A database is an online collection of citations for published magazine, journal and newspaper articles, etc. They often provide access to the full text of the articles online.
Students love databases because they are as easy to search as the Web: you simply type your search terms into a box and press a button that says search. Also, databases are available from any computer connected to the Internet, and can be accessed virtually any time of the day or night. This is very convenient for students with full schedules, jobs, and families.
Instructors love databases because the quality of information contained within them is often superior to what students find on the Web. Databases connect researchers to edited, evaluated, and published sources.
If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the MJC Library catalog, use our interlibrary loan service.