How To Surf the Net Like a Librarian

By FPL_JohnA

Did you know that librarians have a special way to look up information on the internet? Don’t get me wrong, if a librarian needs a quick answer for something simple, they will often use Google like everyone else, but if they need serious information, they go to research databases like Gale Academic OneFile. I know, it’s a mouthful, isn’t it? But don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t just for academics. Sure, the articles in Academic Search Complete are written by subject matter experts and reviewed by other experts for accuracy, but anyone with a library card can read them and you’d be shocked at how useful they can be.

One thing that a lot of people use it for is looking up medical information. If you try to do that on Google, you’ll probably terrify yourself. But Gale Academic OneFile has articles written by doctors and researchers for healthcare professionals. And don’t worry, they aren’t as hard to read as you might think. I was recently asked to help someone find information on a rare health disorder. The person was recently diagnosed and couldn’t find anything about it. Gale Academic OneFile had some very helpful information about the disorder and treatment options. Amazing.

That’s not all, Gale Academic OneFile has articles on many topics. Lately I’ve had people asking me about cryptocurrency. I didn’t know much about it, so I went to Gale Academic OneFile and looked it up. I found several articles including case studies that talked about real world uses for the technology. In a short time, I was able to find out everything I needed.

If you are interested in checking it out, here’s the direct link: Gale Academic OneFile, opens a new window

Have fun!