Which database should I use?  The following is a summary of key points of each database.

SIRS:

• Primarily Social Studies, Science, and current events
• Two databases in one - SIRS Researcher and SIRS Government Reporter
• Government information, social issues, opposing viewpoints
• Editorial database containing 1600 publications
• Great source for historic and government documents (Primary Sources) 
• Quick search by subject, advanced search, and topic browse
• Global and historical maps and almanacs 
• Leading issue Pro/Con analysis
• Reference toolbox contains how to: write a research paper, create powerpoint presentations, create debate outlines, cite sources
• Interactive Citizenship feature - an online textbook, "What Citizens Need to Know about Government, World Affairs, and Economics"

CultureGrams:

• Primarily Social Studies
• Country reports on over 187 cultures
• An insider's perspective on country information
• Background, people, customs, lifestyles, government, statistics, recipes
• Country comparison graphs and charts

GALE Literature Resource Center:

• Primarily Language Arts
• Research all aspects of literature
• Biographies on over 130,000 authors, 285 full-text journals, 69,000 literary criticism essays, 7,000 plot summaries and work overviews
• Links to over 5,000 author-related websites
• Information on literary figures from all time periods and all leterary genres

GALE Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center:

• Contains over 450 reference titles from Greenhaven Press, Gale, Macmillan, Scribner, and UXL.
• Up-to-date coverage over 200 full-text periodicals, academic journals, and newspapers.
• Over 9,000 pro and con viewpoint articles.
• More than 6,500 statistical tables, charts, and graphs.
• Podcasts of presidential radio addresses, programs from NPR, etc.
• More than 775 court-case overviews.
• Overviews on over 4,700 issues.
• Primary documents including speeches, letters, diaries, congressional testimony and more.
• Biographies of 300 social activists and reformers
• Over 2,300 links to web sites.

Teen Health & Wellness:

• Articles about issues essential to teen health & well-being
• Up-to-date medical news and social issues
• National 24-hour hotlines for teens in crisis
• Includes topics on body basics, nutrition, diseases, drugs & alcohol, family life, friendship & dating, emotions, fitness, developmental disabilities & disorders, safety, grief & loss, life skills, etc.

CQ Researcher (Congressional Quarterly Reporter):

• Current events in science, social studies and civil society
• Weekly magazine
• Opposing viewpoints
• Report contains abstract, overview, background, current situation, outlook, special focus, chronology, Pro/Con analysis, bibliography
• Recent reports on current issues 

 GLOBAL ISSUES IN CONTEXT:

• Global issues, conflicts and events are explained in the context of contemporary and historical conditions around the world
• Subject areas include sociology, current events, civics, politics, science, economics, cultural/religious studies, women's studies, human rights and more.
• Updated daily  

 SCIENCE IN CONTEXT:

• Comprehensive science reference database
• Enhanced access to relevant current events and issues 
• Full text articles from newspapers, magazines and journals
• Video, audio and podcasts
• Web links
• Images

  EBSCO:  
     Covers all subject areas.  DATABASES INCLUDED ARE:

•    Academic Search Elite  Full text for more than 2,000 scholarly publications. Journals included for social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language, arts & literature, etc.
  
•      Business Source Elite Contains 1,100 full text scholarly journals and business periodicals covering management, economics, finance, accounting, international business, etc.  Reports include country reports, market research reports, industry reports and over 10,000 company profiles.

•    MAS Ultra – School Edition  Specifically designed for high school students with full text of 500 magazines, 360 reference books, 105,786 primary source documents, 85,700 biographies – plus over 453,000 photos, maps, and flags.

•   Newspaper Source Provides cover-to-cover full text from 185 national and international newspapers, and selective text from 392 regional (US) newspapers including the Denver Post, Greely Tribune, and Pueblo Chieftain, and transcripts from TV and radio news.

   FACTS ON FILE:

• News digests summarizing major news from 1940 to the present
• Includes four news service databases
• Current events, social issues, science and historical topics