ABSTRACT
A database is an organized collection of information. Scholars may give it a stricter defi nition, but for the purposes of this discussion, the author will include a wider spectrum. Web sites that offer organized collections of information related to TCM, CAM, and herbs are included in this chapter. Databases mainly provide several kinds of materials, such as bibliographies, periodicals, and essays in full-text. The collection of information, which requires much time and labor, is never an easy task. In order to sustain their functioning, most databases are commercial unless supported by governmental or nonprofi t organizations. It is also indisputable that the improving performance of the Internet has played a role in the growing power of these databases.
