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This guide is intended to help with problems accessing online databases. If you are trying to access a database and are running into some issues, refer to these steps to see if your issue can be resolved.
If you are still having trouble with finding a solution in these tabbed below, please contact the library.
What is a database?
A database is a catalog of published electronic materials that include journals, articles, magazines, eBooks, eAudioBooks, and streaming media and audio. Library databases typically hold scholarly material made for educational purposes by qualified experts in all subjects or disciplines. They can be accessed with library accounts for free, but typically cost money if you are not affiliated with a library.
How do I search a database?
Databases are organized with information to help assist searching through them by keywords, phrases, or author. The goal is to strategize your searching by breaking down keywords to optimize your results, and this is where a librarian or the Research Help guide can help you. If you want to see what it is like to search in a database, there are database search tutorials below, as well.
Is searching in Google the same?
Google searches are different in that you can put in a whole sentence and find what you are looking for. Information you might need may be in a separate database, so searching our SOAR catalog is more like Google in that it can search over multiple databases but it still has its limitation. For example, some database content is not individually cataloged and look more like magazine websites with separate news articles or findings, such as Science Online.
Searching in Google is not bad, but you should not stop there. Some instructors allow you to use Google or GoogleScholar, but make sure you have the right tools to identify sources for accuracy, credibility, and usefulness for your research purposes before deciding to use it in an educational setting. You can check out our Media Literacy guide for tips on evaluating news content, media, and website content.
Databases versus Platforms
Lastly, please be aware of the differences between what database you are in versus that platform that database is under. For example, our library has around 15 different EBSCOhost databases. While EBSCOhost is the platform, each of the 15 databases have different names and cover different subject materials. So, if you see in the top left corner in a database that you are in EBSCO and you can't find anything on your topic, do not get frustrated, as you may be able to find what you need in another database by EBSCO. For more databases, visit the A-Z Database List.
In this screenshot, you can see the platfrom is EBSCOhost, but the database is Academic Search Complete.
Need help finding full-text?
Full Text Linking is a tool offered by Jacobs Library at IVCC. This tool links our different online resources together, so that if you start your search in one website/database/resource, you can see when full text is available in a different website/database/resource.
You will see small buttons or links in a wide variety of online resources licensed or managed by Jacobs Library. The button usually looks like this:
You may also see the words “Find Full Text @ IVCC” or “Check Alma for Full Text.”
Clicking on these links will bring you to a screen called the “Alma Link Resolver Menu.” Alma Link Resolver is the name of the tool used to link between resources. On the Alma Link Resolver Menu you will see a link to full text or a link to request the article through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
Full text links will appear automatically in databases licensed by Jacobs Library at IVCC.
Note: If you are off campus, you will also need to log in to your IVCC email credentials before viewing any full text that you find. If you have trouble logging in to library resources or if you need more information, go to https://libguides.ivcc.edu/mobile or call the library at 815-224-0306.
Troubleshooting Issues
If you are having trouble accessing a database, you may need to check your browsers compatibility. Try some of these steps to see if you are experiencing a browser issue.
1. Try a different browser. Some databases work better in different browsers. You can try Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox.
2. Check your browser to be sure cookies are enabled.
3. Clear browser history or cache. If you are still having trouble, close browser and restart. Instructions on how to do this in each browser are as follows:
Sometimes a database may not work for security purposes. Try these steps to see if the issue can be resolved:
1. Do you have a firewall? Be sure to allow the site you are trying to access.
2. If you are getting a security certificate pop-up you will need to accept the risks, don’t worry library databases accessed from our website or catalog are safe.
If it is asking for you login information, this is because access is restricted to allow only those with a current student, faculty, or staff account. You will need your IVCC Eagle email credentials to login for access.
If there is an error message after logging in with your current IVCC Email credentials, contact the library. Sometimes, Microsoft accounts do not get put in the correct tenants and this is a job for IT.
If it is asking you for subscription information, this could be because you tried to access the database outside of our library's website. When you go through our website to get to the database it will pick up our subscription to it, so that you don't have to pay for it. Refer to our A-Z Database List to access the database you are using this way.
If you are still having trouble after following the previous tabs, the issue may be that some databases may become temporarily unavailable if simultaneous usage exceeds a limited number.
If you think this is the case or if you think it is a database failure, try accessing a different database. This will help us to know if it is a database specific issue, so that we may handle the issue appropriately. If other databases work, please contact the library.