Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Publication Types
My professor said "don't use the Web." Why?
Non-library materials found on the "public Web" (such as through a search engine like Google) are on average of lesser quality than what the library has to offer. Also, the majority of scholarly research is still only available in print, and it is important for students to become familiar with library research methods for locating printed items.
A growing percentage of the best sources of information are available as online library materials. Many library materials are available online, including catalogs, article databases, and electronic journals. For example, The Boston Globe articles can be retrieved from the LexisNexis database; articles from the journal American Historical Review are available through an e-journal subscription; and many ERIC Documents can be obtained from the online ERIC Database.
When evaluating items, library materials available via the Internet should not be distinguished from library materials available in print or on microform. Library staff may not assist you with requests for printed materials when their identical contents are available online. For example, interlibrary loan orders for journal articles which the library has electronic access to will not be honored.
It is important, however, to distinguish between online library resources and general websites. For help evaluating websites, see How do I know if a web source is reliable?, or use our Using the Web tutorial.