If column has value do ______ - google-apps-script

Question

How to search a column on a sheet for a value, and if the value is there continue code? I am trying to make an update system to check to see if their email is on a sheet. If their email is on a sheet then it will check if their system version is up to date. If the system is not to up to date it will then copy their data, delete their current sheet, create a copy from an example then put in their data. If the user does not have the system it will create one for them. It seems to continuously skip Checking their email.
My code uses URLs and IDs but I have taken them out for obvious reasons. Below is an example of the beginning of my code.
function readlog()
var user = Session.getEffectiveUser().getUsername();
var email = Session.getEffectiveUser().getEmail();
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(URL_);
SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(ss);
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
var sheet = sheet.getSheetByName('8th grade')
var active = sheet.getRange('8th grade!b3:b').getValues()
if (email == active) {
//do something
}
Here is a full version of my code:
function readlog(){
var user = Session.getEffectiveUser().getUsername();
var email = Session.getEffectiveUser().getEmail();
var timezone= "CST";
var date = Utilities.formatDate(new Date(),timezone, "E MMM dd,yyyy HH:mm:ss");
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(URL_);
SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(ss);
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
var sheet = sheet.getSheetByName('8th grade')
var active = sheet.getRange('8th grade!b3:b').getValues()
if (email == active) {
var container = DriveApp.getFoldersByName('Reading Log')
var fid = DriveApp.getFoldersByName('Reading Log').getId()
var version = sheet.getRange('8th grade!a1')
var update = container.getDescription();
if (update == version) {
var ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();
var response = ui.alert('You already have a reading log, and you have the most recent update!', ui.ButtonSet.OK);
} else {
var contents = container.getFiles();
var files = DriveApp.getFolderById(fid).searchFiles(
'title contains "Reading log"');
while (files.hasNext()) {
var file = files.next();
var logtoupdate = file.getUrl;
}
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(logtoupdate);
SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(ss);
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var logrange = sheet.getRange('8th Grade!e5:o').getValues()
SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().deleteActiveSheet();
var master = DriveApp.getFileById(URL_);
var read = master.makeCopy("Reading Log",container);
var target = read.getRange('8th Grade e5:o').setValues(logrange);
var range = sheet.getRange("A1:B2");
range.setValues([[50, 100]]);
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(URL_);
SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(ss);
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
}
} else {
var ss = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(URL_);
SpreadsheetApp.setActiveSpreadsheet(ss);
var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet()
var targetFolder = DriveApp.createFolder("Reading Log");
var eighth = DriveApp.getFileById(URL_);
var share = eighth.makeCopy("(Name): 8th Grade Reading Log",targetFolder);
var master = DriveApp.getFileById(URL_);
var read = master.makeCopy("Reading Log",targetFolder);
var folder = sheet.getRange('8th grade!a1');
targetFolder.setDescription(folder);
var idsheet = read.getUrl();
var idshare = share.getUrl();
var idfolder = targetFolder.getUrl()
sheet.appendRow([user,email,date,idfolder,idsheet,idshare]);
var ui = SpreadsheetApp.getUi();
var response = ui.alert('Your Reading log is created. There is now a folder in your google drive called Reading log. Have Fun Reading!', ui.ButtonSet.OK);
}
}

Answer 1

Short answer
Instead of email == active use active.join('|').split('|').indexOf(email)
Explanation
getValues() return a two dimensional array.
join('|') convert this array into an string using | as separator.
split('|') convert the above string into an (one dimension) array.
indexOf(email) returns the index of the email value on the above array. If the email value is not found, -1 is returned.
On a comparison -1 is parsed as false.