The following resources are useful starting points to begin research on a topic. They offer broad coverage on several subjects.
When you want a very brief introduction to a topic, general encyclopedias are your best bet.

• World Book Online Reference Center
  World Book Advanced provides all the content in the print edition of World Book Encyclopedia, plus many more articles, pictures, sound and video files, maps, a dictionary, suggestions for educators, and more.
  
  
• Enciclopedia Estudiantil: World Book Online en Español 
  Enciclopedia en Español.Gratis! De World Book Online Έsta base de datos le puede asistir en las tareas y reportes! Haga clic en el titulo para acceder datos en ciencias sociales, reportes biográficos y otros proyectos escolares. Ademas, contiene un diccionario. Para niños y jovenes de grados 4 – 12.Esta base de datos es proporcionada con financiación de la Biblioteca de Ocean County.


• World Book Online Info Finder
  Start your school project here if you are an intermediate or upper elementary grade student. Encyclopedia resources, science projects and more! This is the place to start for school reports!
  
  
• World Book Online For Kids
  World Book Kids is a great online encyclopedia for elementary to middle school students with easy-to-read articles, lots of pictures, and fun activities. Great teacher resources, too.
  
  
• World Book Discover
  Reference resources for students reading below grade level, visual learners, English language learners and adult literacy students are here in World Book Discover. This includes encyclopedia articles, a text-to-speech feature, life skills information, multimedia, tools for educators, special World Book explains videos and more..
  
  
• Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
  Have a general question? This encyclopedia provides extensive coverage on a variety of subjects, including images and biographies.

If you’re looking for in-depth coverage, consider some of the following resources which contain highly specific reference materials on a given subject. Searching the collections below will gain you access to some of these tremendous resources.

• Gale Virtual Reference Library
  Imagine a comprehensive reference library right at your fingertips; it’s all here- encyclopedias, almanacs and reference books on a wide variety of topics from college scholarships to the civil war to endangered species. Examples of the dozens of resources include The College Blue Book, Encyclopaedia Judaica, The New Catholic Encyclopedia, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever, and West's Encyclopedia of American Law.
  
  
• Facts On File
  This group of databases is a virtual one-stop reference library for people of all ages. Search across multiple history databases within Facts on File Online.
  
  

  Subject areas include:

  African-American History Online American History Online (Facts on File) American Indian History Online (Facts on File) American Women's History Online (Facts on File) Ancient and Medieval History Online (Facts on File) Modern World History Online (Facts on File)

  
  

  In addition to history, Facts on File offers highly specialized encyclopedias on health topics in the Health Reference Center.

  The Health Reference Center is your premier source for all health related matters. It describes a number of testing procedures and has an extensive further reading list on numerous subjects. Reference sources include, among others: The Encyclopedia of Cancer, The Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements, The Encyclopedia of Senior Health and Well-Being, The Encyclopedia of HIV and AIDS, The Encyclopedia of Learning Disabilities, The Encyclopedia of Fertility and Infertility, The New Complete Book of Herbs, Spices & Condiments, and The New A to Z of Women's Health.