What are library databases?

1. Library Databases
What are they? Where are they?
Why are they so awesome?

2. Visible Web:
● Portion of the internet that
is easily searchable
Invisible Web
● Information that cannot be
easily accessed by a
traditional web browser
○ Library Databases
○ Intranets
○ Financial/Medical
Records
○ Academic
Reports/Journals
Available Only on the Invisible Web

3. Reference Sources
(Encyclopedias)
Newspapers
Magazines Academic Journals
Radio Transcripts
News Video Clips
Primary Sources
Contain a Variety of Published Sources

4. ● Password protected
● If not on a school computer, you will need passwords for access
Accessible On the OPRFHS Library Home Page

5. Library Databases Open Access Websites
● Contain fact-checked published
information from
professionals/experts in the field
● Can be written by anyone regardless
of expertise
● Not necessarily fact-checked
● Paid for by tax dollars ● Free
● Help narrow your topic or suggest
related subjects
● Often aren’t organized to support
student research needs
● Not searchable on the web ● Searchable on the web
Adapted from the Pratt Free Library
**Many databases are subject specific! They will cover a particular subject like
science, history, literature, etc.

6. Helpful Tips!
Always save the permanent link! ALL GALE databases allow you to annotate!

7. Let’s Review
What are they? - Databases are a password-protected collection of published information in a
variety of formats paid for by tax dollars that are not searchable on the visible web.
Where are they? - They are all on the OPRFHS library homepage, and recommended
databases will be on your class research guide.
Why are they awesome?
1. They’re all on the invisible web. They go beyond Google!
2. They are accurate and authoritative.
3. They help narrow and focus your topic.
4. They have a wide variety of source types.