Morris County Library: searching databases

Morris County Library > Reference > Database searching

Database searching

Every database is different.
Screen layout, search commands and output options differ from publisher to publisher. Journal titles and indexing policies are governed by the editorial boards of each product. Full-text coverage and delivery options (e-mail, print, full page image, remote access) also vary. Database holding often overlap but coverage may differ (full-text one, abstracts only in another).
Not everything is indexed.
Not every article from every magazine is loaded on the database. Most databases do not index advertisements, special inserts, wire stories, editorials, letters to the editor and legal notices.
Which is the best database?
That depends upon the information you need to find. EBCSO's masterfile offers 3,000 magazines covering hundreds of subjects. Some databases are focused on a specific topic (business, health, education), publication type (newspapers, investment research reports), or audience (primary school students, academic research).
What if my library doesn't have the database I need?
Ask your librarian to identify the closest location for a specific database by title or subject. If you live in Morris County, NJ, you can check the county's Survey of databases. This survey includes databases offered by County College of Morris.
Sometimes you have to do your research the *old fashioned* way
If the articles you need predate the years covered by our databases, you will need to conduct your search with printed indexes. The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, Business Periodicals Index and the Index to the New York Times are used frequently for researching historical topics. These (and other) indexes are available at the Morris County Library.

Questions?