How to Use Literature Databases   Tags: databases, english, english 1302, gale, how to, humanities, literature, off campus access, research  

You will probably be able to use most library resources on your computer without making any changes, but some resources in the databases such as eBooks, streaming videos, concept maps, audio files and more may have additional requirements. The software and configurations listed below will ensure that your computer is database ready.

In order to use all library resources, computers should meet the following minimum requirements (+ symbols indicate “or higher”):

1. Adobe Flash 10.0+ (Optimize Adobe Flash by opening port: 1935)
2. PDF reader: Adobe Acrobat Reader  9.0+; Schubert|It PDF plug-in for MAC
3. Adobe® Digital Editions 1.7.1+ (to download/check out EBSCO eBooks)
4. Windows Media Player 9+; iTunes for MAC
5. Java
6. Screen resolution: 1024x768
7. 500 kbps + connectivity
8. A browser: IE 7.0+, Mozilla Firefox 8.0+, Google Chrome 16+, Apple Safari 5.1+
1. Cookies enabled in browser
2. JavaScript enabled in browser
3. Disable Compatibility View under Tools menu in Internet Explorer if the films do not play on your IE browser.

Real questions from COM students answered by COM Librarians. Click on the question to see the answers or view website to see all questions and answers.

Want to ask your own? Go to asklibrary.com.edu (make sure pop-up blockers are off to see answers).

Loading...

The best COM Library databases for Literature research are Chadwyck-Healey: Literature Online Reference Edition, EBSCO: Academic Search Complete and Gale: Literature Resource Center.

In each of these databases you will find literary criticism.To get to the criticism you can use each database requires a different series of steps. Instructions to get the most results--important since there are simply not as many articles on criticism available as for many other subjects--are available for each of these databases under their tabs.

Citation Help
EBSCO: Academic Search Complete and Gale: Literature Resource Center both give citation help for each article. Get the Change it Tips from Cite MLA Style under the Cite the EZ Way tab.

• EBSCO: Academic Search Complete
  Is easy to use and helps you cite articles.
• Chadwyck-Healey: Literature Online Reference Edition
  Has more literary journals than EBSCO: Academic Search Complete, but does not help you cite each article. 
• Gale: Literature Resource Center
  Has more literary journals than EBSCO: Academic Search Complete and helps you cite each article; each article also has audio available, so you can listen as well as read; it has better coverage of World literature than the other two databases.