWVCEF).

Voter’s Edge California es una guía integral para las elecciones, sin ninguna afiliación partidista y disponible en línea, que cubre las contiendas federales, estatales y locales en el estado de California.

Con Voter’s Edge California, los votantes podrán:

• Tener acceso detallado y personalizado a su boleta electoral al ingresar su dirección
• Obtener información detallada sobre los candidatos, las iniciativas de ley y quién los apoya.
• Ver las biografías de los candidatos, sus prioridades, respuestas a preguntas, fotografías, videos políticos, respaldos e información detallada acerca de quién financia sus campañas.
• Explorar las explicaciones imparciales de las iniciativas de ley en la boleta electoral; saber quién las apoya, se opone a ellas y las financia.
• Revisar dónde, cuándo y cómo votar, incluida la información sobre la ubicación de los lugares de votación locales.
• Dar seguimiento a sus opciones para hacer que el proceso de votación sea más sencillo.
• Compartir información acerca de las elecciones con familiares y amigos.

Voter’s Edge California (VEC) es un proyecto conjunto de MapLight y la League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (LWVCEF).

An engaging, interactive, gamified and trustworthy online learning experience for grades pre-K through high school. A suite of online research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, educational games, pictures, audio, maps and video, complemented by children’s ebooks, current periodicals and related Web sites.

Perfect for school reports and research papers. There are different portals for different age ranges and includes Spanish resources for elementary school users.

World Book Online Help, opens a new window

Search the library catalogs of thousands of worldwide public, school, academic, law, health and other libraries.

Yewno Discover is a research tool that augments reference databases and keyword searching. Yewno allows users to browse for information and ideas through a visual map called a Knowledge Map, suggesting other related concepts. Drawing on Yewno's databases, users can then review, build upon, and refine their search by making connections between related concepts.