Tara Blair, Author at Gale Blog: Library & Educator News | K12, Academic & Public

Guest Blog: How to Sell Students on the Benefits of Databases

February 26, 2018January 8, 2015

By Lauren Newman, Library, Media, and Technology Specialist, Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School

Google is amazing, isn’t it? What did we do before its cultural proliferation? As a veteran middle school media specialist, I accept that none of my students remember a world without Google because they were not alive to experience it. However, I also know that Google can’t always satisfy one’s needs. I understand how much more information is out there that is inaccessible to Google. I have been trained on databases and the “invisible web.” I value what else I can find from authoritative, reputable sources. My students, well, they’re a different story.

Product Update: Grade Level Filters Added

February 23, 2018January 7, 2015

We are happy to announce that Grade Level search filter functionality has been released in beta for both print and eBook titles on gale.com. We’ve also added Grade Level Range data to the product information for many titles on the site, making it easier than ever to find the perfect titles to suit your needs.

Bridging the Gap Between High School & College: Part 8

January 14, 2015January 6, 2015

This series of blogs will summarize and highlight important portions of our recent white paper, The New York City DOE/CUNY Library Collaborative: Bridging the Gap Between High School and College, which you can view here.

Hello, Hair! My Thoughts on the Return of Downton Abbey

February 23, 2018January 5, 2015

By Jennifer Albers-Smith

***Warning: May contain spoilers for Season 5 of Downton Abbey***

Downton is back. And I’m so relieved. Nothing brightens up a cold January night (here in Michigan) more than a brightly colored and eventful Downton Abbey episode. And Sunday’s premier certainly didn’t disappoint. I spent a few days over Christmas vacation sick with the stomach flu, and I relived all of the Downton moments watching seasons 1-4 from my couch. I was ready for Sunday.

The clothing and hairstyles were fresh in my mind, so the first thing I noticed in Season 5’s premier were the new hairstyles. I wrote this post last year gushing over the clothes; now it’s time to focus on the hairstyles. Even Jimmy had a new ‘do. And poor Molesley…he has a good heart, but he’s hard to take seriously with his new “blue” hue.

Gale Artemis: Literary Sources and Literature Criticism Online Update

January 7, 2015January 5, 2015

Presents came early for some of your favorite literature resources. As of December 18, the ability to browse the entire volume from ‘About this Publication’ page for all Literature Criticism Online (LCO) series in Gale Artemis: Literary Sources and LCO has been added. The default “Search within publication” will now be within the particular volume instead of the entire series. This change will yield better, more focused results.

After clicking the What’s Inside link, you can find your library’s databses within LCO to locate specific volumes:

New Titles Added to the InfoTrac Collections in November and December of 2014

February 26, 2018January 5, 2015

The titles below have been recently added and can be located in the product using Basic or Advanced Search forms. Titles can be found via Browse Publications within two weeks. For complete coverage information please see the product title lists.

The Importance of The Library

September 20, 2016January 5, 2015

By Nicholas T. There are many reasons why a library is important. To me, some of the reasons are: the genres and different types of books for all of the different kinds of readers and what the library gives back to the community. The different types of books can be really important for your local … Read more

The Library: A Toddler’s Favorite Place

September 19, 2016January 5, 2015

By Trisha T. I started bringing my daughter to the public library when she was just a few months old. She would sit on my lap for baby story time. She has always had a fascination with books. Bringing her to the library with me, has increased her love of them so much. She is … Read more

Rediscovering Libraries

September 19, 2016January 5, 2015

By Jim M. While out of work, I decided to use my extra time to reconnect with my local library. It had been almost a decade since I set foot inside a library building. I have always been an avid reader and some of my fondest childhood memories are of times spent in the old-fashioned … Read more

In Other News: Boxing Day

February 26, 2018December 26, 2014

A look at a current news item through the lens of different titles available on GVRL.

By Michelle Eickmeyer

As an American, I have zero knowledge of what Boxing Day is in practice. To be honest, I thought it had something to do with the sport of boxing. I know there are soccer matches held on Boxing Day, why couldn’t it have had something to do with boxing? But it turns out, no. It’s actually to do with packages. Two kinds of packages – and some of the best kinds — gifts and left-overs. Boxing Day is an extension of Christmas. Interestingly, modern Boxing Day is a bit of “Christmas [or Hanukkah, I’d presume] with the family you chose, eating all of the delicious food remaining from family holiday celebrations.

I love this, and believe America must adopt it at once!