Embedded Files
What databases should you use AFTER college?
What databases should you use AFTER college?
In Lesson 4 you learned all about the types of databases offered by campus libraries. While some of these databases will still be available to you after you graduate, many will not. The purpose of this lesson is to show you all the places you can search for sources after you graduate and enter your career.
But first, why is it that you'll lose access to many of the databases offered by NAU's Cline Library after you graduate? The reason is because most databases offered by campus libraries – including NAU's Cline Library – require the library to pay a fee and sign a licensing agreement that stipulates that the library must restrict access to just students, faculty, and staff who are currently affiliated with the campus. So, Cline Library has to configure most of their databases so they're only accessible to users who are on the campus's computer network, or who can authenticate with a current NAU username and email, or who are on the virtual private network (VPN) for the campus. Anyone without a current NAU affiliation (including NAU alumni) will not be able to access these databases.
So, what are your options for searching for sources AFTER college once you're employed in your career? Well, you have five options; let's start by discussing databases that are freely available on the internet.
Free databases
Free databases
Remember in Lesson 4 you learned about six types of databases that campus libraries typically offer? Let's look at each in turn and talk about what you can expect to be freely available to search on the internet after your graduate.
CATALOGS: Library catalogs are usually free to search. Just go to any library's website and if you see an option to search the catalog, you should be able to search it for free to see what books that library has in their collection. Also, you can search for books in WorldCat, Google Books, Amazon, etc.
ARTICLE DATABASES: Most article databases are not free to search, but there are a few that are. Databases that cover lots of disciplinary areas include Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Dimensions and Lens. Free databases that cover specific disciplines include Agricola (now called SEARCH), ADS (Astrophysics Data System), ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), PubMed, and GreenFILE. If you are looking for additional free databases to search, then run these Google searches to find more:
-free article databases
-free article databases [plus your disciplinary area]
-free databases [plus your disciplinary area]
CONTENT SPECIFIC DATABASES: Many content-specific databases are not free to search, but some are. For example Google Patents is a free databases for finding patents and Lens can help you find patents as well. If you are looking for content specific databases then try this Google searches to find more:
-free [content-type] database
PUBLISHER DATABASES: Most publisher databases are free to search, such as ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, etc. You don't necessarily have to access them from a library website, just pull them up in a Google search.
PRE-PRINT DATABASES: All pre-print databases are free to search. To find them, consult:
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pre-print_repositories
-https://doapr.coar-repositories.org/repositories/
DISCOVERY TOOLS: Many library discovery tools are free to search. Just go to any campus library website and if you see a search box that invites you to search for books, articles, and more, then simply enter and run your search.
By the way, a database is considered free when anyone can search it and pull up records for sources. However, that doesn't mean you'll be able to access the full-text of those sources. So searching is free, but obtaining the full-text of the sources you retrieve may not be free. You may be asked to authenticate (log in) or pay to view the full text. If that happens, try searching the title of the source in Google to see if you can find a free copy somewhere.
If you can't find a free copy with a Google search, and if you're not affiliated with a campus library that can provide the source through interlibrary loan/document delivery, then you may be able to use your public library's interlibrary loan/document delivery service instead. However, first check whether your public library charges fees for using this service or puts limits on the number of times you can use it.
AI research tools
AI research tools
Nowadays there are lots of AI tools to help you find sources, and many are free. For more information about these tools, including their pros and cons, see Lesson 8.
Walk-in access to college and university library databases
Walk-in access to college and university library databases
If you end up working for an employer in a town or city that has a college or university library, then you may still be able to access that library's databases if you physically go to the library and get on a library computer or if get on the campus internet network . This is known as being a walk-in user and is allowed by most database licensing agreements. Just call your local campus library to see what sort of community access they offer.
Public library databases
Public library databases
Most public libraries offer a catalog and/or discovery tool you can search as well as a selection of article databases. However, the databases public libraries offer are usually geared towards helping you find popular sources rather than scholarly sources. This makes sense since most public library users are looking for information that's written for a general audience and is practical and/or entertaining – not scholarly. To find out what databases your public library offers, just visit your public library's website, or stop by your public library in person. For example, here are the databases made available by Flagstaff Public Library: https://www.flagstaffpubliclibrary.org/research
State library databases
State library databases
Some states license article databases as well as a few other types of databases, and anyone living in the state can access these databases. To find out what's available to you, do a Google search for your state library (assuming there is one!) and then peruse their website to see what databases are available to access (if any). For example, to the right you see an A-Z list of online databases made available by the Arizona State Library, which is also accessible here: https://azlibrary.gov/dazl/online-reference-resources.
Employer databases
Employer databases
Government agencies, hospitals and medical centers, and some types of companies (such as those engaged in pharmaceuticals or engineering) license databases. If you're working for a company, you'll likely be told when you are hired what databases the company offers and how to access them.
You are finished with Lesson 5. What's next?
You are finished with Lesson 5. What's next?
Report abuse