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How to Use Catalogs & Databases

Detailed step-by-step instructions (with videos!) for using the library's catalogs and databases

Libraries have a LOT of databases!

And they each have their own quirks and ways of behaving.

Three people stand around a computer at a desk, a bookshelf in the backgroundThis guide is designed to help you navigate those quirks when you're looking for sources. We've divided up the sections based on the types of sources you may be wanting to find:

  • Multiple sources at once (such as books, articles, videos, and more)
  • Reference sources
  • Books
  • eBooks
  • Articles
  • Newspaper articles
  • Magazine articles
  • Videos
  • Images
  • Audio sources

There are also search strategy tips and suggestions, along with a link to the Citing Sources guide.

If you have suggestions for other resources, please email us!

Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.