|By J. Robert Parks| The Roman Catholic Church is one of the oldest institutions in the world. Like most such organizations, it can be slow to change. For example, there were zero non-Italian popes for 450 years until John Paul II, from Poland, was selected in 1978. Given its size and long-standing history, the Church … Read more
|By Thorndike Press| When Sid first started learning to read, it wasn’t the stories that held him back—it was the way they looked on the page. The words felt crammed together, the lines stretched too long, and the whole experience felt overwhelming. Reading quickly became something he dreaded. His mom, Amy Dix, Ph.D., PA-C, watched … Read more
Isaac Newton was born on Christmas Day 1642, a sickly child in a country divided by civil war. His father had died months before his birth, and his mother’s remarriage soon took her away, leaving Isaac behind under his grandparents’ care. His childhood on a remote Lincolnshire farm was worlds away from the scholarly circles … Read more
On January 3, J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday, The Tolkien Society and Middle-earth fans everywhere raise a glass to the literary giant affectionately known as “The Professor.” Best known for writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien is widely regarded as the father of modern fantasy. His creation of Middle-earth and his invented languages, … Read more
|By J. Robert Parks| The oft-told story of computer inventors and entrepreneurs building the first wave of companies in their garages is not a myth. Steve Jobs really did help manufacture the first Apple I computers in his father’s garage. But people’s reliance on that narrative often reinforces the idea of the singular genius—a very … Read more
|By J. Robert Parks| Here are a couple of fun trivia questions to challenge your friends: What was the first full-length film that Pixar released, and what year was it released? The answer: Pixar’s first full-length movie, Toy Story, hit theaters 30 years ago. In the last three decades, Pixar has gone from being the … Read more
We’re proud to announce that Gale Research Complete has been named the Best Research Solution by the 2025 CODiE Awards, which honor the most innovative and impactful products in education technology. The CODiE judges praised Gale Research Complete as “a robust, postsecondary-focused research platform with deep content coverage and strong search tools,” and noted that … Read more
|By Chilton Staff| Sam hears a squeal when he steps on the brakes. It was faint a few weeks ago, but is now getting louder. Recognizing that the screech sound means the brake pads need to be replaced, he taps into ChiltonLibrary. Sam has changed brake pads before, but not on this car. From the … Read more
Every culture organizes itself around what it assumes to be “normal,” and those assumptions decide who moves easily through the world and who has to fight to take part. When public spaces, institutions, and policies are built around a single standard of ability, they leave little room for the full range of human experience. The … Read more
|By J. Robert Parks| Depending on your point of view, Surrealism is a delightful, weird, unsettling, tedious, or even invigorating artistic movement from the early twentieth century. Yet, no matter what your perspective is, its influence is undeniable. Although Surrealism encompasses film, literature, photography, and theater, most people associate it with the paintings of artists … Read more