Beyond the Search Bar: The TV Guide to Library Research (Infographic)

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At times, those who navigate the library digitally may perceive the available resources and services as homogeneous web pages, without recognizing their distinct purposes. This infographic presents the Online Catalog, Databases, Subject Guides, Librarians, Interlibrary Loan, and Google Scholar using analogies from the world of Smart TVs. For instance, the Online Catalog is like the search bar in a Smart TV's and databases are compared to streaming platforms like Netflix. The intention is to show that each resource has a distinct purpose and that they can be viewed as complementary to meet different information needs.

What's Included:

Visual comparisons for six library tools and services.
Three organizing categories: Explore Starting Points, Get More Support, Expand Your Access.
Checklist for students to track which resources they've explored or can explore later on.
Clean, visual design for printing or digital display.
Available as a Canva template for easy adaptation to your context (see Use & Adapt section for link).

Learning Outcomes:

After engaging with this infographic during a library session, students will be able to:

Identify the purpose of six key library tools and services.
Explain how library tools complement each other as an ecosystem.
Determine which tool(s) to use for different information needs throughout their research process.
Request support and additional research resources when needed.

Also Available In:

Spanish: Más allá del motor de búsqueda: guía de los recursos de la biblioteca [Coming Soon!].

Companion Resources:

Teaching Guide (English): [Coming Soon!] - Provides facilitation support with ready-to-use language, teaching tips, and explanation of the pedagogical framework behind the infographic.
Guía Docente (Español): [Coming Soon!].

Use & Adapt:

Editable Canva template to customize for your context.
Download in multiple formats (PDF, PNG, JPG).
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0: free to share and adapt with credit, for non-commercial educational use.
Access Canva template: https://canva.link/4kzukeyomnju8yp

Citation:

Cátala-Valentín, S. (2026). Beyond the search bar: The TV guide to library research. ACRL Framework for Information Literacy Sandbox. https://sandbox.acrl.org/resources/beyond-search-bar-tv-guide-library-research-infographic

TAGS: information literacy, library instruction, searching as strategic exploration, undergraduate education, visual learning, library tools, research skills, multilingual resources