A Library database is an organised collection of records or items that you can search and browse using a computer or device. Some databases are subject-specific, while others cover a range of subjects.

Databases are mainly used for journals and articles, but can contain items of all different types:

• scholarly journals and articles; trade journals; newspapers articles
• eBooks
• theses and dissertations
• videos
• images
• company records.

In journal databases, each record contains information which summarises the journal or article.

Many databases contain the full-text of the items as well. Most databases will have the full-text for some items, but not for others. Some databases are entirely full-text; others have none at all.

You can browse a database for relevant material but you can also search using keywords and key phrases. Databases generally have quite sophisticated search functions. See Searching in a Database.

Many databases are available to you via one of four important database platforms. See Databases and Database Platforms.

• Go to the Library homepage and, under the heading of Online Resources, click on the link to A-Z Databases.

• There is also a link in Primo Search. Look for the DATABASES tab in the line of tabs at the top of screen.

• There are lists of relevant databases in many of the Library Guides.

The A-Z Databases page is the main place to find and access databases.

You can:

• locate a database by its title from an alphabetical list
• choose from the Subject drop-down menu
• find databases of a particular type, eg. Video collections; News & Current Affairs