The future of ERIC, the free education research literature database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, is uncertain, due to the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Department. For now it is a viable source. However, a number of journals and grey literature have been deselected and will no longer be included from this point on. (2025 Journal List | 2025 Non-Journal List)
Additionally, Education Source, the other education database we rely on for education research, is paid for by funds to the Library of Michigan from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency. However, that funding is precarious due to the efforts to dismantle the Institute by the Trump administration. For now, we still have access and should until September 2026.
Further Reading
Selecting a specialized education database for literature reviews and evidence synthesis projects by Fitzgerald, Weaver, and Droog
A treasure trove of education reports and studies is under threat by Jill Barshay | April 21, 2025
Education Department restarts online library ERIC by Jill Barshay | April 28, 2025
last update: August 5, 2025
Google Scholar is ok for:
It is limited because it does not:
Google also does not release the names of the publishers or journal titles the results come from.
It is an imprecise search tool, particularly when compared to the discipline specific databases available through the library such as those suggested on this guide.
