http://www.tekmom.com/buzzwords/zddbase.html -- "An organized collection of information"
http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/dir-010/_1461.htm -- "A set of data that is required for a specific purpose or is fundamental to a system, project, enterprise, or business."
Link to UCD Shields Databases -- http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/databases/
See also Ken Firestein’s "Direct Access to Databases Page" at http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/kenweb/direct.html
Access to databases via a Proxy Server (or via an ISP) -- http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/libinfo/computers/proxy/
The Oxford English Dictionary -- http://dictionary.oed.com/
The entire text of the 22 volume OED, second edition. Presents definitions, origins, and first and relevant uses of words.
ERIC -- http://www.cdlib.org/cgi-bin/search?index=keyword&word=ERIC+via+Cambridge&format=Database&campus=UCD
The Educational Resources Information Center — an excellent place to find articles about topics relevant to our work as teachers.
Academic Universe: Lexis-Nexis -- http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe
The world’s largest online news service, with access to 3.2 billion documents, and over 11,000 databases. Useful for full-text searches and retrieval of popular-press articles.
Google -- http://www.google.com/
The search engine that is trying to organize the world’s information, currently by offering searchable access to over 1.3 billion web pages. Google now offers easy access to PDF files (http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/22/technology/22GOOG.html) and to old/removed information via cache files. Seemingly the world’s largest and best database of web-based information. To find out more about Google’s special features, visit http://www.google.com/help/features.html.
RefDesk -- http://www.refdesk.com/
RefDesk.Com calls itself "the single best source for facts on the net." Check out especially the "Top Ten RefDesk Pages" (http://www.refdesk.com/topref10.html) the "Essential Reference Tools" (http://www.refdesk.com/essentl.html), and the "Facts Subject Index" (http://www.refdesk.com/facts.html).
Infomine - http://infomine.ucr.edu/search.phtml
Infomine allows the user to search multiple databases simultaneously. Check out the database of higher-education resources at http://infomine.ucr.edu/search/univsearch.phtml.
Encyclopedia Britannica - http://www.britannica.com/
Arguably the world’s most famous encyclopedia has been available on-line for a couple years now. The web site is also a good place to get news.
Statistical Resources on the Web - http://www.lib.umich.edu/libhome/Documents.center/stats.html
A good place to start if you want numbers to support your assertions.
Robert Niles - http://www.robertniles.com/
Often used as a starting place for reporters looking for information.
Project Bartleby -- http://www.bartleby.com/
Bartleby.com claims to be the "most comprehensive reference publisher on the web." Also a good place to look for full-text works of 19th century and earlier literary works.