Unlike a general Google or online search, BASE targets academic sources, ensuring that the results are relevant and of high quality. With over 31 million documents and 2 thousand content providers, this website is a great resource for academic researchers in every field from biochemistry to dance. And, best news yet - it's free! So start your searching!

UMBC's Digital Collections will be added to BASE this fall - making it a one-stop-shop for locating digital resources from UMBC, UMD, and beyond.

Sample entry from the Australian Institute of Marine Science:

Written by Johanna Schein, Special Collections Graduate Assistant.

Highlights of Project MUSE Beta Site

• Access to over 300 free sample books.


• New search box at the top of each page. Suggested search terms appear as you type in your search.


• Enhanced search results page showing both books and journals.


• Faceted searching. Refine search results with options to broaden or narrow results.


• Search the contents of a book and view results without leaving the book home page.


• Easy linking to content by subject area, most recently downloaded, most recently issued.


• Tiered structure for exploring subject areas.


• Enhanced Browse displays books and journals by subject area, title, or publisher.

The beta site will be available through the end of this year giving you an opportunity to become familiar with the new MUSE platform and particularly, with the new enhanced search.

You can access the sample e-books from off-campus with no authentication. To view UMBC subscriptions as well as the sample e-books from off-campus, please login via VPN first (http://vpn.umbc.edu). Click on the "UMBC Library Homepage" link, then follow the link under "News & Events" on the library homepage. For more info on remote access, see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/services/remoteaccess.php

No registration is required. Simply go to http://journals.cambridge.org

For more information, see http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displaySpecialPage?pageId=2964

ShipIndex.org lets you search for information about practically any ship, from famous ships such as the Titanic to less well-known vessels such as the Peter Iredale. ShipIndex.org tells you which books, magazines, and online resources mention the vessels you're researching.

The trial runs through January 25, 2011.

For off-campus access, please login via VPN first (http://vpn.umbc.edu). Then follow the link under "News & Events" on the library homepage. For more info on remote access, see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/services/remoteaccess.php

Feedback is encouraged. Use the form below or send directly to Drew Alfgren: alfgren@umbc.edu

Accessible Archives contains the rich, comprehensive material found in leading historic periodicals and books. Eyewitness accounts of historical events, vivid descriptions of daily life, editorial observations, commerce as seen through advertisements, and genealogical records are available in a user-friendly online environment.

Resources include: African American Newspapers, Godey`s Lady`s Book, The Liberator, and much more.

The trial runs through January 18, 2011.

For off-campus access, please login via VPN first (http://vpn.umbc.edu). Then follow the link under "News & Events" on the library homepage. For more info on remote access, see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/services/remoteaccess.php

Feedback is encouraged. Use the form below or send directly to Drew Alfgren: alfgren@umbc.edu

We currently have access to the following platforms:

ebrary Academic Complete
Ebrary Academic Complete is a multidisciplinary digital library with more than 47,000 titles. Subjects covered include Anthropology, Business & Economics, Computers & IT, Education, Fine Arts, History, Language & Literature, Law, Life Sciences, Medicine, Physical Sciences, Psychology, Religion, Social Sciences, and Technology. Content includes handbooks, e-books, manuals, reports and other authoritative documents.

Trial runs through December 8, 2010.

MyiLibrary
MyiLibrary provides desktop access to over 235,000 eBooks. Subjects covered include: Philosophy, Psychology, & Religion; History; Geography; Anthropology; Social Sciences; Political Science; Law; Education; Music; Fine Arts; Language & Literature; Science; Medicine; Agriculture; Technology; Military Science; Naval Science.

Trial runs through December 15, 2010.

EBL Ebook Library
EBL offers content across all subject areas, with an initial focus on recent titles - most specifically in the areas of Science, Technology and Medicine (STM). EBL features more than 100,000 titles from hundreds of academic publishers.

You must create a free account from a valid UMBC IP address in order to access the EBL trial.

Trial runs through December 15, 2010.

Springer eBooks
The Springer eBooks trial provides access to over 20,000 eBook titles (2005-2010 copyright only) in twelve subject collections:
* Behavioral Science
* Biomedical and Life Sciences
* Business and Economics
* Chemistry and Materials Science
* Computer Science (including the highly regarded Lecture Notes in Computer Science)
* Earth and Environmental Science
* Engineering
* Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
* Mathematics and Statistics
* Medicine
* Physics and Astronomy
* Professional Computing and Web Design

Titles include textbooks, reference works, monographs, and book series. All titles are fully searchable and hyperlinked.

Trial runs through December 31, 2010

NetLibrary
NetLibrary provides online access to thousands of scholarly books and reference works. Subjects include: computer science, business, international relations, education, environmental science, psychology, civil rights law and history.

UMBC currently has access to a selection of books specifically chosen by Maryland Academic Libraries. Funded by the Maryland Digital Library (MDL).

For off-campus access, please login via VPN first (http://vpn.umbc.edu). Then follow the link under "News & Events" on the library homepage. For more info on remote access, see http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/services/remoteaccess.php

Please check out these trials and then take our online survey.