A library database is an organized collection of electronic information. It is searchable in a variety of ways, e.g. keyword, title, author, subject, and more.
The Mt. SAC Library subscribes to over 100 databases that cover a wide range of topics in different content types including:
Library Databases(Academic Search Premier, JSTOR, Credo Reference) |
The Web(Google, Bing, Yahoo) |
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| Access | Information is stable. Through the library, current students have 24/7 access and for free. | Information lives and dies on the Web. Scholarly information may exist but you usually have to pay to access it. |
| Search Features | Numerous search features, e.g. limiting by publication type, date, searching using subject terms, and more. | Varies by search engine, but often limited. |
| Number of Results | Dozens to hundreds of results, more manageable. | Millions of results, overwhelming. |
| Relevance | Focus by subject (art, business, history) and/or format (journals, books, videos). More relevant information from quality sources. | Lack of subject focus. Credible information exists alongside misinformation and opinion. No gatekeepers. |
| Authority | Easy to determine. Many databases allow you to limit results to scholarly/peer-reviewed literature. | Information can come from anyone with Internet access. Difficult to verify authority. Can't limit to scholarly literature. |
Use your portal username & password for off-campus or mobile access.
Contact the IT Help Desk (909) 274-4357 if you have problems getting into the portal.
Follow the troubleshooting tips to bypass certificate errors.