The Alabama Virtual The Alabama Virtual LibraryLibrary

Alabama’s premiere Alabama’s premiere online information online information resourceresource

The Alabama Virtual The Alabama Virtual Library is supported Library is supported by the Governor and by the Governor and the Alabama the Alabama Legislature and Legislature and funded by Alabama funded by Alabama taxpayers.taxpayers.

•avl.lib.al.us

At Alabama libraries, no User ID or Password is needed.

HOME ACCESSHOME ACCESS However, in order to access AVL at However, in order to access AVL at

home, you will need a user name and a home, you will need a user name and a personal password. personal password.

You may apply for an AVL User Card at You may apply for an AVL User Card at any Alabama library. The card is free.any Alabama library. The card is free.

Keep your personal password secure.Keep your personal password secure. Your AVL User Card is usually good for 3 Your AVL User Card is usually good for 3

years; you may renew it at any Alabama years; you may renew it at any Alabama library.library.

You must follow You must follow the directions on the directions on

the AVL User the AVL User Card.Card.

Your ID and Password Your ID and Password must be typed in all must be typed in all

capital letters. capital letters. Passwords never Passwords never contain numbers!contain numbers!

The Alabama Virtual Library is made up of The Alabama Virtual Library is made up of databases containing information from databases containing information from

various sources:various sources:

• MagazinesMagazines• NewspapersNewspapers• EncyclopediasEncyclopedias• DictionariesDictionaries• AlmanacsAlmanacs• Academic JournalsAcademic Journals

• PoetryPoetry• LiteratureLiterature• HealthHealth• LawLaw• ScienceScience• StoriesStories

EBSCOhost Web Britannica Online

Twayne’s Authors SeriesInfoTrac Student Edition

SIRS

SAMPLE DATABASESSAMPLE DATABASES

SEARCHES JOURNALS

AND MAGAZINES

Check the boxes of the database(s) you want to search.

HEALTH SOURCE: CONSUMER EDITION

MASTERFILE PREMIER NEWSPAPER SOURCE

MAS ULTRA—SCHOOL EDITION

Britannica Online School Britannica Online School Edition for grades K-12Edition for grades K-12

Three complete encyclopediasThree complete encyclopedias 118,000 articles118,000 articles 22,000 images22,000 images 2,000 video clips2,000 video clips 24,000 biographies24,000 biographies Detailed maps of 196 countriesDetailed maps of 196 countries Dictionary and ThesaurusDictionary and Thesaurus

BIOGRAPHIES OF FAMOUS AUTHORS

SUMMARIES OF AUTHORS’ WORKS

Literature Resource Literature Resource CenterCenter

120,000 authors 120,000 authors from every age from every age and literary and literary discipline.discipline.

Additional Additional coverage for coverage for 2,500 of the 2,500 of the most-studied most-studied authors.authors.

Contemporary AuthorsContemporary Authors Complete Complete

biographical and biographical and bibliographical bibliographical information and information and references on references on more than more than 120,000 U.S. and 120,000 U.S. and international international authorsauthors

SIRS DatabasesSIRS Databases SIRS Discoverer—elementary resourceSIRS Discoverer—elementary resource SIRS Government Reporter—by and SIRS Government Reporter—by and

about the U. S. Governmentabout the U. S. Government SIRS Knowledge Source—general SIRS Knowledge Source—general

research informationresearch information SIRS Renaissance—arts and SIRS Renaissance—arts and

humanitieshumanities SIRS Spotlight of the Month—monthly SIRS Spotlight of the Month—monthly

highlighted topicshighlighted topics

New DatabasesNew Databases Alabama MosaicAlabama Mosaic Alt HealthWatch (alternative medicine)Alt HealthWatch (alternative medicine) Annals of American History OnlineAnnals of American History Online Auto Repair Reference CenterAuto Repair Reference Center Biography Reference BankBiography Reference Bank Book Source: NonfictionBook Source: Nonfiction History Reference CenterHistory Reference Center

New DatabasesNew Databases Medline PlusMedline Plus Opposing Viewpoints Resource Opposing Viewpoints Resource

CenterCenter Oxford English DictionaryOxford English Dictionary Oxford Reference Online PremiumOxford Reference Online Premium

Opposing ViewpointsOpposing Viewpoints A one-stop source A one-stop source

for social issuesfor social issues Contains Contains

statistics, statistics, documents, full-documents, full-text magazine text magazine and newspaper and newspaper articles as well as articles as well as links to websiteslinks to websites

Upgraded DatabasesUpgraded Databases Academic Search Premier (formerly Academic Search Premier (formerly

Academic Search Elite)Academic Search Elite) Business Source Premier (now includes Business Source Premier (now includes

Datamonitor Company Profiles)Datamonitor Company Profiles) Student Research Center (replaces MAS Student Research Center (replaces MAS

Ultra—School Edition and Middle Search Ultra—School Edition and Middle Search Plus)Plus)

Kids Search (replaces Primary Search Kids Search (replaces Primary Search and Searchasaurus)and Searchasaurus)

Format for MLA Source Format for MLA Source CardsCards

Source cards (bibliography cards) Source cards (bibliography cards) for material that you access for material that you access through AVL have a special format. through AVL have a special format. In addition to the usual information In addition to the usual information that you would give for a published that you would give for a published source, you must add on the source, you must add on the source card that you found the source card that you found the material on AVL. material on AVL.

  How do I cite AVL resources?

There are differing opinions about how to cite online resources. Some AVL databases have information

about how to cite their resources. For example, on the main page for

SIRS Knowledge Source, there is a button in the upper right of the screen (Cite) which provides information about how SIRS recommends

citing sources.

MLA WEBSITEMLA WEBSITEhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts

Scroll down and click on Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format.

Then, scroll down to Basic Forms for Electronic Sources.

Instructions as well as examples are included.