Research Basics

You may already know that most libraries subscribe to several online databases.  What is a library database, and how can it help you with your research?

This guide will cover what you can expect to find in library databases.  It will go over some of the differences between what is available on the free web and what is available through library databases, and it will discuss when you should use library databases.

Even though database materials cannot be found by simply searching the Internet, you can still access them online through your library's website.

If you're accessing library databases away from the library, you'll need to login with your WIN.

Library databases provide access to journals, newspapers, magazines, reports, and other subject-specific materials.

Most materials will have an abstract, or summary.  You may be able to access the Full Text PDF or request the full article through Interlibrary Loan.

Most libraries subscribe to several online databases.  Professors often ask that students use these as resources for assignments.

But what is a library database, and how can it help you with your research?  How is it different than searching the web?

Materials in library databases have either gone through the peer review process or have been reviewed by a professional editor.

The free web contains information on any topic, so sometimes it can be hard to find relevant information.

Library databases are often tailored toward a specific audience, or they deal with a specific subject. This can make searching a little bit easier.

On the free web, you can find up-to-the-minute information. Since there's no formal review process, people can publish information on the web as it happens. Often, older information is not readily available on the free web.

Library databases may contain both older information and current information.  Some databases have articles over 100 years old.

Because of the formal review process that materials on library databases undergo, they may not contain the most recent information.

While information on the general web can be accessed freely by anyone with an Internet connection, the information in library databases must be paid for and is not available on the free web.

Generally, public and academic libraries pay for database subscriptions and provide access to their users for free.

This guide is based on information from the Western Oregon University Hamersly Library CLIP Project.  Hamersly Library has made the tutorials available for adaptation via Creative Commons NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.