Skip to content

How to search Gale eBooks

Gale eBooks (formerly GVRL) offers students, researchers, and professionals over 200 encyclopedias and specialized reference sources on various subjects to tackle their assignments, papers, projects, and presentations. This is a great resource to get the background information you need to do a well-informed research project.

  1. Start from library home page: www.pcc.edu/library
  2. In the “Shortcuts” box, click Databases.
  3. Click the “All Databases” tab and scroll down to G.
  4. Click Gale eBooks (formerly GVRL).

Basic and Advanced Search

You can choose between a Basic and Advanced search. 

Screenshot of Gale eBooks search box as described on this page

Basic Search

The Basic search is usually a good place to begin. Once you enter your search words and complete your search, look at the right side of the screen for ways to make your search more specific. For example, Topic Overview, under the Document Type button, provides articles with background information on your chosen topic.

Screenshot of Gale eBooks filter selections with Topic Overview checkbox selected under the Document Type button as described on this page

Select an article that matches your topic, and the amount of information you are looking for. On the top-right of your chosen article are options for citing the article, emailing it to yourself, downloading to the device you’re using, printing, and more.

Toward the bottom of the article you can find a shaded box called “Source Citation”, which includes an MLA 9 formatted citation that you can use for your Works Cited page.

To the right of the article, you will also find “Explore”, which includes articles similar to the one you’re viewing, and a list of subjects related to your topic.

Advanced Search

Advanced Search is great for limiting your results to encyclopedic entries in a specific discipline, such as biographies, history, or law. This function will also make Boolean searches easier with separate fields for each search term, and dropdown menus for operators like “And”, “Not” and “Or” and for designating keyword, subject, and other limiters.

Get Help from PCC Librarians

Call a Librarian

  • Cascade: 971-722-5269
  • Rock Creek: 971-722-7239
  • Southeast: 971-722-6289
  • Sylvania: 971-722-4500

Email or Chat a Librarian

  • Email: refer@pcc.edu
  • Chat: Click the yellow “Chat” button Screenshot of PCC Library Chat icon on the top right of every page on pcc.edu/library