When you use OneSearch to search in our collections, your results will include resources from several of our databases, both subscription and Open Access.
To select a specific database to search in, go to the A-Z Database List and click on a database name to open it.
Database Basics
What is a library database?
- An electronic (online) catalog, index, and/or full-text of published items that is searchable
- Subscription-based or Open Access
What types of items are in library databases?
- Articles in journals/magazines/newspapers
- Reference Information (i.e. entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.)
- eBooks
- Documents including primary sources
- Media including streaming videos, streaming music, images, and art works
- Data, data sets, and statistics
- Open Access journals, magazine, and eBooks that you can access without login
What types of information do library databases provide?
Databases provide citation information about the items they index. A citation typically consists of:
- Author's name
- Title of article
- Source (i.e. title of the journal/magazine/newspaper)
- Publisher
- Date of publication
- Some library databases provide abstracts (brief summary of article) of the items they index
- Some library databases provide the full text (the entire article) for items they index.
How do library databases differ in what they cover?
- Specific subject (i.e. academic discipline)
- Multidisciplinary (i.e., several disciplines)
- Format (article, eBook, video, image, etc.)
Why Use a Database?
More information: Library databases give you access to information that you cannot find on the general internet.
Quality: Library databases contain published information. This means there has already been some quality control and vetting of information prior to publishing, unlike the internet, where anyone can publish anything. Databases are not perfect--you should still critically evaluate everything--but you can have a little more confidence in what you find.
No additional cost: While free tools like Google Scholar might help you discover materials, you often cannot get them without paying. Saybrook has already paid to subscribe to our databases, meaning there is no extra cost for you beyond what you already pay to attend Saybrook.
More specific search options: Databases offer many ways to limit your search, such as dates, type of publication, subject/topic, and much more. This means you can create more specific searches than you can with a general search engine.
Library Databases vs. Google/Google Scholar
| Criteria | Library Databases | Google/Google Scholar |
|---|---|---|
| Access to Peer-Reviewed Literature |
Provide access to vast array of peer-reviewed journals and scholarly literature Content is not freely available on web Access to credible and rigorous research articles |
Google Scholar does index scholarly articles but not all are peer-reviewed or from reputable sources Mix of academic papers, books, conference proceedings, non-peer-reviewed sources |
| Specialized and Subject-Specific Content |
Subject-specific such as PsycINFO, PubMed, and others tailored to psychological research Use controlled vocabularies that enhance precision in searching for relevant literature |
Subject-specific such as PsycINFO, PubMed, and others tailored to psychological research Use controlled vocabularies that enhance precision in searching for relevant literature |
| Advanced Search Capabilities |
Offer advanced search features for more precise and targeted searches such as: -Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) -Field-specific searching (e.g., title, abstract, keyword) -Filters (e,g., publication date, peer-reviewed status) |
Offers basic search functionalities but lacks sophisticated search options of library databases |
| Full-text Access and Interlibrary Loan Service |
Based on institutional subscriptions so direct access to full-text links possible If not available in Saybrook databases, Interlibrary Loan can be used to get it for free from another library |
*Provides links to full-text articles but a paywall may be encountered May also link to versions that are not the final published version (e.g., drafts and preprints) |
| Quality and Credibility of Sources |
Curate content from reputable publishers and scholarly societies Ensures high-quality and credible sources for academic research and citation |
Includes a mix of scholarly and non-scholarly sources This makes it important to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of each result |
| Legal and Ethical Considerations | Ensure compliance with copyright laws and licensing agreements, providing access to content legally and ethically | May provide access to copyrighted material without proper licensing, potentially raising legal and ethical concerns if accessed improperly |
| *Sync your Google Scholar to the Saybrook Library to access in a database |