Google vs. The Library
A quick Google search can sometimes find just what you need, but it is not necessarily the right way to go. Here are some reasons to search the library for your assignment:
Time...
When it comes down to researching and writing your paper let's face it there isn't enough of it. Don't waste time sorting through 355,497 sites that have come up in a web search. Let us point you in the direction of the appropriate databases, combine that with the right search skills and you can do your research in a fraction of the time with the library than with the web.
Money...
The Internet is free, databases that the library subscribes to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. If the information online was just as good as the information in the databases, why would we pay for it.
Reputation...
It is yours and you want it to stay good. It is a fact not everything can be found online and not every found on line is reputable. People use the Internet to voice their opinion and they want you to agree with them. They often skew information to their advantage, sometimes they even out and out lie about facts. Here at UC Merced you are responsible for what goes into your paper; you don't want to suffer the embarrassment of citing inappropriate or wrong sources.
Sanity...
We want you to keeps yours! Information that you find on the internet is not organized, many times you will click on a result and it will take you in the wrong direction. Here, in the library, all of our information is organized. Let us help you stay on track! Don't get us wrong, we are big fans of the Internet; we can even show you how to search it more effectively! However, it is important that as UC Merced students you understand the difference between what you find for free online and what you find in the library. The Internet is full of great things, it is also full of junk and sometimes it is hard to tell which is which. Remember, almost everything you find in a library databases is not available for free or even on the Internet. We are happy to help you find the best places to look for information, show you around the library and even show you how to effectively use your sources in your paper. We are available online and in person; please feel free to drop us an email or stop by.
Ask a librarian - the ultimate search engine.
This has been adapted from the John Hopkins Library Research Help Page. <http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/web.html>