Alabama Virtual Library Presented by the Office of Technology Initiatives Alabama State Department of Education

What Is the Alabama Virtual Library? Scholarly, essential, electronic information resources Accessed through the Internet

What Are the Goals of the AVL? Equity Economy Excellence

Who Are the AVL Partners? Alabama Commission on Higher Education Alabama Department of Post- Secondary Education Alabama Public Library Service Alabama State Department of Education Alabama Supercomputer Authority

How Is It Funded? $3,000,000 appropriated by the Alabama Legislature for FY 2000 and FY2001 APLS serves as the fiscal agent for the AVL Alabama Education Trust Fund

How Is It Governed? Under the legal authority of APLS “Council” appointed by agency heads –three members from each agency Bylaws Committees

How Is the Money Used? License databases –online encyclopedias –almanacs –indexes –full text of online books and magazines Training Set up and maintain hardware and software NO FUNDS FOR STAFF!!

What Does This Mean for Our Schools? Accurate, up-to-date information Available at the desktop The poorest and most rural schools to have access to the same information as everyone else

What Does This Mean for Students? 1998 Age of Collection Study –Eleven magazine subscriptions in AVL in AVL –Nineteen year-old Science books Up to the minute with AVL Up to the minute with AVL

Where Is the AVL? Alabama Supercomputer Authority

Where Is the AVL?

At Home Go to your Public Library and ask for a blue “Alabama Virtual Library Card.”

What Is Your Research Question???

Data Bases AccessScience African-American History and Culture Alabama Libraries Business and Company Resource Center Business Index ASAP Business Source Elite Contemporary Authors EBSCOhost Web Electric Library ERIC Essay Finder Ethnic NewsWatch Complete

FirstSearch by OCLC General Reference Center Gold Health Source: Consumer Edition Informe (Spanish version) (English version)(Spanish version)(English version) InfoTrac OneFile InfoTrac Student Edition LegalTrac

EBSCO Comprehensive Offers three search options Searchasaurus, a user-friendly search option for young users –Middle Search Plus –Primary Search –General Encyclopedia –Encyclopedia of Animals –Tutorial and Fun Facts

Designed for the novice user, but powerful enough for an experienced researcher Variety of resources including newspaper, TV & radio transcripts, maps & other images Allows for the retrieval of age appropriate resources

Special Features Uncluttered search page Includes television and radio transcripts Reading level for each article

SIRS Discoverer –interactive reference tool for young readers –each article is assigned a reading level category SIRS Researcher –general research information on social, scientific, health, history, business, and political issues Knowledge Source

SIRS Renaissance –current perspectives on the arts and humanities Government Reporter –wide range of information published by and about the federal government, i.e. Supreme Court decisions, directories, information on Congress, etc Knowledge Source

Special Features Help and Tips on the search page Can articles Lists database contents on the search page DISCOVERER is appropriate for elementary and middle Allows user to search by subject or keyword Includes a workbook for learning how to use the resource Also includes an encyclopedia

Observations Includes information from –General Reference –Information by and about the U.S. Government –Arts and Humanities –Go to the SIRS Discoverer Database

Grolier MultiMedia Encyclopedia –Grades 5 and up (middle school) New Book of Knowledge –Grades 3 and up (elementary school) Encyclopedia Americana –Grades 7 and up (high school and junior college)

Research Abstracts II ProQuest Gold –high school JuniorQuest –middle school KidsQuest –elementary

Special Features Includes numerous resources for career/technical programs Search report includes whether or not a picture is included with article

Full text of most authoritative encyclopedia Other EB services Free vs. Fee Britannica service

Special Features Includes a collegiate dictionary Provides an Internet Guide Includes Spotlight Features Good maps Search results include a short summary of the article

Includes three databases –Contemporary Authors –Scribner Writers Series –Twayne Authors Series Gale Group

Contemporary Authors A bio-bibliographical guide to current writers in fiction, general nonfiction, poetry, journalism, drama, motion pictures,television, and other fields 90,000+ authors

Scribner Writers Series “the gold standard for literary criticism” Includes 1600 full-text articles on writers and literary genres Articles are written by scholars and include primary and secondary sources for further study

Twayne Author Series Premier literary reference resource Each author is tied to the high school and college curriculum Provides critical introductions to the lives and works of writers, to the history and influence of literary movements, or the development of literary genres.

Poem Finder Online poetry reference center Largest, most comprehensive and mot current poetry database available International in scope –Covers poetry from antiquity to the present Never out of date Subject Navigator (Vietnam War, Women’s Rights, etc.) The Year’s Best Poetry

African American History Index Facts on File Organized in five sections: –Biographies—sports, politics, science, literature, etc. –Encyclopedia—400 entries on concepts and terms –Historical Documents—court decisions, speeches, political platforms,etc. –Gallery—vintage and contemporary images –Maps and Charts—pertaining to AA history

Access Science articles; 115,000 dictionary terms; and hundreds of Research Updates in Science and Technology Biographies—in-depth bios of scientists In the News—weekly updates of breakthroughs and discoveries Student Centers—resources to guide research Related Sites—links to web sites reviewed by editors

What’s next for the AVL? Additional databases Access to government and other free information Recurring appropriation to maintain AVL Training and use are critical Thank the legislature!