Google vs. Database

Libraries use the term database a lot! That's because so much of what libraries do involve databases. Databases store information and make it easy to retrieve when we need it.

"So what, Google does the same thing!"

Actually, it doesn't because Google doesn't store information it finds information and if it doesn't have access to that information, it can't find it for you! If you need information, Google is a great place to look for it but it can't always give you the exact data you need. For instance, let's say you read a great article on a newspaper website. You decide you would like to have a copy of that article but can't remember where you read it. So you use Google to find it and it does! Unfortunately, when you go to the website, you have to pay to access that article and can only read a summary of it.

So what do you do? pay? or complain that it should be free if it's on the Internet! I've got a better idea, go to the library website and look for their newspaper databases. Academic libraries usually have 2 or 3 of them and public libraries usually have at least 1. Then take the title and author of that article and search for it in those newspaper databases. Chances are you'll find it full text and usually for free! If you want to print it out at the library, you'll usually have to pay for it but if you send it to yourself through your email, you can print it out at home for FREE!

Databases are wonderful storage places that are easily searched using keywords. What could take you all day on Google to find, may only take you 10 minutes to find in the right database. Now databases aren't perfect, they can't have everything you're looking for but if you know the subject your topic falls under, you can search databases specific to that subject and find a lot of information on your topic. You could also use Google to find information, then take the citations for the articles Google finds for you and plug that information into the database. You'll get those articles or ones that are similar without the hassle of having to pay for them!

It really shouldn't be a question of Google vs. the database but rather, Google collaborating with the database to help you streamline your research and find the information you need so you have time to enjoy your life!