Databasics

Looking through our kids' databases I was reminded/made aware that:

• it's good to look through our databases...because it's easy to forget what we've got, even without the annual updates!
• during African-American HistoryMonth, I should definitely show patrons the African-American History Online database when they ask for relatively obscure bios.
• LearningExpressLibrary and Tutor.com both have older elementary math and reading reviews/preps, though neither really put things like worksheets front and center.
• World Book Online for Kids has a very short article entitled "Animals Have Babies." Now I'm dying for a kid to ask me whether or not animals have babies...and whether I can prove it.
• the Gale student Resources In Context is amazing for helping older kids with projects on "big issues."

Looking through our adult databases I was reminded/made aware that:

• though we offer access to the more-and-more popular Ancestry.com, it's only available here at the Library.
• the American History In Video db is the most splendid thing EVER. A mix of contemporary, documentary, and vintage films all about America. As far as I can tell, most of the videos come with transcripts, but I especially love the soundless ones from the turn of the last century, like this one.
• INFOTRAC is a big deal/portal.
• Oh, yeah! We've got access to Consumer Reports. So cool.

Finally, I tried to download the Overdrive Media Console to my work PC figuring it'd be easy peasy...but so far I can't get around the "you can't download nuthin'" rules for these PCs. I'll ask Shelley or Curt if it's possible. Looking forward to the technology petting zoo Shelley's bringing us next week! [I wish I could have put in on my personal Kindle, but Amazon is a harsh mistress.]