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What are electronic resources?
These are collections of information (example: games, stories, articles from magazines, encyclopedias, pamphlets or other published resources) that are accessed on an electronic device, such as a computer.
They often include sound and animated graphics - pictures, movies, etc. and interaction with the user.
They can offer advantages over printed material: Electronic resources versus printed material
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The Library has a mixture of high-quality electronic resources available for you to use in our Libraries for free (online databases, free access websites, CD-ROMs ...)
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The Roadcode Testdrive
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genealogy resources
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health information
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See the list of Full list of electronic resources to find out what you can use in our Libraries, and which online databases Library members can use from home via the info2go service.
Other electronic resources:
- We have lending PS2 games, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, MP3s and digital audio books
- And we also have an Xbox 360 and a PS3 machine in the Youth Zone
- You can issue your own books and magazines on one of the three Selfcheck machines we have on the First Floor of the Central Library.
- Or record your own sounds in the Beatbooth, our recording studio.
- Internet access in the Library
What is an online database?
An online database is an electronic resource that is accessed via the Internet.
The Palmerston North City Library subscribes to many pay-to-access online databases. Because we've paid the subscription fees anyone can use these for free in our Libraries.
A large number of these can be accessed by Library members from their homes. This home access to online databases is called info2go.
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Subjects covered by the online databases include: health, sciences, business, arts, music, women's issues, biographies, literature and novels, world history, cultures, food, sports, international and local information, current events, and much more.
See the list of online databases to find out what you can use in our Libraries, and which ones Library members can use from home via the info2go service.
You can also see our guide to which online database to use to help you decide which one to use for your search.
Electronic resources versus printed material
One advantage of using an electronic resource is easy information retrieval.
Other advantages include:
- the ability to do full text searching across a huge number of resources in one go
- the ability to download, print, or send the desired document instantly
- animation of graphics
- the ease of skimming and searching
- the currency and timeliness of the information
and also:
- convenience of accessing articles any time from your own computer (see info2go)
- ability to link directly to additional information
- ability to create personal collections
- time-saving features and improved workflow
The online databases provide us with many more resources in addition to our physical resources.
- In effect we are adding thousands of resources (books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, reports etc.) to our collections.
- And a majority of them are ones that we don’t have in print form.
- The total number of the journals that we have access to via the online databases is over 12,000.
- Lots of the reference books included are large in-depth multivolume sets.
The online databases are fantastic resources – they take their content from high quality publications, and more content is being added in all the time. There is something there for everyone – they cover a huge range of subjects, interests, and levels.
Isn't everything on the Internet anyway?
I use Google and other search engines - isn't that good enough?
- Not always. Some materials are not available in their entirety, or require a paid subscription to access them. Other materials, due to copyright constraints, are never published online.
We pay the cost of subscribing to many online databases, giving anyone inside our libraries free access to content not usually found on the ‘free' Internet, and Library members can use most of these databases from home via the info2go service.
The ones we subscribe to cover such subjects as health, business, women's issues, world history, biographies, literature, exploration, inventions, music, arts, science, cultures, food, international and local information, current events, and much more.
Evaluating web pages
How do I know the information is correct?
With online databases, editors and publishers have already reviewed the information before it is published. This editorial process usually guarantees the quality of the information, so you don't have to double-check the facts. With other websites you must evaluate them to discover whether they contain useful and reliable information.
In the research process you will encounter many types of resources including books, articles and websites. But not everything you find on your topic will be suitable. How do you make sense of what is out there and evaluate its authority and appropriateness for your research?
Can I read the whole article online?
Yes, most of the time. A lot of our online databases include the full text of articles, but sometimes they may provide just a citation (also known as a ‘reference') and summary of the article. A citation contains the basic information you need to find a particular article, such as:
- article title
- author of article
- source title (magazine/newspaper/book article appears in)
- date of source publication
- volume, issue and page numbers
If you want to get hold of an artical when only a citation is provided - we may be able to supply you with the article. It might be included in one of our online databases, in our physical collections, or we may be able to get a copy from another library via the interlibrary loan scheme. Please ask at any information desk for assistance.
Searching tips
Terms and Conditions of Use
The online databases are protected by copyright. They are provided by Palmerston North City Library for use by individuals who are registered Palmerston North City Library patrons for the purposes of personal use or for research in a corporate, business, academic or government setting. By accessing these databases you agree to these terms and conditions of usage. Your continued access to and usage of these databases indicates your agreement to abide by these terms and conditions.
The Palmerston North City Library is a member of the nationwide EPIC consortium which is aimed at bringing high-quality resources to all New Zealanders.
