Woodbridge High School Databases

This worksheet will explain how to use an access our school’s databases. We have access to many different databases, provided by two different companies: Gale and EBSCO Host. Underneath each company heading is an explanation of how to get to the resources and then conduct your search. The first steps for using a database are the same no matter what database you’re using.

  1. Go to the Library website. (This is the homepage on library computers!)
  2. If you are not in the library, go to
  3. Click on the “Research Resources” tab on the left hand side of the screen.

Gale Database Access

  1. If you are accessing this database in school, you will not need the password!
  2. If you are working from home, enter the password: wood22249
  3. You will come to a list of databases, click on the name of the database you’d like to use.
  4. Type your search terms in the search box (just like using Google).
  5. Through Gale you have access to the following databases:
  6. Custom Newspapers (Social Studies, current events, all subjects)
  7. Literature Resource Center (English and literature)
  8. Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Pros and cons)
  9. Student Resources in Context (All subject areas)

EBSCOhost Database Access

  1. Our access is through the Public Library. You’ll be on the public library website.
  2. Scroll down tothe box labeled EBSCO Host (3/4 of the way down).
  3. If prompted, enter your Woodbridge public library barcode. Not all databases need one.
  4. Through EBSCOhost you have FREE access (without a barcode) to:
  5. Academic Search Premier(All subjects)
  1. Biography Collection Complete
  2. Business Source Elite
  3. ERIC (Education Resource Information Center)
  4. GreenFILE (Human impact on the environment)
  5. Literary Reference Center
  6. MAS Ultra(All subjects, includes magazines and primary sources)
  7. MasterFILE Elite (All subjects)
  8. Newswires (Worldwide news, but only from the past 30 days)
  9. Newspaper Source Plus (All subjects, includes television and radio transcript)
  1. With a library card, you have access tothese databases that are NOT EBSCO Host:
  2. America’s News(All subjects)
  3. Daily Life Through History (See what “daily life” is like worldwide)
  4. FactsonFile: This is a big database that contains the smaller databases listed below:
  5. African-American History
  6. American History
  7. American Indian History
  8. American Women’s History
  9. Ancient and Medieval History
  10. Bloom’s Literature
  11. Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center
  12. Health Reference Center
  13. Modern World History
  14. Science Online
  15. World Geography and Culture
  16. Gale Health and Wellness
  17. Literature Resource Center
  18. Mango Languages (Teach yourself one of 40 languages!)
  19. Marquis Biographies Online
  20. NoveList(Reading recommendations and reviews)
  21. Statistical Abstract of the United States (current and historical stats since 1878)
  22. World Book Online (Encyclopedia, all subjects)
  23. Enter your library card number to use any of these services.

Remember Your Citations!

  • At WHS, we use MLA (Modern Language Association) style citations in our papers.
  • Every database article will have a complete, MLA citation at the bottom, so be sure to either print the page or copy down the citation for later.
  • If you are using a resource that does not have a citation, use
  • It will walk you through creating an MLA citation for any resource.
  • Under “Manage Bibliography”, choose “Citation Style: MLA”.
  • Then under “Add Citation”, choose the type of material you have. (Like a book.)
  • The default options are “Book”, “Journal Article”, “Newspaper Article”, and “Website”, but you can click on “More” if your resource does not fit into any of these four categories.
  • You can search for your resource by ISBN number (the barcode number on the back of the book), title, or author.
  • If you cannot find your resource that way, there is the option to “Add Manually”. The site will then only ask for the pieces of information it needs.
  • When you’re done, click the “Download Bibliography” button. You can choose to “Copy and Paste”, “Download to Word”, or “Send to Email”.