Month: January 2016

What’s So Great about GVRL + Google?

Posted January 29, 2016

by Kristin Fust, Product Manager, GVRL

“If it isn’t on Google, it doesn’t exist.”  Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wale’s famous quote about Google rings true for many teachers, professors, and librarians. For years, educators mourned this trend, judging general website searches too limiting to support comprehensive research.  But those concerns dissipate when quality content becomes accessible through Google.  It’s a case of moving the proverbial mountain to Mohammed – putting authoritative content into the workflow of information seekers.

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He’s 48, Just Graduated High School and Owes It All to the Library

Originally published by The Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/local/education/community/la-me-edu-library-high-school-20160127-htmlstory.html

January 28, 2016

By Sonali Kohli

Ron Hagardt didn’t finish high school when he was supposed to, in 1985. Drinking led to pot, which led to cocaine, which led to dropping out of Sonora High School in La Habra during his senior year.

Now he’s 48, four years sober — and a high school graduate. On Tuesday, Hagardt wore a blue cap and gown and moved the golden tassel across his mortarboard during a ceremony at the Los Angeles Public Library in downtown.

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Put Your Library on the Map with LGBTQ Resources

Posted January 27, 2016

By Tina Creguer

LGBTQ issues were at the forefront of the news in 2015.  A major U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, high-profile transgender celebrity appearances, and many related stories dominated social news.  Many media have declared the Rainbow Revolution in full effect.  And while LGBTQ resources have been published for many years (the USC library began their collection in 1952), access to materials has been limited and not broadly publicized.  In fact, libraries with significant LGBTQ collections remain small in number (see this map showing library locations).

Read morePut Your Library on the Map with LGBTQ Resources

Librarian Uses DemoNow to Give Students Edge in Ultracompetitive Global Business World

Posted January 27, 2016

Cara Cadena, the Business Liaison Librarian at Grand Valley State University, can see the future and knows exactly what budding college-aged M16013482 Cadena DemoNow success story_finalentrepreneurs are in for: a highly competitive global business world that demands an edge to get ahead. It’s Cadena’s job to help students develop that edge despite a workload that requires her to juggle multiple responsibilities, like teaching library instruction courses, managing the library’s growing collection, and assisting students with research projects.

Today’s college students have terabytes of data at their fingertips. However, that data is not always trustworthy, accessible, or housed in formats that best position students to comprehend and use it appropriately for homework projects. Cadena prides herself on providing the one-on-one research assistance business students need. However, with hundreds of students all vying for an advantage, Cadena lacks the time necessary to provide individual attention to every student who requires it.

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First Graduating Class Receives Diplomas and Career Certificates through Innovative Program at Los Angeles Public Library

Posted January 26, 2016

LAPL is nation’s first public library to offer Career Online High School; Mayor Garcetti helps confer degrees

Los Angeles, Jan. 26, 2016 —The first graduating class of 28 students received their high school diplomas through Career Online High School (COHS), an innovative program offered through the

Los Angeles Public Library.  The ceremony was held today at the Central Library and was officiated by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Librarian John F. Szabo, Board of Library Commissioners President Bich Ngoc Cao, and State Librarian of California Greg Lucas.  Los Angeles Public Library is the first public library in the nation to offer adults the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and career certificate online through COHS.

Read moreFirst Graduating Class Receives Diplomas and Career Certificates through Innovative Program at Los Angeles Public Library

8 Ways To Give Local Businesses An Edge

Who Needs Business School? The Hidden Startup Resources at your Local Library

Posted on January 25, 2016

These robust assets allow libraries to replace multiple product subscriptions with one affordable resource your users will return to time and again for business information. Small business owners can compile a variety of reports—standard and custom—that will help them make informed decisions. DemographicsNow: Business and People helps boost your local economy by providing:

1.  Customer upload and data blending — Users can obtain Census block-group demographic data, maps, and more on their actual customers. Other eyeopening data is also available for B2B businesses.

Read more8 Ways To Give Local Businesses An Edge

A Look at the New SAT

Posted January 25, 2016

By Rosemary Long

As the March 5 launch date for the updated SAT comes closer, now’s a good time to take a closer look at what the revamped test is all about. Detailed information abounds, so the goal of this post is to winnow it down to the essentials.

New Features

Perhaps bowing to the competition, the new SAT features content that is similar to the ACT. And it has also adopted two ACT features. Test takers don’t lose points for wrong answers—so there’s less temptation to leave an answer blank—and they are offered only four choices of response instead of five.

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Kansas City-Area Institutions to Give Local Residents Access to Accredited High School Diplomas

Posted January 22, 2016

By Kristina Massari

Three Kansas City-area institutions – Kansas City Public Library, Mid-Continent Public Library and Literacy Kansas City – to offer accredited online high school diplomas and career certificates to area residents through Career Online High School. According to the Missouri Department of Education, Kansas City Public Schools’ drop-out rate for 2015 was 10% compared with the Missouri statewide average of just 2.2%.

“As we see communities like Kansas City working on improving education access, it is exciting to see Career Online High School inspire innovative partnerships between libraries and local organizations as a one solution that can make a difference,” said Paul Gazzolo, senior vice president and general manager, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning. “The program will help these organizations support local economic and workforce development but, more importantly, it will provide residents with education that can lead to life-changing opportunities.”

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WorldMark Global Business and Economy Issues Wins Big!

Posted on January 19, 2015

ALA’s RUSA (Reference & User Services Association) awarded Worldmark Global Business and Economy Issues as a 2016 Outstanding Reference Source and the Dartmouth Medal Honorable Mention.

This title is available in print or eBook format, on GVRL— the research-optimized, mobile accessible platform.

Read moreWorldMark Global Business and Economy Issues Wins Big!