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Databases at AUS

Guide to databases and online searching at the AUS Library.

Databases at AUS

AUS Library subscribes to over 45 different databases in many subject areas – in the databases you will find magazine and journal articles that will help you with your research. 

Databases at AUS Subject Guide

What is a database?


What is the basic definition of a library database?

  • A library database is an electronic (online) catalog or index
  • Library databases contain information about published items
  • Library databases are searchable by Keywords, Subject, Author, Journal Title, Date, etc.
  • The library subscribes to many databases so the AUS community has access to these resources. 
  • When you're searching a database, you are not searching "the web."

What types of items are indexed by library databases?

Library databases allow you to find:

  • Articles in Journals/Magazines/Newspapers
  • Reference Information (i.e. entries from Encyclopedias, Statistics, etc.)
  • Books & other documents

What types of information do library databases provide?

Databases provide citation information about the items they index. A citation typically consists of:

  • Author's name
  • Title of Article
  • Source (i.e. Title of the Journal/Magazine/Newspaper)
  • Publisher
  • Date of Publication

Some library databases also provide abstracts of the items they index.  An abstract is a brief summary of the article.

And some library databases provide the full text (the entire article) for items they index.