Why Use Them?
Research projects often require you to look close up at a body of research produced by scholars in a particular field.
This research is typically collected, codified, and made 
findable in a tool called a subject database.
Every academic discipline has at least one subject database that's considered the disciplinary gold standard -- a reliable, (relatively) comprehensive, and accurate record of the books that scholars are publishing, and the ideas they're debating and discussing in important and influential journals.
Databases are like lenses: they change what you see and how you see it -- and they offer you easy and efficient ways to bring your questions into sharper focus.
Best Bets After HOLLIS
APA PsycInfo (EBSCOhost)
Why: PsycInfo is the gold standard database for topics related to all branches of psychology -- including research into mindfulness as practice and therapy. Harvard Key
Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost)
Why: The advantages of Academic Search Premier are 1) its multidisciplinary focus; 2) its inclusion of very recent content; 3) its mix of scholarly, news, and magazine content. When HOLLIS results seem overwhelming or difficult to harness even with filters applied, ASP may help you find your way more swiftly. Harvard Key
Google Scholar
Why: GS searches differently from most library databases, including HOLLIS. In addition to searching "metadata" (lots of descriptive info about a book or article, it also searches full-text . This can be an additional advantage when you've got a very narrow topic or are seeking a "nugget" that traditional database searching can't surface easily.
Google Scholar incorporates more types of information -- not just books and journal contents-- and depending on your need, comfort level, and perspective, that eclecticism can be an advantage.
