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Library Information

The school library is one of our most frequently used spaces. Renovated during the School’s 2008 Capital Campaign, the full-service library includes 14,000 volumes, catering to both literary and research needs. The library serves as a media resource center and has filtered internet access. It is equipped with three desktop computers, 40 student laptops, 10 laptops for faculty, and a portable Smartboard. The library has four enclosed reading rooms for use by students, faculty, and tutors.

Waldorf Online Card Catalog

Databases

What is a library database?

Library databases are digital collections of newspaper and magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, reference books, and other sources on many different topics. Databases put a world of reference sources and learning tools at your fingertips, even when the library is closed. Some are subject specific while others contain a wide variety of information. Unlike the results you get from search engines, the information and articles you find in a database search are much more reliable as they have been compiled and edited by authoritative sources. The information in databases is generally not available free on the Internet. The databases are part of the “hidden web” and are NOT searchable via most search engines.

Research on the Internet with Caution

The Internet is a worldwide network of computers. It has opened up an overwhelming amount of information to us, at our fingertips, at any time of the day. What you must remember is that there is NO quality control – anyone can put up a professional-looking website, but the information may be outdated or inaccurate. It is up to you, the reader, to evaluate the information and determine what is reliable.

What are the criteria for choosing databases and websites as research resources?

Librarians have always set high standards for choosing the books and other materials we maintain in our library. We use the following criteria to determine whether a website is trustworthy:

Authority:  Is the name of the author or institution clearly indicated? Are information sources cited?

Accuracy:  Is the article well written? Is the information reliable? Are there spelling or grammatical errors that indicate a lack of attention to details?

Up-To-Date:  When was the website created or last updated?

Purpose: What is the objective of the site: to inform, advertise, or entertain? Is there a bias?

Resources

Middle School Resources
High School Resources

For login credentials for our various databases, please check the resource center in the right sidebar of MyBackpack.

Research Tools

Please click here for the full list of research tools.