Academics
Databases & Websites
Resources below include the Ohio Web Library and authoritative websites.
The Ohio Web Library may be accessed by all Ohio residents as well as by anyone using a computer or mobile device in Ohio. See Access the Ohio Web Library below for more information.
Access the Ohio Web Library (OWL)
Choose general or specific
- General - Click here for the OWL's homepage. You will be able to search many of the resources at one time.
- Specific - To find databases that are specific to a particular subject, browse the topics in the section below - "Find a Database or Website."
Let OWL know you are in Ohio
- OWL resources are provided free of charge to all Ohio residents or anyone using a device within the State of Ohio.
- OWL will try to verify that you are in Ohio; if that can be confirmed, you will be granted access.
- When you see a screen asking for your library card number, do not panic! You should see a pop-up message informing you that "OPLIN wants to know your location." Click the YES button.
- If you do not see this message, you may need to go into your browser's settings and allow pop-ups.
Find a Database or Website
General & Encyclopedias
This multi-disciplinary database provides full text for more than 4,600 journals, including full text for nearly 3,900 peer-reviewed titles. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
This database provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.
IPL is a web-based repository of over 10,000 reference articles to guide you in your research. Their articles span diverse topics like literature, history, science, geography, entertainment, and technology.
Reference content in humanities, social sciences, and science.
Books & Literature
Information on books and authors.
American & English full text literature collections
Electronic books of American and English literature: poetry, drama, fiction, and the Bible.
Literary Reference Center (EBSCOhost)
Full text of literary journals and respected literary reference works.
Business & Government
Business Source Premier is the industry’s most used business research database, providing full text for more than 2,300 journals, including full text for more than 1,100 peer-reviewed titles. This database provides full text back to 1886, and searchable cited references back to 1998.
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
Ohio.gov: Government Information & Services
Regional Business News (EBSCOhost)
This database provides comprehensive full text coverage for regional business publications. Regional Business News incorporates coverage of more than 80 regional business publications covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States.
U.S. Government websites (World Book Online Reference Center)
History & Biography
Dictionary of notable men and women which can be searched by name, birth years, death years, positions held, professions, literary and artistic works, achievements, and other keywords.
With links to every article focused on any individual in nearly every WilsonWeb database, Biography Reference Bank offers a breadth and depth of information you’ll find in no other biography database. It covers over 500,000 people and includes over 36,000 images!
Features biographies of about 25,000 people.
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet: Death Records > Ohio
Cyndi’s List offers hundreds of thousands of links related to genealogy, organized and cross-referenced in over 100 categories.
Encyclopedia.com has more than 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses with facts, definitions, biographies, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations.
How to find Ohio death records (Family Search)
Ohio History Central is an evolving, dynamic online encyclopedia that includes information about Ohio’s natural history, prehistory, and history. Ohio History Central is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about Ohio! Ohio History Central was researched and written by staff at the Ohio History Connection.
Over 40,000 detailed maps of Ohio cities drawn between 1882 and 1962.
Legal
- Justia
- Find cases from the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal, and U.S. District Courts. Offers keyword search.
- The Public Library of Law
- Users must sign up for a free account to actually read cases. Find cases from the U.S. Supreme Court (1754-present), U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal (generally 1951-present, with a few exceptions), and state cases (1997-present).
- Google Scholar
- Select "case law." You can search by all courts or federal courts, or you can choose a state court.
- Ohio Revised Code
- Codified laws of Ohio passed by the General Assembly, searchable by section number or keyword.
Magazines, Newspapers, & Journals
Directory of Open Access Journals
DOAJ is a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.
MasterFILE Premier (EBSCOhost)
Multidisciplinary database provides full text for nearly 1,700 periodicals with full-text information dating as far back as 1975. Covering virtually every subject area of general interest, MasterFILE Premier also contains full text for nearly 500 reference books and over 164,400 primary source documents, as well as an Image Collection of over 592,000 photos, maps & flags.
Newspaper Source (EBSCOhost)
Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for more than 40 (U.S.) & international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for 389 regional (U.S.) newspapers. In addition, full text television & radio news transcripts are also provided.
Points of View Reference Center
Points of View is designed to assist researchers in understanding the full scope of controversial subjects.
Science & Health
Consumer Health Complete is a comprehensive resource for consumer-oriented health content. It is designed to support patients' information needs and foster an overall understanding of health-related topics.
Health Source: Nursing / Academic Edition
This database provides nearly 550 scholarly full text journals focusing on many medical disciplines.
MEDLINE provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more. Created by the National Library of Medicine.
Science Reference Center is a comprehensive research database that provides easy access to a multitude of full text science-oriented content. This database contains full text for nearly 640 science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc.
Social Sciences & Humanities
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection is a comprehensive database covering information concerning topics in emotional and behavioral characteristics, psychiatry & psychology, mental processes, anthropology, and observational & experimental methods. This is the world's largest full text psychology database offering full text coverage for nearly 400 journals.
Religion and Philosophy Collection
Religion & Philosophy Collection™ provides extensive coverage of such topics as world religions, major denominations, biblical studies, and religious history. The collection provides access to more than 300 full text journals.
This database provides coverage of more than 500 full text journals, including nearly 500 peer-reviewed titles. Sociological Collection offers information in all areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture and social structure.
Learn more about Ohio Web Library
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