"Libraries moved quickly to embrace computer technology because it is so effective for storing and retrieving information."
How do computers store and retrieve large amounts of data? One way that computers can be used to store large amounts of data is by putting the data into a container called a database. If someone wants to find some data in that database, they can use software to search for it and retrieve it.
After all, a database wouldn't be very useful if information was just dumped into it and could never be found again.
So a database is a collection of data that is organized in such a way that the data can be searched and retrieved when needed.
A lot of traditional library tools, like card catalogs and printed periodical indexes, have been converted into databases. So rather than flipping through a bunch of cards to find what you need or a big stack of books, you can use a computer.
