Library databases. database NOUN:also data base Computer Science A collection of data arranged for...
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Transcript of Library databases. database NOUN:also data base Computer Science A collection of data arranged for...
database
NOUN:also data base Computer Science A collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval. Also called data bank.
"Database." American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. 2000. 21 Oct. 2007 <http://www.bartleby.com/61/53/D0035300.html>.
Structure of a database
Consists of records, fields & terms Record = a set of fields Field = a single piece of information Terms = words in a field
What is a periodical database? Definition: an electronic index to print
articles published in magazines, newspapers, journals (scholarly publications) and increasingly to online (“born digital”) magazine articles.
Some periodical databases now include reference articles, primary sources, book chapters and other materials.
The material in these databases is not free. It is purchased with your student fees.
Record in a periodical database
Contains fields, such as: Author of article Title of article Date published Publication title article appears in Abstract (description)
Historical context…
Image source: "My Favourite Books." n.d. Personal Web Site. 21 Oct. 2007 <http://www.colonization.biz/me/books.htm>.
Example (Readers’ Guide)
FEMINIST MUSIC Whatever happened to “women’s
music”? T. Suton. il Utne Reader p30+ Ja/F ’92
There is a limited amount of room for information in a print index.
Citation translation Subject: Feminist Music Article title: “Whatever happened . . .” Author: T. Sutton il = illustrated Publication: Utne Reader Article starts on p. 30 Article appeared in January/February 1992
issue
Example (1982 NYT Index)
BOOKS and Literature Amer Library Assn’s Office for Intellectual
Freedom finds that although censorship of books in US has risen sharply since ’80, there have been few reptd challenges to so-called controversial reading materials in NJ; exec dir Judith Krug comments (M), Jl 18,XI, 1:5
Searching a periodical database
Start with a simple keyword search:
(Boolean AND limits results to articles containing both terms )
Review your results
Bad results? Use different keywords
No or few results? Check your spelling Search more broadly
Broader search using Booleans
Truncation symbol * OR operator for related terms
But start with a simple search; no need to go fancy right away!