The Value of the Library
Why Use the Library?
When information is at your fingertips with Google and other online resources, why would you use the library?
Much of the value of searching Milner Library resources instead of Google (or what we also call the "open web") is that the library pays for access to resources you can't get through Google. Through our subscriptions, we have access to the full text of scholarly journals and books that you would otherwise have to pay for as an individual.
In addition to free access to paid resources, the library's materials go through a selection process; this means that someone has handpicked everything in the library's collection. The selection process means that resources you find from Milner Library are more likely to be high-quality, relevant sources for your research. Milner Library resources are also tailored to our students' needs.
While searching the open web can help find background information or specific resources like news and videos, there are pros and cons to using Google. Review the chart below to learn more about searching the open web vs. searching the library.
Where Do I Search?
