Catalogs Versus Databases
Claire Nickerson
In chapter nine, you learned about library catalogs. If you ask a computer scientist, they will tell you that the library catalog is a type of database, because it stores data in a structured way. However, if you ask a librarian, they will tell you that a library catalog and a library database are two different things, although there is some overlap in how they function. Here’s a comparison:
| Library Catalog | Library Database |
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Some academic libraries offer an omnibus search tool that searches both the records in the library catalog and records from many of their databases (although usually not all of them, since some database records may be incompatible with the omnibus search tool). However, if you are conducting academic research on a specific topic, a discipline-specific database is usually a better place to start, since you won’t have to comb through so many records that may not be related to your topic.
It can be hard to tell by looking whether a search tool is a catalog or a database, since both may use similar search interfaces. Here are some clues to look for:
- Can you search directly from the library’s homepage? It’s probably a catalog or omnibus search tool. Do you have to click through several other pages to get to the search interface? It’s probably a database.
- Is the library’s name in the top left corner? It’s probably a catalog. Does the top left corner say something else? It’s probably a database, although the top right corner may something like, “Access provided by [name of library]” if it’s something your library pays for access to.
- When you search, do the results include physical items (such as printed books) and their call numbers? It’s definitely a catalog. Can you access the full, digital text of articles or e-books without going to another web address? It’s definitely a database.
In summary:
| Catalog | Database |
|---|---|
| Search directly from the library’s homepage
Library name in top left corner Includes physical items |
Click through several pages to get to the search interface
Vendor name in top left corner (library name may be somewhere else) Contains full text of digital items |
The rest of this chapter will discuss why library databases are useful, how to choose one, and how to search it.
a search tool primarily for finding physical items owned by a library, although it may include licensed digital content as well
A tool for finding and accessing digital content, usually focusing on a specific subject or type of resource
the entire text of an information resource such as a book or an article
A brief summary of what a journal article is about and a quick read in order to decide whether the article is likely to contain information relevant to your research project. The abstract may appear in research databases and, sometimes, in the article itself.
any information resource published in periodic issues, such as a newspaper, magazine, or journal
a tool that searches multiple library catalogs or databases at the same time (usually not recommended)
a sequence of numbers (and sometimes letters) that tells you where on the shelf to find a book or other physical item owned by a library
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