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What is the difference between a database and a resource and a source?

However, these terms (database/resource/source ) tend to be used interchangeably.

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Library Services pays subscription fees to provide FVTC affiliates free access to these databases.

Database vendors require us to make sure that only FVTC affiliates have access, so off-campus use is through a proxy login

lock_icon means FVTC access off-campus requires login through proxy login.

Search engines  > search databases > for records > leading to content.
database is a collection of records. 

Records list information describing the content and location of an item.

Google is a search engine 
that searches their Google-byte sized database 
of spider collected records

to help you find POPULAR webpages.   
Google Rank is not related to reliability of content.

  • Library Database and Search Engine products are used for searches for articles, books, etc and allows you to sort for more relevant and authoritative information. Gives access to many items that are behind a paywall (accessed by purchase; for fee)
     
  • Google searches for more, but it is much harder to determine relevance and whether the information is reliable. Gives access to items that are freely available; provides you opportunity to pay for content, or to find a library where you might be able to borrow the item for free.
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