This document provides an introduction to using subscription databases and the "invisible web" which contains much more information than regular search engines can access. It discusses the difference between the visible and invisible web, with the invisible web being much larger but not searchable by Google and other public search engines. The bulk of the document promotes ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) databases for beginners to access the invisible web. It lists several ELM databases and encourages the reader to explore the databases using a provided checklist to determine which may be most useful based on content, coverage, interface features, and student needs.