SubjectsPlus (https://github.com/subjectsplus/SubjectsPlus/ ) includes a
database A-Z list which looks like it would meet your needs, based on this
example in the wild :
https://research.library.oakland.edu/sp/subjects/databases.php

I think you can hide the rest of SubjectsPlus functionality fairly easily
if you don't want the Guides, Staff List, etc.

My former (and dearly missed) colleague Kevin Beswick and I built
database-of-databases functionality as a Drupal customization (one part of
the overall library website) using a custom "Database" content type (fields
like Proxy? (boolean), trial (boolean), start date, end date, description,
public alert note, internal note, resource types (populated by 0 or more
types such as newspaper, video, journal article, etc)) and a custom
Database List content type that lets you create arbitrary collections of
databases (for example, a "Recommended starting databases for Psychology"
list).

It's still running a decade later and spits out JSON that's useful for
integrations elsewhere, but I wouldn't recommend Drupal for your limited
scope. Certainly not if you're looking for a better relational database
design.

On Wed, Aug 24, 2022 at 4:45 PM Hammer, Erich F <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> (I'm relatively new to the library world, so please excuse any ignorance I
> may display here.)
>
> We have a (poorly constructed) legacy database that holds/connects our
> myriad of online resources to subjects and specialists.  The webpage front
> end is our "DBfinder" to assist patrons in identifying where they might
> find good information on a topic of interest and which subject
> librarian/specialist would be most likely able to provide further
> assistance.  It gives us (and subject librarians) the ability to highlight
> better resources while keeping the interface consistent for all of it
> (which our LibGuides is not very good at given the wide disparity in
> subject librarian technical and presentation skills).
>
> We are trying/hoping to design a much better relational database for this
> that will make the code and logic behind the web application and front-end
> display much more efficient and organized.  None of us are DBAs, so I am
> nervous as we delve into designing/building something and
> identifying/discussing all the many-to-many relationships that our efforts
> may end up also poorly designed (although it's hard to imagine it would be
> worse).  Thus I thought it would be worth asking about.
>
> Does anyone here has something similar (a "DBfinder") that is working
> (well) for them?  Would you be willing to share the relationship
> diagram/structure of the DB so we can think about what works for someone
> else (and maybe base ours off of some of it)?
>
> Thanks,
> Erich
>
>
> --
> Erich Hammer            Head of Library Systems
> [log in to unmask]         University Libraries
> 518-442-3891              University @ Albany
>
> "Without doubt you are not sane."    -- Tage Danielsson
>