Distinguishing Between Directories/Search Engines and Online/Full-text Databases

Journal indexes and full-text collections are often called "databases". Users may get confused between the tools we have been discussing and the online/full-text databases offered at a library's web site. Let's look at the main differences:

	Directories/Search Engines	Online/Full-text Databases
Access	Anyone on the Internet has access to the directories and search engines.	Only people affiliated with a library have access to the databases. A library subscribes to these databases and is required by contract to limit their access. Many universities, for example, limit use to current students, faculty, and staff.
Coverage	Directories and search engines mainly cover sites on the Internet put up by individuals, institutions, or organizations.	The online/full-text databases primarily provide electronic versions of materials originally available in paper, such as books, magazines, and newspapers. Many electronic versions of periodicals are only available via one of these databases.
Creation	As mentioned earlier, directories are compiled by staff members who choose among the many sites on the Internet. Search engines electronically gather their list of sites by going site by site over the Internet with a computer program.	The producers of online/full-text databases sign agreements with the individual magazine, newspaper, etc. publishers to provide electronic versions of their publications over the Internet.

How Can I Know Which Tools to Use?

Databases are generally better for finding:

• articles from well-known magazines, journals, and newspapers, especially if you need to cover a topic over many years. Even if a periodical has a website, it may only provide a select number of articles and may not provide a complete collection of back issues.
• research in primary sources. Although some research journals are appearing on the Internet, the vast majority at this point will still be in paper or in databases.
• specially packaged or commercial information products (such as the Encyclopedia Americana, or The Grove Dictionary of Art). These are usually not available for free on the Internet.

Search Engines and Directories are generally better for finding:

• Fact sheets, brochures, pamphlets, and other brief, informational materials that may not get published in traditional sources.
• Personal information/practicial advice that usually doesn't get published in widely available sources.

Both directories and search engines are essential tools, and it's important to know how to use them effectively. In the next section, let's discuss how to do a search to get the results you want.