Library databases offer a more organized information access system than search engines like Google. Databases offer superior searching capabilities and make it easier to evalute sources. The table below identifies some of the strengths of library databases and search engines.
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Library Databases |
Search Engines |
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General Information |
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Looking up specific facts |
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Most up-to-date information on developing news |
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Numerous options to narrow or modify a search to find relevant information |
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Identifying source types (book, newspaper, journal, etc.) |
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Finding up-to-date scholarly information |
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Identifying authors/creators and their qualifications |
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Identifying edited and reviewed sources |
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Identifying purpose of a source (informative, persuasive, commercial, etc.) |
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Providing an open forum for expressing opinions |
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Kristin Echtenkamp
Elizabeth Fox
Linda Kott
Mary Kraljic
Nancy Marshall
Aine O'Connor
Reference Librarian
605-688-5107
