Essential Databases
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowScholarly journals in the arts, humanities, general science and social sciences dating back to the late 17th century. JSTOR is great for historical research but not for current research.
MCLA's access to JSTOR is made possible by support from the Hardman Family Endowment. - Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowAcademic Search Complete is the library's most popular database. It includes multi-disciplinary coverage,full-text access to journal articles and other scholarly materials not typically available through web searches.
- U.S. History (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in U.S. History - full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted website.
Search Everything
Search EverythingSearches books, ebooks, articles, journals, and more. To narrow down your search, use the tools on the left-hand side of your results screen.
Finding Books & EBooks
- Use the Library Catalog to find books and e-books that are available at the MCLA library and from our partner libraries in HELM. For information on downloading ebooks, see our guide.
- Use the Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat) to find books that are available statewide in Massachusetts. You will need your library login (the same one you use to request books in the MCLA HELM catalog) to request an item. Contact us if you need help logging in.
- Use WorldCat to search for books and ebooks held by libraries worldwide. Use the 'Request on Interlibrary Loan" button to request the item from another library.
- Use the Libby app for more popular/recreational reading. You can find ebooks, emagazines, audio books, and more in Libby.
More options
- Boston Public LibraryBPL eCards are virtual library cards that allow users immediate entry to all of Boston Public Library's remotely-accessible electronic resources, including magazine databases, downloadable audio, video, eBooks, and music. Students living in Massachusetts while attending school are eligible for a card. Sign up for one here.
- Interlibrary LoanMCLA faculty, librarians, administrators, students and staff may use Interlibrary Loan to request materials not found in the MCLA Library collections.
Selected Websites
- Dictionary of American HistoryThis authoritative work serves students, scholars, and general readers interested in a wide range of topics in American history, from the well studied and familiar to the obscure.
- Library of Congress U.S. History ResourcesThese pages link to selected collection content available online at the Library of Congress, arranged by broad categories
- American Presidency Project
University of California, Santa Barbara project. Digital archive of over 102,300 documents relating to the U.S. Presidency, including the Papers of the Presidents, inaugural and State of the Union addresses, transcripts and videos of presidential debates, transcripts of campaign speeches, news conferences, etc.
- Presidents of the United States: Resource Guides (Library of Congress)The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a large selection of primary source materials associated with the presidents of the United States, including manuscripts, letters, broadsides, government documents, prints, photographs, sheet music, sound recordings, and films.
- Chronicling AmericaSearch America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.