At the library, there are specialized encyclopedias on every topic from espionage to women. If quick facts and statistics are all you need, references like World Almanac, Information Please Almanac, the Statistical Abstract of the U.S., and the Facts on File series can streamline your search. For more extensive information, look up your terms in the automated catalog. If you find something juicy, look for more material with the same call number in the stacks, the reference section, and the oversize bookshelves. Use periodical indexes like the Readers Guide and Psychological Abstracts to locate articles.
Many indexes are available on computer.
Some include article summaries. Entertainment industry resources can make your life easier. Punch up pitches based on other people's books with Book Review Digest and Book Review Index. Search for information on past, current, and planned films by person, production status, genre, and other criteria using the Baseline family of data bases, available on the Nexis system and directly from Baseline in Los Angeles and New York. Baseline will provide the names and phone numbers of celebrity contacts.