It was a sunny day at Grand Concourse Library. A patron who visits the Library every morning for the newspaper was discussing a book he had just ordered.

The book, Henry Kissinger's On China, reminded him of the American/Chinese political climate in the 1980s. He was curious to know if the Library had access to any articles from the 1980s or journals pertaining to the Tienanmen Square Protest. This is when it dawned on me: the Library has countless numbers of databases, many available from the comfort of your own home, and all you need to access them is your library card.

So, I think it's time! Put in a little research and don't be afraid to ask your local librarian for help with the databases. The NYPL website features scholarly databases appropriate for classwork, as well as databases for general interest research. They are searchable by journal title or general subject, with symbols next to them to indicate if they are searchable at home or only on site at the Library. Some databases are only searchable in certain neighborhood libraries that subscribe to them.

If for some reason there are no librarians in your apartment, do not fret, you can always chat online with ASK NYPL or utilize the Library's research guides.

There are several tutorials and step-by-step guides put together by awesome library staff.

Click the blog posts below to sample a few!

• Researching and Finding Historical Newspapers in NYPL by Raymond Pun provides a step-by-step guide on finding historical newspapers.
• Teacher's Take-Out! (Sampling menu of library databases) by Shauntee Burns provides an overview of some key databases that are great resources for teachers.
• Who Lived In a House Like This? A Brief Guide to Researching the History of Your NYC Home by Philip Sutton provides a step-by-step guide on how to research your home.

As previously mentioned, some databases are available from your home, while others are available on site only. Here is a list of some of the Library's e-journals.

Below is a little peek from the Digital Gallery at an old NYPL card catalog. Aren't you glad the current catalog is available online?