Database vs. Website
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How is a library database different from a website?
| Library Databases | Websites | |
| Get their information from professionals or experts in the field. | Can be written by anyone regardless of expertise. | |
| Contain published works where facts are checked. | Content is not necessarily checked by anyone, expert or not. | |
| Easy to cite in a bibliography and may create the citation for you. | Don't provide the information necessary to create a complete citation. | |
| Help you narrow down your topic or suggest related subjects. | Aren't often organized to support student research needs. | |
| Updated frequently and include the date of publication. | May not contain current information or indicate when a page is updated. | |
| Available to anyone using a computer in a library that subscribes to databases or any library cardholder using a computer outside the library. | Available to anyone with an internet connection inside or outside the library. |
What is a library database?
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A website that requires a paid subscription in order to access information.
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Contains information from published works such as articles from magazines or encyclopedias.
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Can be used to search for titles, authors, magazines, dates, etc.
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Often give you access to full-text articles that can be printed or e-mailed.
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Are selected by librarians to meet the needs of their library patrons.
Here is a list of our databases.