What is a Database? 

A database is any organized collection of information. Most databases are digital and can be searched by users to find something specific. Most library databases are collections of scholarly and professional articles, periodicals, primary source documents, etc. But a database can contain any kind of data, such as text, video, images, or sound files. What kinds of databases do you interact with?

Why Use a Database Instead of Google? 

We all know and use Google, and it is an amazing tool, but it does not have the kind of "quality control" that scholarly databases have. Using scholarly databases will ensure that your sources of information come from reputable and objective sources. This is espcially important when you are doing academic research. Also, because library databases are made specifically for doing research, there are tools such as topic finder, subject search, and a variety of filters that will help lead you to the information you need.