What the heck is a Database?

All this could be in a database!

 Posted by Cary H.

We librarians love databases.  Okay, then, what are they? 

Basically, databases are online resources that the library subscribes to so our patrons can access a variety of information.  The most important thing to understand is that the information in these databases CANNOT BE GOOGLED!  Hard to believe, but yes.

Don't get me wrong.  Google is great and I make Google searches daily, but there is some fantastic information out there that's not free.  What kind of information you might ask?  Here's a partial list of information you can access through databases on our website. 

Archived newspaper articles from many American newspapers in all 50 states, including the Edwardsville Intelligencer and St. Louis Post Dispatch (America's Newspapers database)

Do-it-Yourself car maintenance and repair for most makes and models (Chilton's database)

Full text scholarly journal articles for research papers (Gale & FirstSearch databases)

Printable legal forms -- blank templates for many Illinois legal forms (Legal Forms database)

Ancestry.com "library edition" for your genealogical research

Practice Exams for many educational and career building requirements (Learning Express Library database)

And many more!  We're happy to teach you how to search these great database resources.  Come in today and give them a try.  Many of these databases can be accessed from home with your Edwardsville Library card barcode.  As always, if you have questions, please call and let us know.