Download Reasons to Rely on Databases Instead of the Open Internet

REASONS FOR RELYING ON LIBRARY INDEXES RATHER THAN
THE OPEN INTERNET TO LOCATE ARTICLES FOR A COLLEGE
ASSIGNMENT.
You don’t have access to the published record on the open Internet;
publishing costs money, and publishers don’t give their published materials
away for free on the Internet.
Here are some other reasons:
When many people say the word Web they mean the Visible Web or Open
Internet. Anyone connected to the Internet can view this part of the Web. Most search
engines only scan the Visible Web.
The part of the Web you might not be familiar with is the Invisible Web. Since most
search engines don't scan all Web pages, you could miss valuable information found in
private databases. If you begin your search at the University Library's homepage, you
can't go wrong. Besides, most professors expect students to begin searching for scholarly
sources by using library databases on the Invisible Web.
University Library has a large collection of information on a variety of carefully selected
and organized topics. The key idea when using the library over the web is that you are
getting quality over quantity. Print or electronic library resources are the best sources
to use when starting your research. You'll always find high quality information from a
variety of credible sources in University Library.
Most information on the Web does not go through a review process.
Anyone can publish on the Web without passing the content through an editor. Pages
might be written by an expert on the topic, a journalist, a disgruntled consumer or even
a child.
Some information on the Web is not free.
Many Web pages are free to view, but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access
their information.
Information on the Web is not organized.
Some directory services, like Yahoo, provide links to sites in subject lists. But there are
too many Web pages for any single directory service to organize.
Most information on the Web is not comprehensive.
Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the Web to collect information about
your topic from earlier decades and different types of sources.
Most information on the Web is not permanent.
Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but other sites
may become quickly dated or disappear altogether without much of a notice.
Library information sources go through a review process.
Librarians select books, magazines, journals, databases, and Web sites. The library
collects sources considered reliable, historically relevant, and valuable.
Library information sources are free
University Library is able to purchase one copy which can be used by many students,
faculty, staff, and community members.
Library information sources are organized.
Items are organized so you can find all the sources on a topic. For example, when you
search for a book in the IUCAT you will get a call number. The books shelved near the
call number will cover a similar topic.
Library information sources are meant to be kept permanently.
A primary function of a library is to be an organized storehouse of information
published throughout time. So, not only can you find current information, you can also
find books that are no longer published and older issues of periodicals.
Library information sources come with personal assistance.
University Library has reference staff that are trained to help you. They'll help you learn
to use print and online resources. They'll be happy to answer any questions that you
have about the library or its resources.
Source: University Library, IUPUI.