Project Description:

Databases are powerful tools for organizing and disseminating information to users. Though databases can be initially intimidating resources to broach, information architects and librarians understand the importance of databases in the pursuit of specific or specialized information. Historical Abstracts is one among many databases that are hosted by EBSCOhost (EBSCO), a popular provider for research databases and other digital, academic literature to institutions like schools or libraries. Using a host like EBSCO allows academics to subscribe to a larger number of databases compared to institutions purchasing individual access to each database. Despite the uniform appearance of front-end interfaces in most EBSCO databases, there is a significant amount of nuance that can be examined within individual databases like Historical Abstracts.

For this project I developed an annotated record infographic and 12-minute video explaining different components of the Historical Abstracts database, how to access help documentation, and how to navigate the EBSCO interface. Creating this user-centric documentation will help anyone who is unfamiliar with the Historical Abstracts database and can be applicable for anyone who needs help navigating any EBSCO database.