**Publisher:** ProQuest
**Subjects Covered:** Global cultures, country profiles, lifestyle, geography, history, customs, states & provinces of the U.S. & Canada.

Overview

CultureGrams is a cultural reference database from ProQuest providing concise, reliable, and engaging information on more than 200 countries and territories, as well as U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Each profile covers history, customs, daily life, and cultural practices written by in‑country experts. The platform supports global awareness, cultural literacy, and international understanding for learners and educators alike. At South Dakota Mines, CultureGrams enhances learning in global engineering, business, and humanities courses where understanding cultural context supports effective international collaboration.

Scope and Content

• Editions: World, States, Provinces, and Kids Editions for age‑appropriate content.
• Coverage: 200+ countries and territories, all U.S. states, and Canadian provinces.
• Topics: Geography, climate, history, daily life, diet, customs, economy, holidays, and more.
• Features: Photos, videos, interviews, recipes, slideshows, and interactive data tools.
• Sources: Local contributors plus reputable international data (UN, World Bank, CIA World Factbook).
• Update Frequency: Regularly updated with new reports and media.
• Access Model: Subscription database available online via ProQuest.

Strengths

• Provides insider perspectives written or reviewed by in‑country experts.
• Visually rich and easy to use for both educational and research purposes.
• Supports international understanding and cultural literacy across disciplines.
• Reliable demographic and cultural data for use in reports and presentations.
• Excellent tool for language, business, education, and geography courses.
• Interactive tools enhance user engagement and accessibility.

Limitations

• Reference‑style content; not designed for in‑depth scholarly research.
• Data currency varies by region depending on update schedules.
• Requires subscription for full access and features.
• Limited specialized detail for advanced cultural or ethnographic analysis.
• Less suited for technical STEM or statistical studies requiring raw data.

Best For

• Students preparing country or culture reports for global studies or humanities courses.
• Engineering or science students working on international collaboration or design projects.
• Faculty developing internationalized curriculum or study abroad preparation.
• Researchers needing cultural context for multidisciplinary projects.
• Library instruction sessions promoting global citizenship and cultural awareness.

Complementary Databases

Overall Evaluation

CultureGrams is a high‑quality cultural reference tool offering accessible, accurate, and engaging overviews of global societies. It serves as an essential database for developing international understanding and global competence among students and faculty. For South Dakota Mines, it supports interdisciplinary learning and international collaboration by providing reliable cultural context for global engineering, business, and research initiatives. It should appear on the A‑to‑Z Databases list and in International Studies, Global Engineering, and Humanities LibGuides as a ProQuest database for comprehensive country and cultural profiles.

Ask Digby – Library Help

Need help finding cultural information or learning about global societies? Ask Digby, the Devereaux Library’s friendly prairie dog mascot! Digby can help you locate country data, connect cultural resources, and explore how culture shapes science and engineering projects.

📧 Email: library@sdsmt.edu

🌐 Chat: Ask Digby

🔗 Library Catalog (Primo): https://sdsmt.primo.exlibrisgroup.com

📍 Devereaux Library, South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD