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GeoRef is a bibliographic database of geoscience literature, owned and produced by the American Geosciences Institute (AGI). It is a subscription index of references to journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses, not a registry you sign up to or a persistent identifier. The two most useful things to know up front: the producer (AGI) and the distributors (EBSCO is one) publish different record counts, and coverage is uneven in time, so how far back you can search depends on the region you study.
What GeoRef is
According to AGI, the GeoRef database was established by the American Geosciences Institute in 1966 and provides access to the geoscience literature of the world. AGI describes itself as the owner and producer of GeoRef. The database is licensed to distributors and to user organizations, so most researchers reach it through a university or institutional library rather than directly.
The word “georef” is also used as shorthand for georeferencing in GIS, which is a different subject: assigning real-world coordinates to a map or image. If that is what you need, see the CASRAI guide to georeferencing a raster in QGIS. The rest of this page is about the AGI GeoRef bibliographic database.
Who produces GeoRef and who distributes it
AGI produces the database and licenses it. EBSCO, whose product page describes GeoRef as “produced by the American Geosciences Institute”, is one commercial distributor and offers it through a request-for-pricing or request-for-trial route. EBSCO also lists a separate “GeoRef with Full Text” product, described as developed in partnership with AGI, which combines AGI’s geological indexing with publisher full text, and says GeoRef customers receive supplemental access to “GeoRef In Process”. Which platform and which package your institution has determines the search interface, the full-text links and the available filters.
Prices and licensing conditions are set by AGI and its distributors, so check the official AGI site and your library for them.
Who uses GeoRef
GeoRef serves anyone who needs the geoscience literature: researchers in geology and related earth sciences, librarians building collections, and research offices checking a subject area. Because AGI states that the database includes references to all publications of the U.S. Geological Survey and also covers master’s theses and doctoral dissertations from U.S. and Canadian universities, those document types are in scope for a GeoRef search.
Coverage: what is in GeoRef and from when
The coverage dates are the part of the AGI description most worth planning a literature search around:
- North America: the geology of North America from 1666 to the present.
- Rest of the world: the geology of the rest of the world from 1933 to the present.
- Material types: journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports, and theses and dissertations.
- Sources scanned: AGI says its editor/indexers scan more than 3,500 journals in 44 languages, along with new books, maps and reports.
- Growth: AGI says the database grows by about 100,000 references a year, with between 6,000 and 9,000 new references added each month.
If your question concerns, for example, a non-North-American region before 1933, GeoRef’s stated coverage will not reach it, and you should plan other sources for that period.
Why AGI and EBSCO give different record counts
AGI’s GeoRef page says the database contains over 4.7 million references. EBSCO’s product page lists 3,800,000 records and 3,500 indexed journals. Both figures were checked on 2026-10-29. The figures differ, and neither page says what is being counted or when the number was last updated, so do not combine them. When you cite a size, say whose figure it is (“per AGI, over 4.7 million references”) and the date you checked it. The same applies to the yearly addition rate: both pages give roughly 100,000 per year, which is the one figure on which the producer and the distributor agree.
How records are indexed and how to search
AGI says its editor/indexers assign index terms from the GeoRef Thesaurus, a controlled vocabulary. AGI also publishes the GeoRef Serials List, the list of all serials covered in the database, and a guide to the index terms used in GeoRef’s controlled vocabulary. For a search this has practical consequences:
- Check the Serials List first if you need to know whether a particular journal is covered.
- Look up your topic in the GeoRef Thesaurus and search with its index terms as well as free-text keywords, because the index terms are assigned by indexers rather than taken from authors’ wording.
- Run the same query on your institution’s platform and note which GeoRef product it is (standard, with full text, with in-process records), since that affects what you can retrieve.
The exact menu labels, field codes and limits depend on the platform your library licenses, so follow its own help pages rather than assuming one interface.
Using GeoRef alongside identifiers and other tools
GeoRef is a subject index, so it complements rather than replaces the identifier systems that research offices use. Neither AGI nor EBSCO states that GeoRef records carry researcher identifiers such as ORCID, so do not assume an author search will resolve to an ORCID. For linking a result to a persistent record, use the DOI or the publisher link where one is present. For data and samples, the geoscience identifier and repository pages are separate topics: see the IGSN entry for physical sample identifiers, the PANGAEA data publisher guide for earth and environmental science data, and the Darwin Core entry for biodiversity records that include geological context.
Common problems
- Confusing GeoRef with georeferencing. A search for “georef” returns both the database and GIS georeferencing tutorials. Add “American Geosciences Institute” or “database” to your query.
- Expecting full text. GeoRef is a bibliographic index; full-text access depends on your institution’s package, such as the separately named GeoRef with Full Text product.
- Citing a record count without a source. The producer and distributor figures differ (see above); attribute each.
- Assuming worldwide coverage back to 1666. That date applies to North America; the stated start for the rest of the world is 1933.
- Not having access. Check with your library; AGI’s GeoRef page links a guide for accessing GeoRef; use it together with your library’s help pages.
FAQ
What is GeoRef?
GeoRef is a bibliographic database of geoscience literature, owned and produced by the American Geosciences Institute and established in 1966.
Who owns GeoRef?
The American Geosciences Institute owns and produces it and licenses it to distributors such as EBSCO and to user organizations.
How far back does GeoRef go?
AGI states North American geology from 1666 to the present and the rest of the world from 1933 to the present.
How many records does GeoRef contain?
AGI states over 4.7 million references; EBSCO’s product page lists 3,800,000 records. Cite the source of whichever figure you use.
Is GeoRef free?
It is licensed through AGI and its distributors; EBSCO’s page offers request-for-pricing and request-for-trial routes. Check with your library or the official AGI site for what applies to you.
Does GeoRef include theses and government reports?
AGI states it includes all U.S. Geological Survey publications and U.S. and Canadian master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, along with other reports, maps and conference papers.
Sources
- American Geosciences Institute, GeoRef: https://information.americangeosciences.org/georef (checked 2026-10-29).
- EBSCO, GeoRef: Geoscience Research Index: https://about.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/georef (checked 2026-10-29).
