static public List<GenericDatabase> populateDatabaseList()
	{
		List<GenericDatabase> databaseList = new ArrayList<GenericDatabase>();
		
		File databaseDir = new File("Databases");
		// if the directory does not exist, create it
		if (!databaseDir.exists())
		{
			System.out.println( "creating Databases Directory" );
			boolean created = databaseDir.mkdir();  
			if( created ) //populate directory with new local database files
			{    
				System.out.println("Databases Directory was created");
			}
		}
		else //if directory does exist, then read in all files and create database for each
		{
			System.out.println( "Loading Databases:" );
			File[] allFiles = databaseDir.listFiles();
			if ( allFiles.length == 0 )
			{
				System.out.println("No Database files found");
			}
			else
			{
				File pepdbFile;
				for( int i = 0; i < allFiles.length; i++ )
				{
					if ( allFiles[i].getName().endsWith(".pepdb") )
					{
						pepdbFile = allFiles[i];
						GenericDatabase pepDatabase;
						pepDatabase = readDatabaseFile( pepdbFile );
						if ( pepDatabase != null )
						{
							databaseList.add(pepDatabase);
						}
						
					}
				}
			}
		}
		return databaseList;
	}