Sherine Sanchez
Each year, $30,000 is spent on 29 databases available to students for free in the library and in their homes.
Subscriptions for search databases allow students to view journals and full text articles from databases such as InfoTrac, LexisNexis academic, Newsbank and Business Source Premier, the world’s largest full text business database.
Each year, a dedicated amount is put towards the subscription fees for these databases.
“There is such a wealth of information in the library and it’s all free,” said Library Chair Florence Robin.
TTIP, the Telecommunications Technology Infrastructured Program, provides funds which cover the costs of databases.
This year it wasn’t sufficient.
Dedicated library funds were given for the remainder of the costs.
“It is something Pierce does for our students, for them to excel,” said Robin. “There are millions of full text articles available, students should take advantage of these resources.”
Before deciding which databases the library would subscribe to, all four librarians tested each database with trials and actual test research to see which were most beneficial.
“We tried to choose them wisely; we chose the databases that would cover the needs of all the students,” said Robin.
“It’s a wonderful library; a lot of money has gone into it. The hours are really great. Our philosophy is really wanting to help the students,” said Dr. Nancy Weaver, retired high school librarian, now an adjunct librarian at Pierce.
In order for students to use these research databases, students must bring their ID’s to the circulation desk towards the back of the library where they can obtain the necessary passwords for access to all 29 databases. Students can access 27 of the 29 databases at home, the other 2 can only be accessed in the library, due to vendor policies according to Robin.
Students doing research papers, looking for relevant information pertaining to certain topics can minimize their search by inputting keywords, topics, actual dates and full text articles into the databases to get results instantly. When a search is being made, everything pertaining to the topic is included in the results, entire reports, related articles, pie charts, similar graphics and pictures.
Full text articles can be viewed for such newspapers as The Daily News, The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Sacramento Bee. The Los Angeles Times should be available for students soon, according to Robin.
A wide range of subjects are available through the databases, such as medical journals and in-depth analysis reporting on the most current and controversial issues, daily. Students can search through the 2,500 encyclopedia entries and research every topic from animals, cases in law, religion and philosophy to behavior and psychology
Unlike the internet, these databases are genuine sources from highly known publications and authors.
“There are in-depth reviews of literature, not all the information you need will be available on the internet. Finding legitimate sources and being able to evaluate how accurate they are,” said Anne Gibson, another librarian at Pierce.
“The sources are widely known, valid and authentic,” said Robin. Students can view full text television & radio news transcripts as well as 5,600 news, business, legal, medical and reference publications. CountryWatch provides students with up to date news about news all around the world. Clinical Pharmacology provides students with current drug monographs for prescription drugs, OTC drugs and herbal and nutritional supplements.
Library hours are Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On weekends the library is closed.
At the library, students can check out one or more of the 90,000 books, or periodicals, research through the 297 different periodicals, view journals which date back to 1985, access computers and the internet, use one of the three study rooms, read newspapers which are provided daily and even use any of the 412 desks ready for use throughout the library.
“The library experience is of primary importance to students and what they learn here are life-long experiences,” said Robin.