Databases

Database (Electronic)

An electronic database is a database in which data are stored in an electronic medium (or, as e.g. CD-ROM are directly accessible for electronic data processing). Opposite: Non-electronic databases, such as card-catalogs.

Generic term for, among other forms: CD-ROM; On-line databases; OPAC; In-house databases etc.

According to content may electronic databases be classified by same categories as other kinds of media, cf. document typology. They may, for example be classified according to subject or discipline, medium, (e.g., CD-ROM versus on-line databases), forms of publications (e.g. current versus closed), to forms of expression (e.g., pictures, sound; text and multimedia), functional categories (e.g. primary information (full text databases) versus secondary information or tertiary information (e.g. encyclopedias). Other forms are numerical databases, other kinds of non-bibliographical databases, e.g. directories.

A major database host is Dialog Information Services, Inc. Its databases include bibliographic records (also project registers); full text records; directories, biographical databases, and numerical data. Most databases specializes in one of these kinds of content, while other combines different kinds of records.