A database is a general term for a tool that organizes information into tables so that it can be updated, edited and retrieved easily. An index , as the term is used in libraries, has a slightly more specific purpose. Most indexes are organized around a specific topic, like Music or American History. Indexes are often specific to periodical literature that is published in magazines, newsapers, and journals. Articles from these periodicals are selected by subject experts and organizes in the index so that they can be found.
Most indexes allow the user to search by subject, author and title.
The terms index and database are often used interchangeably, but again, index is more closely related to periodical literature. The information found in an index is not necessarily available in the Todd Wehr Library. A catalog is the record of all the books, journals, music and CDs available in the Todd Wehr Memorial Library.