The Encyclopedia Britannica, one of the world’s most reliable research sources, is available online through the PCC Library under "Catalog & Databases" here. The initial screen provides a basic search box (i.e. "China's Olympics") or select from other options: 

• Video collection 
• Browse A-Z Lists, including biographies, Internet links, and yearbooks
• By Subject
• World Atlas 
• Notable quotations 
• Numerous other links, including articles from the New York Times and EBSCOHost 

Search Methodology
There are numerous ways to search Britannica Online. One way is "plain English", such as "Swiss neutrality"; another is using the word set "Switzerland AND neutrality". 

Subject Search
Search for "Citizen Kane" and you will retrieve two dozen articles not only about the movie, but also its reviews, stars, producers, and directors, as well as movie concepts that were utilized, such as cinematography and lighting. Searching for author Toni Morrison, for example, will provide information both about her and by her.

Dictionary Search
In the Dictionary section, search for "morphology". You will retrieve:
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary contains 1 item relevant to this query.
Mor-phol.o.gy: n. (G Morphologie, fr. Morph + -logie –logy) 1830
(1a) a branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of animals and plants (etc)

Search Tips
(1) Enter your search term in lower case if you want to retrieve everything that contains those words. For example, ‘aids’ retrieves information on economic aid, foreign aid, etc. If typed in capital letters (AIDS), it will retrieve articles about acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

(2) Use the search bar on each screen to perform a new search, or modify your current search. 

(3) Note the suggestions (or other links) along the screen's left side.

• Current map and country information
• Britannica Online is easy to use and the information is literally "just a click away".
• Information can be easily printed or saved without software obstruction.
• Britannica uses hypertext links to enable the user to move through the information. For example, searching for the movie "Saving Private Ryan" will retrieve both movie information as well as links to information about World War Two. This helps the user learn about larger issues and encourages them to continue through the research process.

PCC Library Services 18 Feb 2011