Reference & Research
If you need help finding information or materials please don't hesitate to ask Library staff at the service desks, by phone at 626-355-7186 or via our email reference service at ref@cityofsierramadre.com.
Our goal is to provide excellent services to the public; no question is too large, or too small. We have an excellent print reference collection and access to online reference resources. Questions beyond the scope of our local resources are forwarded to the Southern California Library Cooperative Reference Center (SCLC).
Online Databases
Business
ReferenceUSA – Marketing and consumer information on US businesses
eBooks
EBSCOhost eBooks- Online non-fiction eBooks
Online Reference Books- eBooks on the Environment, Medicine, Science & Social Science
Overdrive - Downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, fiction and non-fiction
General Research
Career Transitions- Job interview tips as well as resume and cover letter writing
General Reference Center Gold- General interest and business titles, from national news magazines and encyclopedias to core business journals, providing a comprehensive reference resource
Opposing Viewpoints in Context- Covering current social issues, from Offshore Drilling to Climate Change, Health Care to Immigration
World Book Online- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topics
Health
ReferenceUSA – Find physicians and dentists
Kids & Teens
Bookflix- Reinforces early reading skills and pairs video storybooks with related nonfiction eBooks from Scholastic to build a love of reading and learning
Novelist K-8- Comprehensive reading recommendations for fiction and nonfiction titles, includes award winners and lexile reading levels
World Book Online for Kids- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topics
World Book Online Info Finder (for older kids)- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topics
World Book Online Reference Center (Teen & Adult)- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topics
World Book Online Spanish version- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topics
Language
Mango Languages- Online language-learning system that can help you learn Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Italian, Russian and more
World Book Online Spanish version- Encyclopedia covering a broad range of topicsLiterature & Authors
Biography in Context- Over 600,000 online biographies
Literature Resources from Gale- Current, comprehensive and reliable online resource for research on literary topics, authors and their works
NoveList- Comprehensive reading recommendations for fiction and nonfiction titles, includes award winners and book discussion guides
Worldcat Firstsearch- 247 million global information sources in all formats — books, full text, electronic books and journals, Web-based articles, and audio and video recordings—from the full range of recorded history.
People
Biography in Context- Over 600,000 online biographies
Career Transitions- Job interview tips as well as resume and cover letter writing
ReferenceUSA – US Standard White Pages
You will need a valid Sierra Madre Public Library card & PIN/password to access most of these databases if you are not within the Library. Once authenticated, you can browse between databases without further requests to log in.
Friends of the Sierra Madre Library Fund: Biography In Context, Literature Resources from Gale, NoveList, ReferenceUSA, and World Book Online databases.
California Catalog and WorldCat are provided courtesy of the California State Library.
Career Transitions is supported in whole by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.