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

At times, students who navigate the library almost exclusively through the browser may perceive the available tools 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 / streaming media. Through these comparisons, for example, the Online Catalog is like a Smart TV's search bar and databases are like 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:

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

Learning OBJECTIVES: 

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

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

Also Available In: 

Español/Spanish: Más allá del motor de búsqueda: guía de los recursos de la biblioteca - https://sandbox.acrl.org/resources/mas-alla-del-motor-de-busqueda-guia-de-los-recursos-de-la-biblioteca-infografia

Companion Resources:

• English/Inglés: Teaching Guide: "Beyond the Search Bar" Infographic - https://solthelibrarian.my.canva.site/teaching-guide-beyond-the-search-bar
• Español/Spanish: Guía Docente: Infografía "Más allá del motor de búsqueda" – https://sandbox.acrl.org/resources/guia-docente-infografia-mas-alla-del-motor-de-busqueda

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

APA 7th:

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