Introduction to Using Online Reference Databases
Online reference databases increase your access to information
The Lake County Library System pays subscription fees to use carefully researched commercial databases so patrons can freely access them. Many of the databases included on this site are sponsored by The Florida Electronic Library (FEL). This collection of free databases and live reference services is available to all Florida residents, and is the result of statewide collaboration between public, academic, private, and special libraries. The FEL is funded by a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant administered by the Florida Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State.
Connecting to online reference databases
- From the library:
Library users can access these databases from Internet computers at any member or branch library. Users will need a library card number to get to the Internet from a computer at most of the member and branch libraries.
- Remotely:
Users can also connect to these services from a home, school, or work computer that has an Internet connection, but you must have your library card number to do so. If you have difficulty accessing one of these databases, the problem may be in the configuration of your browser or the setup of your internet service provider.
Benefits of online reference databases
The Library selects databases that are high quality and authoritative. The Web offers a tremendous quantity of information, but there is no oversight to protect against biased, incomplete or out-of-date information.
Available information
Many people use the databases to get indexes and full texts of magazine and newspaper articles. There are many other types of databases. The Lake County Library System grouped its databases into the following subject areas for your convenience: