Encyclopedias and other reference books are an excellent starting point for your research. They can provide background information and help you identify keywords to use when searching for books and articles.
To access databases from off campus, you will be prompted to log in with your Pipeline username and password.
The following video tutorial explores the pros and cons of using Google and Wikipedia for research, and how to transition from Google and Wikipedia to Google Scholar and library databases (from off campus you will need to log in using your Pipeline username and password):