Tara Blair 
And librarians around the globe rejoice!
On April 30, 2014, Gale launched InterLink, a new, free service available to libraries which own any of the periodical resources of InfoTrac and any eBook on the GVRL platform. But “service” is such a limiting word. Feature, enhancement. tool — they all fall short. InterLink is so much more than a bell or a whistle. With InterLink, research, search, and discovery have changed. And it’s amazing!
Read moreInterLink Enables Discovery Within Library Holdings
By Jennifer Albers-Smith
I’m not sure how many of you watch Dancing with the Stars, but I’m hooked this season. There are some pretty incredible people participating. I tuned in in the beginning to watch Olympic gold medalist ice dancers Charlie White and Meryl Davis (and THEY ARE FANTASTIC), but now I’m addicted to watching Amy Purdy, the Paralympic snowboarder, who has two prosthetic legs—talk about a real-life hero and an inspiration. And, boy, can she dance! I would be impressed even if she didn’t have two prosthetic legs, but the fact that she does and still dances so gracefully and skillfully brings me to tears on a weekly basis.
What she has accomplished has really made me want to learn more about prosthetics and advances in building prosthetics that allow people to move how she has been able to move on the dance floor.
By Robert Lisiecki
May the fourth be with you. Wait, I thought it was, “may the force be with you.” You know a film made a monumental impact on society when people assign a date in the calendar year to geek out. Let’s get geeky, Star Wars friends.
I’m admittedly not a self-proclaimed Star Wars nerd, but I’ve had a few light saber fights in my day, and I was Jar Jar Binks one year for Halloween; so, that counts for something… right?
It’s fascinating to think about the impactful nature of Star Wars, and how it still remains a force today (they just released the cast for the new movie!). Not only was it a monumental cinematic success, but it also impacted Hollywood, pop culture, and merchandising.
A look at a current news item through the lens of different titles available on GVRL.
By Michelle Eickmeyer
Spring. Millions of people around the country have been counting the minutes until spring, well, springs. But the yearly battle of warm, southern air to (finally!) unseat the cold northern air makes for some of the most dangerous weather. From as far north as Michigan and Ohio, through America’s heartland, this week has been the first of the 2014 tornado season.
By Melissa Rayner
Founded in 1988, IGI Global grew rapidly to become a leading international academic publisher of more than 2,300+ reference books, 155+ journals, encyclopedias, teaching cases, proceedings, and databases. They aim to offer a unique interdisciplinary approach to cutting-edge applied technology – with an especially strong focus on the role, impact, and effective use of new technology.
By Naomi Bates, Teacher Librarian, Northwest High School, Justin, TX
In today’s world of academics and reading, libraries are integrating with new technologies through 21st century tools. This trend can be seen not only through eBooks and databases, but also through the unique personality a library can create through publicity and online branding. Savvy librarians are ensuring their virtual presence through curation sites, online posters, infographics, and social media, most of which are free resources.
Read moreGuest Blog: Making Digital Connections with Patrons
Let’s face it, passion drives everything we do—the choices we make, the jobs we acquire, even how we spend our free time.
We’d like to offer you the opportunity to take your passion and turn it into a real “notice me” opportunity. That’s right; we’re looking for a few shining stars to feature in our upcoming catalog. Not only will you be able to share your passion—and your smiling face—with the world, but you’ll also be put into circulation of over 18,000 copies, literally putting you in front of thousands of librarians, researchers, teachers, administrators, and faculty all across the US and Canada!
By Susan Fishburn
In Other News – Week of April 21
Have your friends and family been talking to you in what sounds like a different language? Maybe it’s because this week we celebrated “Talk Like William Shakespeare Day” on April 23rd. So it’s time to get in the groove, or as Bill would say “It’s timeth to starteth reading!”
By Melissa Rayner
Founded in 1955, ABC-CLIO is named for the Greek muse that inspired history, thus symbolizing the company’s origins in publishing historical literature and bibliographies. Today, ABC-CLIO is a leading publisher of both print and digital materials of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development for academic, school, and public librarians.
By Michael Arthur
The migration toward e-books has meant many changes for librarians focused on collection development and acquisitions. The market is booming as publishers move toward offering all or nearly all titles in e-format, and librarians are working hard to stay on top of changes in publishing and procurement models.
Complete publisher packages, subject collections, title-by-title purchasing, demand driven, and evidence based models are among the most utilized methods by which libraries and their patrons are gaining access to e-books. Selecting purchasing models for e-books are challenging, because—as with any choice—both pros and cons exist.
Read moreThe Advantages of Springer E-books on Gale Virtual Reference Library