Reference

KPL staff-selected resources. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Staff Recommends

Shakespeare's Language by Eugene ShewmakerCuba by Ted HenkenOrganized Crime by Frank ShantyAtlas of the Middle East by  Magill's Medical Guide by Anne Chang

Databases (most require KPL library card)

AccuNet - AP Multimedia Archive

Provides a sensory journey of Associated Press photographs, graphics and text spanning over 160 years of history. 

Culture Grams Online (Home Access)

Information on world countries and territories, includes maps, recipes, symbols, current time, currency and famous people. 

Current Issues: Reference Shelf Plus (Home Access)

100 most frequently researched topics on social, scientific, health, political, and global issues.  Full text.

eLibrary (Electric Library Plus) (Home Access)

Full text articles, plus maps and pictures and TV and radio transcripts

Europa World Year Book

Covers political and economic information of over 250 countries and territories, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

Facts.Com (Home Access)

Full text Facts On File from 1980. Includes current events, what happened on this date, country profiles, World Almanac, and Today's Science.

Famous First Facts (Home Access)

Lists inventions, discoveries, and first happenings in American History.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

Full text reference books on business, history, science, environment, medicine, and multicultural studies.

Granger's World of Poetry

This poetry index includes many poems in full text. Also includes a section of anthologies and biographies of some poets.

InfoTrac All Using PowerSearch

Magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, ebooks available in the library or at home with your KPL library card or with your Michigan Driver's License or ID by going to Mel.org
Includes Computer Database; Custom Newspapers; General Reference Center Gold; Grand Rapids Press; Expanded Academic ASAP; General Business File ASAP; Legal Trac; InfoTrac Onefile; Health Reference Center Academic ASAP

InfoTrac Custom 120 Full Text Newspapers

A collection of approximately 900 full text newspapers from around the country and the world. Includes the last 12 months of the New York Times and the Grand Rapids Press (1996-current).

LitFINDER

Poetry index of 600,000 poems with 50,000 full text. Short Story Finder offers full text, explanations, biographies. Over 1,000 complete plays & also includes Essay Finder & Speeches. Includes a Kid's corner.

MeL Michigan eLibrary

Magazines, journals, newspapers, and reference books provided to Michigan libraries and Michigan residents at home with their Michigan Driver's License or ID or from libraries in Michigan.  Also includes links to Michigan related websites.

Michigan Newspapers via NewsBank (Home Access)

Selected full text articles from the following Michigan newspapers:  Detroit News, Grand Rapids Press, and Lansing State Journal.

NetLibrary

Michigan eLibrary collection of ebooks.

New York Times Index

All full text. The daily newspaper New York Times 1995-present.

Oxford English Dictionary

Considered the ultimate authority on the English language and the meaning, history and pronunciation of words both past and present."

Oxford Reference Online

Quick facts on a variety of subjects, including quotations, English and bilingual dictionaries, art and architecture, encyclopedias, timelines and subjects such as food and drink, computers, sciences, economics, history, law, mythology, performing arts, politics and social science, math and religion.

Plunkett Research (Home Access)

Industry analysis, statistics, business development and market research

ReferenceUSA - Business and Residential

Search by company name, yellow page heading or geographic location. Search residential listings by name, address or telephone.

Student Resource Center (Home Access)

Literature, history, and science, includes DISCovering Authors, DISCovering Science, DISCovering World History, DISCovering U.S. History, DISCovering Biography, Exploring Shakespeare and Exploring Poetry

TheStreet.com Ratings (Home Access)

Evaluations, updated quarterly, of the financial strength of life, health, and annuity insurers, property and casualty insurers, HMO's, banks and savings and loans.  In addition, they track the risk-adjusted performance of over 20,000 mutual funds and more than 6,000 stocks.   
Home Access
(enter your library card barcode number plus a zero to access)

Ulrich's Periodicals Directory

Information on serials published throughout the world.  Available in Library Only - All Locations

World Book Encyclopedia (Home Access)

Articles from the World Book Encyclopedia.  Includes related articles from major newspapers and magazines. Graphic and multimedia enhancements, including photographs, maps, illustrations, tables, animations, and audio/video clips.

WorldCat

The world's largest online catalog of books and magazines. Includes a description of the item and which libraries own the item.

Websites

Bartleby.com

Publisher of literature, reference and verse, providing the curious with access to information, free of charge.

IPL The Internet Public Library

MeL Michigan eLibrary

MelissaData

Find people, places, statistics and more.


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reference books

Reference materials at KPL.

Photo: Kristin Beadle