| 0 0 | Last updated on Sep 03, 2024 finding sources glossary research process articles
Databases are searchable collections of information about individual items. You already use databases everyday: Google is a database, and so are Amazon.com and Netflix. When you search Google, the list of items in the search results are all items from Google's database of content.
In libraries, databases can contain various kids of materials, like books, articles, media, etc. Just like searching the internet, searching a database yields a list of results, but library databases are smaller, more focused, and often more specialized than the web. In many cases they are only available to users affiliated with institutions that pay subscription or licensing fees, such as universities.
Many of Parkside's databases contain links to full-text, meaning you can read the entire article online. In other cases, the database only gives you information about articles or other items, and you need to track down the content elsewhere. (Hint: look for the Find It or Access Options link.) A librarian can help you do this!
Contact us if you need help choosing an appropriate database for your project or using one to find relevant materials.