Head,Veterinary Libraries
Assistant Head Veterinary Librarian
Learn more about organizations
First, look at the organization's website for the ABOUT page. Then look at these other sources for more objective perspectives.
- WikipediaWikipedia can be an excellent source of background information on organizations, including any past controversies
- Gale Directories of Associations and OrganizationsSearch across a collection of directories providing comprehensive information on associations, societies, research and nonprofit organizations, publishers.
- Candid/GuideStarDatabase reporting on millions of U.S. nonprofit companies including financials and IRS filings, formed from the merger of GuideStar and the Foundation Center
- Guide to Global Research of NonProfits & FundingLippincott library guide to additional resources
- News sourcesSearch news databases for items about the organization's activities
This is a companion guide for the Animal Welfare and Behavior Program.
Below are descriptions of research databases recommended for animal welfare and behavior searches.
The Penn Vet Library Orientation link provides information on using library resources, getting copies of materials, and searching for information.
The librarians are here to help you - don't hesitate to be in touch!
About Databases
A research database is an organized collection of information about publications, often focused on a particular scholarly discipline. Databases are indexed in a variety of ways to facilitate searching. They may contain proprietary information not freely available on the open web.
General databases
- Articles+Articles+ searches through across many Penn-subscribed databases, and brings you results all in one place.
- ScopusIndexes most peer reviewed journals in science, technology, and medicine, and many in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. Scopus also includes a number of trade publications and conference papers, and can perform author and affiliation searching.
- Proquest Dissertations and ThesesThis database provides access to just a single publication type but ones that are exhaustively researched and referenced.
Discipline-specific databases
These databases identify articles and other scholarly works published in particular disciplines. Look for the PennText icon on the article record to link to the article online or to request it from another library. 
Recommended databases:
- PubMed Plus, with full-textThe public version of Medline, the premiere database for biomedical literature. This enhanced version has links to those full-text journals to which the Penn Library suscribes.
- Agricola (Open Access)Agricola is a database of agricultural literature maintained by the USDA National Agriculture Library. The database provides free access to citations indexed in the NAL catalog. Covers agriculture, agronomy, animal science, breeding, dairy science, farm management, food and nutrition, and zoology.
- Agricola (Ovid)Agricola is a database of agricultural literature maintained by the USDA National Agriculture Library. The database provides free access to citations indexed in the NAL catalog. Covers agriculture, agronomy, animal science, breeding, dairy science, farm management, food and nutrition, and zoology.
- CAB Abstracts1910-present. Covers the research and development literature on agriculture, forestry, human health and nutrition, animal health, and natural resource conservation and management. Produced by CABI, formerly Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux - so especially strong on former British colonies.
HINT: These CABI Code search strings can be combined with other searches to focus on these topics - LL810.cc. Animal Welfare, LL180.cc. Animal Husbandry and Production, or LL300.cc. Animal Behavior - PsycINFOIndexes literature in psychology and related fields.
Also consider:
- AgEcon: Research in Agricultural & Applied EconomicsA free, open access repository of full-text scholarly literature in agricultural and applied economics, including sub disciplines such as agribusiness, food supply, natural resource economics, environmental economics, policy issues, agricultural trade, and economic development.
- Agricultural & Environmental Science DatabaseA full-text and bibliographic database covering environmental science and pollution management, agricultural science and policy and Environmental Impact Statements.
- AGRIS / FAO1975-present, with some linked fulltext. Covers agriculture, including forestry, animal husbandry, aquatic sciences and fisheries, human nutrition, and agricultural extension. Built through national and regional contributors, AGRIS is especially strong on grey literature.
HINT: Agrovoc descriptors in facets can help to focus search results - AnAge Database of Animal Ageing and LongevityA curated database of ageing and life history in animals, including extensive longevity records.
- Animal Studies: Law, Welfare and Rights (Hein)Database with full text links to documents on animal law, welfare, and rights
- Global Health (Ovid)Research content covering public health, tropical and communicable diseases, nutrition, helminthology, entomology and mycology. analysis of foreign language journals, books, research reports, patents and standards, dissertations, conference proceedings, annual reports, public health, developing country information, and other difficult to obtain material. From 1973
- HABRI CentralHABRI Central is an online platform for open research and collaboration into the relationships between humans and animals, specifically companion animals. HABRI Central uses a combination of library resources to facilitate the discovery, access, production, and preservation of human-animal interaction research.
- Nexis UniNews, legal and business sources including journals, television and radio broadcasts, newswires, newspapers Extensive legal sources for federal and state cases and statutes.
- PAISBibliographic citations (1915-) with indexing on contemporary public policy issues worldwide.
Online resources
- Animals and EthicsDetailed overview of animals and ethics from the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Animal Welfare ActThe Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. It is the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers.
- Animal Welfare Information CenterThe Animal Welfare Information Center (AWIC) is mandated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to provide information for improved animal care and use in research, testing, and teaching.
- APHIS Center for Animal WelfareThe Center for Animal Welfare collaborates with other animal welfare entities to play a central role in USDA’s efforts to build partnerships domestically and internationally, improve regulatory practices, and reach beyond USDA’s traditional regulatory role to develop outreach, training and educational resources.
- AVMA - Animal WelfareCompanion Animals, Equids, Food & Fiber Animals, Laboratory Animals, Other Species, The Profession, Students, People, Advocacy & Policy, Education, Humane Endings, Pulbications Meetings, Volunteer opportunities
- Gateway to Farm Animal WelfareA single access point for a wide range of information related to the welfare of farm animals. A participatory platform to retrieve and submit information, as well as to engage in commonly developed projects and thematic discussions.
- Animal WelfareAnimal Welfare is an international scientific and technical journal. It publishes the results of peer-reviewed scientific research, technical studies and reviews relating to the welfare of kept animals (eg on farms, in laboratories, zoos and as companions) and of those in the wild whose welfare is compromised by human activities.
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare ScienceA conjoint project of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PSYETA).
- Journal of Animal EthicsThis journal is devoted to the exploration of progressive thought about animals. It is multidisciplinary in nature and international in scope. It covers theoretical and applied aspects of animal ethics -- of interest to academics from the humanities and the sciences, as well as professionals working in the field of animal protection.
Books mentioned in course
- Links from Animal Welfare textbookOnline guide for Michael Appleby's Animal Welfare (3rd edition). Link to table of contents (click TOC tab)
Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Databases
- VetSRevVetSRev is a freely-accessible online database of citations for systematic reviews of relevance to veterinary medicine and science.
- BestBETs for VetsBest Evidence Topics (BETs) are simple reviews of the current best evidence available to answer simple, common and specific clinical questions. They are designed to be a quick and achievable method of enabling the incorporation of evidence into clinical practice.