Research Databases

Full text collection of English and American poetry, prose, drama, novels and short stories from the 16th through the 20th centuries. Resources include 20th century African-American Poetry, 20th century American Poetry, 20th century English Poetry, African-American Poetry 1700-1900, American Poetry 1600-1900, English Poetry 600-1900, American Drama, English Prose Drama 1280-1915, English Verse Drama 13th-19th centuries, Early American Fiction 1774-1850, 18th century Fiction, William Butler Yeats collection, and editions and adaptations of Shakespeare. Also inlcudes biographies, bibliographies, key secondary sources and 21 historic editions of the Bible in English.

Offers substantive biographical articles on individuals collected from dozens of reference sources. Includes speeches, images, obituaries, timelines, interviews, essays, magazine and journal articles, and more. Search not only by birth and death dates but also by profession, gender, and place of origin.

County and regional histories and atlases published during the last quarter of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. 21 Ohio cities and regions are covered in 305 titles. These titles comprise tables and lists of vital statistics, military service records, municipal and county officers, chronologies, portraits of individuals and views of urban and rural life. The atlases provide additional information on land use and settlement patterns and scarce early town and city plans. 

Access to U.S. Military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Records range from the Revolutionary War through Vietnam, plus military activities in Afghanistan and Iraq. Documents include draft registration cards, military pension lists, POW lists and discharge certificates. Non-military records include selected U.S. Census records, Native American Dawes records, Homestead records, and Naturalization records. Fold3 users can combine records found on the site with their own comments and uploaded documents to create an online memorial for someone who served.

Information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines & timeframes. Includes plot summaries, biographies, interviews, book reviews, literary criticism, articles/essays, poetry, short stories, and more.

An index to over 3,700,000 obituaries, death & marriage notices & other sources from Ohio from the early 1800's to the present day. Actual obituaries may be ordered from over 65 partner libraries. Please check the website for participating Ohio counties.