A tutorial for how to use a database, covering what a database is and its features. Including things such as basic and advance searching and Boolean Operators.

1. LIBRARY SYSTEMS: HOW
TO USE A DATABASE
JORDAN CHAPMAN
JORDAN.CHAPMAN@USM.EDU

2. WHAT IS A DATABASE?
• A collection of information
• Is organized so it’s easily accessed, managed, and updated
• Are accessed online
• Are usually free if used through a library
• Often features various types of content
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3. TYPES OF MATERIALS FEATURED
• Abstracts
• Journals
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Periodicals
• Even Images & Art
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4. SELECTING THE RIGHT DATABASE
• Figure out what type of information & materials are needed
• Ex. Articles or images; artwork or videos; African American History or Government
cases
• University libraries most often have various types available
• Public libraries can as well depending on size & funding
• Once a database is selected a search can be conducted
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5. SEARCHING
• These are done by using a keyword
• There are two types of searches
• Basic and Advance
• Basic searches only use keywords
• Advance uses a number of different search options
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6. EXAMPLE OF BASIC KEYWORD SEARCH
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7. ADVANCE SEARCHING
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• These features numerous search options such as;
• Selecting a field to search under
• Narrowing searches even more
• Found on the right of textbox
• Boolean Operators
AND Searches for occurrences of all of the
search terms
OR Searches for records containing any of
the terms
NOT Searches for records that contain the
first term but not the second

8. EXAMPLE OF ADVANCE SEARCHING
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9. GETTING THE ARTICLE
• After pressing search, a list of articles comes up
• Each article either includes full-text or not
• Ones without full-text has option to be searched throughout other databases the
library has
• Every article includes information such as
• Author, summary, subject, document types and more
• Some database articles also give citations and can be sent by email
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10. AFTER ARTICLE SELECTION
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11. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME & ATTENTION!
Is there any more questions about how to use
a database?
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12. WORKS CITED
• http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/tutorials/module3frame.html
• http://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/finding-
resources/library-databases/library-databases-about
• http://web.a.ebscohost.com.lynx.lib.usm.edu/ehost/search/advanced?sid=62a342ac-230b-
45dd-b492-8142deeb5122%40sessionmgr4006&vid=6&hid=4107
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