There are different ways to do historical research, depending on what you are researching.

• Cities - An encyclopedia is a good place to get basic information about cities.  You can find these in the reference section of the library, located in the west wing of the learning commons.  Nearly every city has an official web page that can also be a good source of information.  If you are having trouble finding what you need, take a look at a city's Wikipedia page, and at the bottom there should be a list of resources.  Wikipedia may also have a list of books written about a city.  Do a search in the library catalog to see if we have any books on your particular city
• Historical Periods - Again, reference books are a good place to start.  Try browsing the reference section, specifically at the books with call numbers starting with D, E, F and G.  Search the library catalog or one of the listed databases using keywords relating to your historical period, for example, "civil war" and transportation.  Use quotation marks around phrases.
• Specific Topics - Search the library catalog and databases using keywords that describe your topic.  For example, "United States" and "urban renewal"

A mix of databases for different approaches.  Some index contemporary research on historical topics; others include content published during a historical period.