Reader’s Advisory for Little Ones

Early Childhood Development Public Library

By Rachel G. Payne

Reader’s advisory for kids under five? Yes! Even though they may not be able to communicate what they want verbally, they know what they like! And while they droll on, chew, grab, throw, and scribble on library materials, we need to have books for the very young in our libraries. These books and the language they generate from a parent or caregiver actually builds a baby’s brain. And studies show the literacy foundations of early childhood set the stage for future learning.

So what do you do when sleep-deprived parents ask for books their little ones or a toddler says to you “Want dog book”? How do we match the right book for the right baby at the right time? Here a reader’s advisory guide and a mini child development course rolled into one. Remember, all kids develop at their own pace, so the ages listed below are average approximations.

Read moreReader’s Advisory for Little Ones

Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC)

Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) is a valuable online tool used by library patrons of all ages for standardized test preparation, researching undergraduate and graduate programs, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. Additionally, community members can pursue new career paths with test prep assistance for career certification exams as well as gain advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and networking.

Read moreTesting & Education Reference Center (TERC)

Engage your library’s young learners

education ebooks for k-12 public library

By Kim Martin
Today’s kids are tech-savvy and they need easy access to high quality, timely content full of images and graphic aids to satisfy their eagerness for learning. Whether looking for homework help or researching a topic, Gale delivers rich content that is indexed, searchable, and supports your elementary curriculum.

kiddoMeet Anthony, or Tony, as his friends call him. He’s in third grade. When a local meteorologist spoke to his class, he learned about wild spring weather. Her storm chaser stories really prompted his interest in weather, especially tornadoes. Do you have resources for kiddos like Tony? He wants more information and awesome pictures!

Read moreEngage your library’s young learners

Volumes of Catholic History Relevant to Today for 80% Off

Pope Francis New Catholic Encyclopedia

By Carrie Stefanski
With all the modern world-issues and charities driving Pope Francis’s schedule, remembering a great historical event may have fallen off your radar. Fifty years ago, Pope Paul IV made a hugely significant pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This was the first meeting to restore unity between Catholics and the Orthodox Christians in 910 years.

Read moreVolumes of Catholic History Relevant to Today for 80% Off

Truth Be Told: 5 Fast Facts about Juice Fasting

juicing library resources

By Harmony Faust

There are several people in my inner circle who regularly and voluntarily consume nothing but fruit, vegetable and plant juices for days at a time. This. Blows. My. Mind. Juice fasting is a practice I’ve been hearing about for years and I still don’t get it.

If I’m being completely honest, the crux of my problem with juice fasting probably lies at the intersection of my natural skepticism and laziness—I don’t have a great track record with activities related to health and fitness.

Read moreTruth Be Told: 5 Fast Facts about Juice Fasting

Health resources to support better living!

Healthy lifestyle ebooks

By Carrie Stefanski

Meet Sara. She’s a mom with three young children and has parents who are getting up there in age.  She wants the best for her family, and that includes good health. She needs reliable, up-to-date resources that to turn to, whether seeking new yoga poses for herself, healthy cooking for her family or researching specific health concerns such as heart disease.

Read moreHealth resources to support better living!

You have to start somewhere, help out your beginners!

Idiot Guides and For Dummies ebooks on GVRL for libraries

Meet Connie, a spunky 72-year-old grandma who just received her first computer. Her grandkids want her online, so online she must go! “I don’t know what took me so long and I want to learn everything I can,” she says, “but I guess I’m a little hesitant because I don’t know quite where to start.” We couldn’t think of a better way than an eBook like  Laptops For Seniors For Dummies, 3rd Edition. Connie can read and follow activities on her screen at the same time, it’s a perfect match.

Read moreYou have to start somewhere, help out your beginners!

Featured Partner: Oxford University Press

An ongoing look at the partner publishers available through GVRL.

By Melissa Rayner

Oxford University Press has been one of the biggest names in academic publishing almost since the industry’s inception. The first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, and although the formal press had not yet been born, Oxford University involved itself with several printers over the century that followed. Now, the press publishes over 6,000 titles and sells more than 110 million units each year. It has offices in 50 countries and is the largest university press in the world.

Read moreFeatured Partner: Oxford University Press

Gale’s InterLink Brings Better Discovery to Academic Libraries

By Michelle Eickmeyer

Discovery is one of the most discussed and sought after experiences among librarians, students and faculty in academic libraries. They may call those experiences different things, but discovery is the thread running through the needs of these groups. Librarians want all materials to be called upon — find-able by any user at the moment of need. Students often encounter the library’s holdings with a vague understanding of either what they are looking for, or how to find it. Or both. Or neither. Faculty look to support the scholarship of their students and, often, their own research needs as well.

Read moreGale’s InterLink Brings Better Discovery to Academic Libraries

Storytime Goes STEM!

STEM storytime

By Rachel G. Payne

Yes, I freely admit it, I think too much like a librarian. Often this is an asset, but when I first started adding STEM into my storytime programs, this became a problem. I kept looking for books to read to kids in the non-fiction section. My go-to favorites were Red-Eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Nic Bishop, and Actual Size by Steve Jenkins, both solidly in the 500s. While I love these books, I was thinking too small. It took Lynn Cole, a science educator from the Queens Library Children’s Discovery Center, to shift my thinking during her staff training on science activities for preschoolers at the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). She opened my mind to another way of thinking about the books I was already sharing by reminding us we could find science and math concepts in the picture book section as much as anywhere.

Read moreStorytime Goes STEM!