Music Resources: Library databases

JSTOR is a multidisciplinary database that covers a wide range of arts and science topics (including the science and psychology of music, as well as music history and criticism). It is an archival database, which means that most content in JSTOR is at least 5 years old. This also means that many of its resources go back decades, which makes it an excellent source for background information. When searching JSTOR, leave "Include only content I can access" checked. This will ensure that you are only accessing the full-text material that is part of the Library's subscription.

EBSCO is a collection of ten databases that you can search simultaneously. Choose as many or as few as you want. When searching EBSCO, don't forget to click on "Full-Text" and "Peer Reviewed". You can search for "Music" as a "Subject Term" by selecting it from the drop-down menu on the right of the search box. Here is a quick rundown of the EBSCO databases that are useful for articles about music:

• Academic Search Complete - Multidisciplinary (Has a little bit of everything)
• Social Sciences Full Text - Social sciences
• Business Source Elite - Business, economics and commerce
• PsycARTICLES - Psychology (Published by the American Psychological Association (APA))
• Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection - Psychology
• SocINDEX - Sociology
• MasterFile Elite - Journals and magazines

When searching EBSCO, don't forget to click on "Full-Text" and "Peer Reviewed."

Canadian Business and Current Affairs Reference (CBCA) Complete is a multidisciplinary database of Canadian content. It includes Canadian magazines and scholarly journals that cover a wide range of subjects in the social sciences, humanities and sciences (including music). It is an excellent resource if your topic requires a uniquely Canadian perspective. When searching CBCA Complete, click beside "Full Text" and "Peer Reviewed" below the search boxes to make sure you're getting the scholarly articles you need. You can search for "Music" as a "Subject Heading" by selecting it from the drop-down menu on the right of the search box.

Encyclopedia Britannica is a general encyclopedia that contains brief information on a wide range of subjects. It's a good starting point for any type of research. It includes musician and composer biographies (e.g. Kurt Cobain), as well as brief overviews of musical genres or periods (e.g. The Baroque Era).

The Gale Virtual Reference Library is a collection of 15 specialized reference sources on a wide range of topics. This is a great resource for biographies of historical musicians and composers (e.g. Ludwig van Beethoven), as well as brief overviews of musical genres or periods (e.g. Classical Music).

Oxford Reference contains more than 200 specialized reference titles. You can search all 200 titles at once, or search by specific discipline (e.g. Music). It has some famous musician and composer biographies (e.g. Mozart), as well as brief overviews on music genres and periods (e.g. Rock).