The Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC) is an online digital collection of resources directly related to the field of education.  There are currently 1.2 million records indexed in ERIC, and full text is available whenever possible.  The ERIC collection includes journal articles, books, research syntheses, conference papers, technical reports, policy papers, and other education-related materials.  Please note that lesson plans, blogs, and individual web sites are not indexed.

ERIC currently indexes over 600 educational journals.  Those especially beneficial to school librarians include Library Journal, Library Media Connection, School Library Journal, Teacher Librarian, Book Report, and VOYA (through 2003).

ERIC is available on the web at http://www.eric.ed.gov/ .  It is also available at the Digital Pipeline via EBSCO's database.  Please note that Adobe Reader 6.0 or newer is required to view full text articles available in ERIC.

ERIC was created in 1966, and for years its collection development work was done by 16 separate clearinghouses, many affiliated with universities and each with a particular speciality within the broader field of education.  The ERIC Clearinghouses identified, collected, and sometimes even developed content for ERIC.  In 2003, the Department of Education decided to overhaul ERIC, and a contract was awarded to Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) to operate and manage the massive education database.  CSC staff members now perform work that was previously conducted by the clearinghouses, with the assistance of two expert advisory panels (including content experts) appointed by the Department of Education.  An enormous michrofiche digitization project is underway, and full text articles are now available in additon to abstracts.  The consolidation also means that records can be added to ERIC in a more efficient manner.  Content is currently updated twice a week.

The popular AskERIC feature was discontinued when ERIC was upgraded.  Anyone requiring assistance with educational articles should now contact the National Library of Education at 1-800-424-1616 or library@ed.gov.

Some of the former ERIC Clearninghouses still maintain web sites, but not all contain archives.  For more information, visit the following links: 

Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services 

Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education 

(only indexes a small number of web sites)

Clearinghouse on Educational Management

Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education

Clearinghouse on Information and Technology

(now the Educator's Reference Desk) 

Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics

Clearinghouse on Reading, English, and Communications

Clearinghouse on Rural Education and SmallSchools 

Clearinghouse on Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education 

Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education

Clearinghouse on Urban Education