Thing 13. Subscription Databases

Reliable Resources are rich and deep on the subscription databases that school districts, ELM, and local public libraries offer. The databases offer articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers, as well as from reference books. Many include video and audio clips, primary resources, multimedia presentations, podcasts, maps, charts, photos, and more. There are teacher resources, research process help, timeline creation, and more. And the more is the issue—the databases have many tools and features that get overlooked in the rush to find those reliable resources.

We are fortunate in Minnesota to have access to a wide range of subscription databases. Look at these sources to find databases that are appropriate for your and your students’ use.
Your school district offers many online resources for your use. Explore the list and identify those you can use with your classes.

• ELM is a group of databases licensed by the State of Minnesota for everyone to use. They are available via most school district Web sites and through your public library. Here is the direct link http://elm4you.org/ . All have remote access for searching from home.
• MELSA, the regional public library system, recently purchased the Historic New York Times for all metro library users. Check it out! You can find it via your local library Web site.
• MELSA pays for a group of 12 databases, including Literature Resource Center, for all public libraries in the metro area; many have remote access if you have a valid library card and PIN.
• Individual library systems may have additional databases. Check your local system for its list.

Since most of us are not going to become expert database searchers—nor is that our goal—this exercise aims at helping you understand which database is going to answer your question most completely and efficiently (chances are, no one database will do it all). Before you begin searching a database, you will want to figure out if the database actually contains the information you need for your research. Spending a few minutes evaluating the database can save you valuable time, insure you use the appropriate database, and help create searches to get the best
results.

This is how librarians and media specialists approach a new database—either to purchase it or the first few times they use it. Spending the 15-30 minutes upfront saves time and frustration in the long run. So rather than jumping right in to a database, typing in a search term or phrase, and then hoping for results, use the questions below to get to know the databases contents and features. After all, there is no point in searching for up-to-the-minute news stories in the Historical New York Times or for Consumer Reports in ProQuest; it is in Ebsco.

Core

1. Choose one or more databases from the lists above to examine in depth.
2. Look at the database(s) and ask these questions:

• Is there information about the database's creator? An "About" Section? An FAQ?
• What type of content does the database contain? Where is the content from?
• Do you like the first view of the database? Why or why not? How about the subsequent views?
• Click on various links and options the database offers – what do you discover? What do/don't you like?
• Is the site easy to navigate? How is the content of the database categorized? Is it effective?
• What types of things does the database provide? Articles? Videos? Maps? Charts? Sound clips? Photos?
• How are search results displayed? Do you like the format? Why or Why not? Are there other options?

3. See if the database offers the following:

• Multiple search levels? Search tips?
• Tutorials? A "Help" section?
• Limiters? Wild cards? Boolean? Sorting?
• Thesaurus? Dictionary?
• Citation help?
• Teacher resources?
• Personalization?
• Saving? Printing? Exporting? RSS? Additional things to consider:
• Why would someone use this database -- for what type of project would this database be helpful?
• What do you think is the best thing about this database?
• What is "hook" that would convince students (or teachers) to use this database?

Make the Connection

Reliable resources are definitely part of information literacy, but so are the skills to evaluate which database will be most useful. The process includes being able to find the information you need; that includes what sources will contain the information. Consider using an abbreviated version of this exploration exercise with your students.

Resources

If you want to really get into a database, check out the archived Webinars that MINITEX offers librarians on the features of the various databases.
galeschools offers teachers and media specialists tools, activities, posters, and more to teach their databases.

Blog Prompts

• What is your first step when approaching a new database?
• What did you learn about the database(se) that you didn't know before?
• How successful are you when you search a database? Will this exploration help?
• How would you abbreviate this exercise to use with students?