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COLUMN: Librarians can get you the right answer using subscription databases

FVRL subscribes to several databases that can get you information that’s hard to find on Google
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Librarians have the ability to do searches that are much more specific than Google searches, and much more likely to get you the right answer. (Google.ca screenshot)

By Frances Thomson, George Mackie Library

Neil Gaiman, a prolific writer of prose, poetry, film, comics, song lyrics and drama said in 2010, “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

Librarians love this quote. We also use Google when searching for information online but we know how to use the correct search terms to narrow queries, as well as how to evaluate content to ensure authoritative and accurate results. We also know how to find information not found using Google in databases to which the library subscribes.

Auto Repair Reference Center (ARRC) is a comprehensive collection of automobile repair and maintenance information for most major manufacturers of domestic and imported vehicles. National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence-certified technicians have created all of the content, and ARRC adds new repair procedures, technical service bulletins and updates on a regular basis. ARRC includes millions of drawings and step-by-step photographs, enhanced wiring diagrams for viewing and printing, as well as a labour time guide and estimator. There is the ability of print or email high-quality PDF documents.

I did a Google search on how to replace the brakes on a 2009 Toyota Corolla, and got 460,000 results. At the top of the list: a couple of advertisements, followed by several YouTube videos, then links to a website called “Paul’s Travel Pictures.” Paul likes to share photos of his travel, and is apparently also a do-it-yourselfer, but the site includes lots of advertisements, grammatical errors and other random content. Do you want to follow Paul’s instructions for replacing your brakes or those in the ARRC? The Fraser Valley Regional Library also has a small engine repair database.

When researching countries of the world for travel or school assignments, a useful resource is Global Road Warrior (GRW). I think the name is terrible, as it means nothing to most people. However, GRW is an extensive country-by-country resource for learning about culture, customs, history and language worldwide. It consists of 175 country guides with 119 topics for each, such as country facts, culture and society, national food and recipes, history, maps and much more.

Using Google to find out about visa requirements for Vietnam resulted in over three million hits. The top four were paid ads and there were several calling themselves the “only official website for visa in Canada.” Having gone to Vietnam last year, I know there is only one official site that does not charge an additional fee. In GRW’s “travel essentials” section in the country guide for Vietnam, there is a link to the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and the visa application forms. No need to figure out which of the Google results is for the official site.

In addition to Auto Repair Reference Centre and Global Road Warrior, FVRL subscribes to several other databases, including Canadian Newsstream, which provides access to nearly 300 Canadian newspapers. From the library website, select the Digital Content tab, then Databases. You might be surprised at what is available.

Frances Thomson is the community librarian at the George Mackie Library. For more information about books and events at the library, visit fvrl.bc.ca.