How to Use Gale Databases

What are Gale Databases?

Gale databases are a collection of reliable, academic research tools that provide access to reference books, scholarly journals, magazines, news articles, and multimedia sources. They’re designed to help you find trustworthy, well-organized information across a wide range of subjects, from the humanities and social sciences to science, technology, and current events.

Gale platforms are known for their user-friendly interface and features like Topic Finder, Citations, and Google Drive integration, making them especially useful for both introductory and advanced research projects.

Purpose of this Guide

This guide highlights several of the most commonly used Gale databases available through the BC Library. While Gale offers many additional databases, this guide focuses on three key ones:

• Gale eBooks – how to locate background information, definitions, and overview articles for building topic understanding.

• Gale Academic OneFile – how to find scholarly journal articles, magazines, and current research.

• Gale Opposing Viewpoints – how to explore current and controversial issues through balanced perspectives and curated sources.

By learning how to use these databases, you’ll be able to find credible information efficiently and strengthen your research and class assignments.

Accessing Gale Databases

You can access any of the Gale databases directly from the BC Library homepage, under Find All of Our Databases with A-Z Databases. Log in with your BC credentials to take full advantage of search features and access full-text materials.