Database Resources: What’s New for School Libraries LAMP October 28, 2008 Presented by: Pat Carley Instructional Technology Facilitator EBRPSS Instructional Technology Department

What is a database? Is a searching tool that provides complete information of different resources from a variety of topics. The databases can provide full text articles or the complete bibliographic information, necessary to locate the needed article.

Pros and Cons

Staying Current. As important events unfold, online encyclopedias and databases can be updated rapidly; for example, Britannica Online routinely updates every two weeks.

Possible Downtime. If your Internet connection or local-area network crashes, your online databases cannot be accessed.

Multiple Users. With a print encyclopedia, only one student at a time can use a particular volume, whereas Internet-based encyclopedias allow many users to simultaneously access the same information.

Searching. Electronic searches can also find connections where students may not. For example, Isaac Newton is mentioned in World Book Online articles on Relativity, Color, Mass, Planet, Rocket, Tide, and Light.

Space. A print encyclopedia takes up an entire shelf; an Internet encyclopedia takes up just computer bits, not classroom or library space.

Cost. A subscription to an Internet-based encyclopedia can be much more affordable than a print encyclopedia. For example, Britannica Online costs $50 per year, while the print version lists at $1,295.

Top 10 Online Databases for General Research

Some popular subscription-based Internet encyclopedias are Britannica Online, The World Book Encyclopedia, Encarta, and Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia Online.

Grolier Online | Request a Free Trial

World Book Online New home access url: http://worldbookonline.com  ID: lahome Password: student World Book Kids World Book Online Reference Center World Book Advanced Five different editions World Book—French Edition World Book—Spanish Edition

Subscription Databases In addition to encyclopedias, many databases are available to schools on a subscription basis. Would your students benefit from access to The New York Times archives, The Wall Street Journal or Newsweek? The following provide this and more.

Louisiana Databases

Home Access: http://search.ebscohost.com Username: student Password: ebsco

Remember that: EBSCO is an excellent database where you can find information about many topics. Remember to use the specific keywords that best identify your topic. Always Save the documents you find because you will need the bibliographic information for the Reference List.

www.accessscience.com Also useful for math and English—please note that this site has videos, animation, and podcasts—also the news featured here is from Science News! Home Access: www.accessscience.com    User ID:  ebrstudent    Password:  research 

https://secure.accessscience.com/ Free trial subscription to Access Science

Gale Databases & EBooks Log In High Schools Only Unique URL for each school There are three different databases as viewed above: Opposing Viewpoints is excellent for position papers and research. Gale Virtual Reference Library is where you access the e-books. Literature Resource Center has excellent resources related to literature. Only high schools have access Each school has unique log in information; please see librarian for these codes.

http://www.gale.cengage.com/freetrials/index.htm Free Trials at Gale

Schools had access last year—will continue for this year Schools had access last year—will continue for this year. See librarian for new log in for home access that is unique to your school. Teachers will love the Staff Edition with the teacher tools! Don’t forget to try Cleoview and Flash Maps! Analyze is also a great tool! Middle and high school only Middle and High School

American History www.socialstudies.abc-clio.com New this year—can toggle between the two databases. Middle and high school only Toggle between the two databases Middle and High School

K-12 Wonderful resource for up-to-date, reliable information! Has the latest information on news makers! Home Access: http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/login.jhtml User ID:  ebrstudent  Password:  research

Log In Core Collections Databases for K-12 teachers and librarians Children’s Middle/Jr. High Senior High Non-Book Graphic Novels All these are reliable collection tools. Non-Book, great resource for information on quality audiobooks, videos, and sound recordings. Graphic Novels Core Collection has made special effort to include quality graphic novels for Pre-K through elementary reading levels.

http://www. hwwilson. com/wwebforms/Wwebtrials/newtrialform/wweb1_2 http://www.hwwilson.com/wwebforms/Wwebtrials/newtrialform/wweb1_2.cfm H W Wilson Databases Trial Subscriptions

Log in K-12 No more lost note cards. Once account is set up, access is from any computer, anywhere! Please have students use their Novell log in for their personal ID and their babble speak password for their password when they are creating accounts in NoodleTools!

http://www.noodletools.com/tools/trial.php Noodle Tools Trial Subscription

Facts On File Databases

http://www.fofweb.com/trial/ Facts on File Free Trail Subscription

Electric Library provides access to the full text of magazines, newspapers, news wires, books, transcripts, pictures, and maps. Some resources include the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Webster's Dictionary, and transcripts of the TV news program 60 Minutes.

ProQuest Platinum has more than 2,000 titles covering business, education, general reference, health, language arts, sciences, social sciences, and many other curriculum-specific subject areas. Full-text versions of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are included, plus more.

Free Library Resources As good as the above encyclopedias and databases are, they all require a school to pay for a subscription. The resources below are free.

Free Online Databases

Encyclopedia. com contains more than 50,000 articles Encyclopedia.com contains more than 50,000 articles. In addition, it links to Electric Library, mentioned above.

Internet Public Library, or IPL, was one of the first public libraries "of and for the Internet community." Some available collections are general reference, associations, literary criticism, newspapers, youth, and teens.

Library of Congress Online Catalog records represent the holdings of the library, including books, computer files, manuscripts, cartographic materials, music, sound recordings, and visual materials; it also includes searching aids for users.

Remember that: All databases provide information that is published in professional or academic journals. You can find full text of the articles. You can save, print, or send to your e-mail the information.

Remember that: With the passwords, you can use the databases from anywhere. When your students prepare their bibliography, they will need to indicate the name of the databases used.

Remember that: To be able to access these databases from outside the library, you will need the database address, username and password, this information should be provided by any librarian. Care should be taken when posting this information to the web.

pcarley@ebrschools.org