Subscription Databases and E-books

You might also be interested in the category Reading.

• The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
  Use this database to access full text poems, citations, commentaries, biographies, bibliographies, and a glossary of poetry.
  
• Drama for Students
  This title features analysis of the plays most frequently studied in literature classes. Each entry includes an introduction that provides an overview of the play; a brief biography of the playwright; a plot summary; a discussion of the play's principal themes; understandable essays on the play's construction; excerpted critical commentary; and much more.
  
• Literary Reference Center
  Literary Reference Center provides users with a broad spectrum of information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines and timeframes. It is a full text database that combines information from major respected reference works, books, literary journals as well as original content from EBSCO Publishing. Literary Reference Center contains full text for more than 31,000 plot summaries, synopses and work overviews, nearly 100,000 articles/essays of literary criticism, more than 156,000 author biographies (including more than 22,000 in-depth bios), more than 450 literary journals, more than 626,000 book reviews, more than 68,000 classic and contemporary poems, more than 18,000 classic and contemporary short stories, more than 5,500 author interviews, more than 8,200 classic texts and more. In addition, Literary Reference Center includes Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, Beacham's Research Guide to Biography and Criticism (six volumes), The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature, The Literary Encyclopedia, The Columbia Companion to the 20th Century American Short Story, all of MagillOnLiterature Plus, and more.
  
• Literature Criticism Online
  Literature Criticism Online includes two reference works: Contemporary Literary Criticism and Drama Criticism. Contemporary Literary Criticism provides critiques of key literary works as well as author biographies. Drama Criticism contains biographical information about playwrights and critical opinions of plays.
  
• Novels for Students
  Each volume provides discussions of the literary and historical background of 15 to 20 novels from various cultures and time periods. Includes concise synopses of plot, characters and themes, a brief author biography, discussion of the story's cultural and historical significance, and excerpted criticism. Each novel was chosen by an advisory panel of teachers and librarians.
  
• OverDrive Project Gutenberg eBooks
  15,000+ public domain e-book titles that never expire and don't count against your Library checkout limit made availabe from OverDrive.
  
• Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature
  This surveys the vibrant terrain of American literature in 350 essays from leading scholars, encompassing the range and depth of American literary history from the 1600s to the present day. The Encyclopedia includes essays on poets, playwrights, essayists, and novelists, as well as major works and essays on literary movements, periods, and themes.
  
• Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature
  The Encyclopedia provides comprehensive coverage of literature from the Abbey Theatre to Israel Zangwill, covering the entire history of literature in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in the major literary languages (Anglo-Saxon, English, Welsh, Scots, Irish, and Latin).
  
• Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature
  Written by an international roster of more than 300 authors, the Encyclopedia comprehensively documents and interprets the books read by children throughout the world. With a global perspective that pays attention to significant international trends and the multicultural expansion of the field, it includes brief biographies of every major author and illustrator. Also included are feature essays on all genres of children's literature, individual works, and prominent trends and themes, as well as general essays on the traditions of children's literature in many countries throughout the world.
  
• Poetry for Students
  This volume is designed specifically to meet the curricular needs of high school and undergraduate college students studying poetry. A quick but information-rich reference source, the book provides analysis of approximately 20 poems that teachers and librarians have identified as frequently studied in literature courses.
  
• Salem Literature
  Full-text versions of the following Salem Press titles owned by the library:
  Critical Survey of Long Fiction: This includes biographical details, bibliographic records, and critical overviews of major authors notable for their contributions to the novel, novella, and related long forms.
  Masterplots 4th Edition: Analyzes the most important works in all genres - long fiction, short fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction - throughout history and around the world, helping to define and critique the literary canon.
  
• Short Stories for Students
  Contains concise synopses of the story's plot, characters and themes, along with a brief author biography, a discussion of the story's cultural and historical significance, and excerpted criticism geared specifically towards the high school student.
  
• Something About the Author Online
  Facts and pictures about children's book authors and illustrators.
  

Websites Selected by Librarians

• Subject Research Guides: Literatures in English
  This is a directory of internet resources for literature research from Rutgers University.
  
• LitLinks
  Includes the genres of fiction, poetry, essays, drama and critical theory with lists of authors and relevant annotated links to websites.
  
• Internet Public Library On-line Literary Criticism Collection
  Contains over 1600 critical and biographical websites about authors and their works that can be browsed by author, title, and literary period.
  
• Project Gutenberg
  The first provider of free eBooks online. There are over 33,000 free titles to download to your computer or portable device.
  
• Poetry Foundation
  This online poetry magazine includes an easy to use way to find poems with their Poetry Tool.
  
• a.k.a. Also Known As
  Helpful for identifying author pseudonyms, aliases, nicknames, working names, pen names, and legalized names.
  
• Writer's Handbook
  This site offers instructional materials related to writing, including grammar, style, and citing references in your paper. Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Writing Center.
  
• Citations and Writing
  Find citation style, writing, and grammar guides here as well as some brief citation handouts.
  
• Karen's Reference Notebook - Literature: Study Guides
  Links to selected study guides on the web.