Online Resource of the Month
May 2005 - July 2005
Each month or periodically, your SDPL features one of our online premium resources, paid for by SDPL, and available at the locations indicated. This feature covers a provider of many of our online databases, EBSCOhost.
 EBSCOhost Research Databases
Available at all SDPL locations and online from any location with a valid SDPL library card. The individual databases are listed on the Articles & Databases page under various categories.
What is EBSCOhost Research Databases?
EBSCOhost is an online system of databases, with superior content combined with a user-friendly, customizable system and unique features for searching and retrieving information. EBSCOhost offers customizable basic and advanced searching supported by Boolean logic, enhanced subject indexing and journal searching to assist SDPL users and staff in performing thorough investigations of their research topics. With links from the full record display to related articles by subject, magazine issue or author, patrons can further explore their topic. In addition, EBSCOhost allows patrons to print, e-mail or download multiple articles.
What is Covered by EBSCOhost Research Databases?
Our databases from EBSCOhost provide comprehensive coverage of magazines, journals, and serials in all fields of research and studies. You can see the databases from EBSCOhost listed on our Articles & Databases page. Many of these databases would be a good first choice for patrons looking for general articles and background information to begin your online research.
The major magazine and article databases that would be good starting points are Academic Search Elite, Business Source Premier, and MasterFILE Premier. MasterFILE Premier is the recommended first database for general searching and inquiries, similar to InfoTrac (previously our general magazine database).
Online Tutorials and Help Files
To help users and staff in the transition to a major collection of EBSCOhost databases, we've added a number of links to online tutorials and help documents on the Library's Training page (right column, under "User Guides"). Below are the key files you may find helpful in learning more about searching and using EBSCOhost databases; these links will open in a second window:
If you need the Macromedia FLASH plug-in for the tutorials, go here. You can right-click the WORD documents, select "Save Target As.." and have a local copy of the documents.
Advanced Searching Features
EBSCOhost offers a range of advanced searching features. Results can be limited or refined by various criteria including subject, author, journal, date, peer-reviewed status and full text availability. In addition, users can build upon their search terms by using EBSCOhost's search history and search builder capabilities. EBSCOhost also offers links to title lists, expanded publisher information, help on how to cite electronic resources and a referral back to our SDPL Home Page.
Performance and Reliability
EBSCOhost is designed to provide unequaled performance and reliability to the researcher. The EBSCOhost software has designed-in automated failover and load balancing to ensure non-stop availability. The infrastructure that supports EBSCOhost is state-of-the-art and includes content switches, and redundant farms of Web, Middleware, and Database servers. One of the largest hosting sites in the Boston area, the computing facility is equipped with such measures as redundant power service, redundant power generators, battery backup and redundant shadowed-connections to multiple ISPs. EBSCOhost is continually monitored for availability and performance. Automated tests are conducted from multiple points across the Internet.
Multi-Language Interfaces and Article Translation Feature
EBSCO has released many non-English interfaces for EBSCOhost®. Researchers can now search EBSCOhost databases in:
- Spanish
- French
- German
- Italian
- Portuguese
- Japanese
- Simplified Chinese
- Traditional Chinese
- Korean
- Russian
These interfaces are designed for use in public libraries around the world. These interfaces eliminate language barriers for non-English-speaking library patrons and make EBSCO's reference tools available to a wider audience. Please note that the actual search terms and other search variables need to be
completed in English.
Non-English Interface Features on EBSCOhost
The intuitive features that researchers have come to expect from EBSCOhost are available on the non-English interfaces. Features include:
- Special login screens
- Instructions on all search and help screens
- Database descriptions in the chosen language
- Research solutions for libraries that serve diverse populations
EBSCO's Automatic Translation Feature
Many of the EBSCOhost databases also include a "Translation Button." This functionality allows end-users to translate the full text of English-language articles into Spanish, French, German, or Portuguese at the click of a mouse. EBSCO's use of Transparent Language's Transcend® software enables researchers to access valuable information that previously may have been difficult to comprehend or to use. Transcend offers unsurpassed accuracy among automatic translator software, usually in the 80-85% range, compared to the industry standard of about 65%. This translation feature is now available to all customers accessing the traditional (English) EBSCOhost database interface.
Database Accessibility
By providing multi-language interfaces and a convenient way to translate articles into several languages, EBSCO reinforces its commitment to providing unhindered access to quality information. The multi-language interfaces are provided at no additional charge to us.
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Updated daily with new articles and titles
Comprehensive coverage of magazines, journals, and serials in all fields of research and studies
EBSCO Information Services *
*some content derived from EIS content |
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