DISCUS - South Carolina’s Virtual Library An Overview for Schools www.scdiscus.org 9/2004

DISCUS* is an online LIBRARY The best online information & learning resources For South Carolinians of all ages & interests Available online - all the time *Digital Information for SC USers

DISCUS gives you free access to -- Subscription *databases* From reputable publishers Organized & regularly updated Selected, age appropriate materials Delivered over the Internet – but NOT the free Internet DISCUS is better than the free Internet !

DISCUS *databases* are . . . Large, organized, electronic collections of . . . Articles, books & other types of published information . . . That may be easily searched to find the information you need.

DISCUS has over 26 million articles from over 5000 periodicals! DISCUS includes . . . Articles from - Magazines Newspapers Professional Journals Information from - Encyclopedias Dictionaries Reference sources DISCUS has over 26 million articles from over 5000 periodicals! and . . .

DISCUS also includes . . . . . . and more! Pictures & photographs Maps Lesson plans Student & teacher activities Primary sources Links to the best web sites . . . and more!

Find information on all subjects! DISCUS covers . . . Arts & Literature Biography Business Current Events Education Government Health & Medicine History Science & Technology Social Sciences and more! Find information on all subjects!

Use DISCUS for . . . and much more! K-12 homework school projects college research speech preparation term papers & reports teacher preparation independent study political awareness consumer decisions lifelong learning and much more!

DISCUS goals & vision for SC Equal access to information Serve information needs of all Expand library resources Offer library resources 24/7 Cost efficient use of public funds $1 spent on DISCUS buys over $12 worth of resources.

DISCUS is for all South Carolinians ! Through the services of your . . . Public library Public school Private school (SACS-accredited) College or university Coordinated by the South Carolina State Library

DISCUS Web site - www.scdiscus.org K-12 users - Click here

DISCUS site for K-12 users Click on the name of the database you wish to use. Click Subject, Grade Level or Search Tips tab for help in choosing the best database Kids go here

DISCUS Kids page

Use DISCUS at home, too ! To use DISCUS at home, just ask your school library media specialist for the username & password.

Grolier encyclopedias for all age groups All 3 include teacher resources, magazines, Web links & more!

Info News PicturesGames Web links & more! New Book of Knowledge for grades 3 & up Info News PicturesGames Web links & more!

Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia for grades 5 & up

Encyclopedia Americana for grades 8 & up

Find articles & Web sites by topic & reading level SIRS Discoverer For grades 1-9 Find articles & Web sites by topic & reading level

Articles, Web links & more for advanced middle grades & up SIRS Knowledge Source Articles, Web links & more for advanced middle grades & up

SIRS Knowledge Source – features News, audio clips, maps & more!

The State Columbia, SC newspaper

Gale databases for children - adults 14 periodical & reference databases to meet your needs

Kids InfoBits

Junior Edition Easy to use & has helpful tools!

Junior Edition – Tool Box Build information literacy skills, too!

Biography Resource Center + Who’s Who Find individuals by occupation, ethnicity, gender

What Do I Read Next?

Scribner Writers Series

Focus your search with limit options Health & Wellness Resource Center Focus your search with limit options

Over 26 million articles at your fingertips! InfoTrac OneFile Over 26 million articles at your fingertips!

More “InfoTrac” databases from Gale Broad subject coverage – Student Edition General Reference Center Expanded Academic ASAP Custom Newspapers and . . .

More “InfoTrac” databases from Gale Specialized subject coverage – General BusinessFile ASAP Health Reference Center- Academic LegalTrac

Thank Your Legislator! DISCUS is funded by the South Carolina General Assembly, through the K-12 Technology Initiative. Supplemental funding is provided through the federal Library Services & Technology Act. DISCUS is coordinated by the South Carolina State Library - in cooperation with school, college & public libraries.

To learn more, ask your librarian! Start using DISCUS Today! www.scdiscus.org To learn more, ask your librarian!