Research

Explore some of Washoe County Library’s research tools! Here, you can find a wealth of resources to help you with your school projects, from reference books and journals to websites and databases. Everything you need to jumpstart your research is at your fingertips.

History and Current Events

ABC-CLIO- High school and middle school research. Includes the following databases: American Government, American History, United States Geography, The World at War, World History: Ancient & Medieval Eras, World History: The Modern Era, and World Geography.

History Reference Center - More than 650,000 full-text records from peer-reviewed journals, reference books, periodicals, and thousands of primary source documents covering both US and world history topics.

Points of View Reference Source - Containing resources that present multiple sides of an issue, this database provides rich content that can help students assess and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues and develop analytical thinking skills. 

Science and Math

Science Reference Center - High school and middle school research. Includes the full text of nearly 640 science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other publications.

STEAM Spark - Our STEAM Spark activity sheets, developed and curated by library staff members, explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math topics and concepts. They are loosely geared for upper elementary-aged students and are great for recreational learning or supporting school studies.

General Reference

Explora - Explora is the perfect place to start your research in any subject. Browse articles and videos to find something interesting. Includes the full text of more than 100 popular magazines, reading levels (Lexile) for all articles, topic overviews and Associated Press videos, and thousands of biographies and primary source documents. You can select the Explora edition that suits your grade level:

• Explora Elementary School
• Explora Middle School
• Explora High School
• Explora High School Advanced
• Explora Educator's Edition

World Book - A suite of research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, pictures, audio, and video, complemented by current periodicals and related websites.