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Shifting Perception: Valued for what we do

Edmonton Public Library, 2014 Library of the Year

By Tina Thomas

Libraries have been at a crossroads of existence since I joined the Edmonton Public Library (EPL) five years ago – likely well before that and probably for many more years to come. In his article[1] outlining that “being essential” is not enough to sustain libraries, Rick Anderson highlights that an important thing libraries must do is provide value and a return on investment.

We know that if you ask 1000 people if they believe libraries are important the vast majority will say yes. But we also know that those same people may not know what the modern library does or even use the library themselves.

The challenge is libraries are often valued as an institution or idea, not for the services they provide. And, to Rick’s point, if the lofty idea of “essential” is all libraries have, we likely will be challenged to find support for the work we do in a sea of essential services.

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Shifting Perception: Libraries = Education

Frederick Road Howard County Library System

By Valerie J. Gross 

There’s a powerful movement afoot and it’s gaining momentum.

Hailed by Library Journal as “a 21st-century library model, with a position, doctrine, purpose, and curriculum worthy of study and consideration by every other library in America, if not the world,” this effective strategy takes libraries back to their original purpose.

At the turn of the 20th century, libraries were established as educational institutions to deliver equal opportunity in education for everyone. Somehow, a century later, we find ourselves with a diluted purpose—so much so that fully one third of Americans do not know what we do.

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Shifting Perception: Why Essentialness is Not the Problem

Chattanooga Public Library

By Corinne Hill

The fact that the topic of “the essentialness of libraries” is trending right now reveals a completely different issue that has nothing to do with the library being essential.

What this trending topic and ensuing discussions reveal about our profession is that we’re totally insecure. We are frantic in our zeal to be everything to everyone, and we’re so busy and distracted with the gathering of evidence to defend our existence that we forget who we are.

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Highlights and Notes tool coming to Gale’s digital resources

We all know the rules – don’t take notes in your textbooks and don’t write in books you’ve checked out from the library, or else you might face a fine.

As eBooks and digital resources have become more and more popular, a similar problem has presented itself: how can a user easily take notes without opening a separate program? Gale has found the solution with our new Highlights and Notes tool, scheduled to launch on or around Tuesday, September 30, in Artemis Literary Sources, GVRL, In Context*, InfoTrac, Kids InfoBits, Literature Resource Center, LitFinder, and PowerSearch.

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New Customer Data Upload Feature for DemographicsNow! Business and People

DemographicsNow Public Library Business Resource

Now, business researchers and  small business owners can be even savvier with more customer knowledge.  A new feature within DemographicsNow! gives your users the ability to upload their customer or business data and blend it with rich consumer information, like demographics, psychographics, and Experian consumer segments!

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Gale Artemis: Literary Sources gives you more with cross-searching

Artemis Literary Sources

Did you hear the news? Gale Artemis: Literary Sources is taking another step towards helping you get the literary information you need when you need it with the additions of Something About the Author and Dictionary of Literary Biography! If you have these series, you’ll now be able to cross-search with other incredible literary sources like Twayne’s Authors Online, Scribner Writers Online, Literature Criticism Online, and more.

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Book v. movie: who told it best? Compare with blockbuster titles (in large print)

Did you know that Hitchcock’s epic The Birds was based on a Daphne du Maurier short story?  Hollywood loves a good story.

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Featured Publisher: ABDO Publishing

An ongoing look at partner publishers available through GVRL

By Geoff Schwartz

ABDO Publishing Company (ABDO) is a leading educational publisher of books and digital resources for today’s libraries and schools. For more than 25 years, ABDO has strived to provide the best in reading and research for children and young adults.

Gale is proud to carry ABDO’s educational nonfiction eBooks for grades 5-12. They contain high-quality text features including a table of contents, a glossary, an index, timelines, maps, diagrams, sidebars, full-color photos and captions, primary source materials, and more. Each book is leveled using grade-appropriate language to promote reading success, and is designed to be visually appealing and interesting to children and young adult readers.

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Featured Publisher: ReferencePoint Press

An ongoing look at partner publishers available through GVRL

By Geoff Schwartz

Established in 2006, ReferencePoint Press is an independent educational publishing house focused on high-quality series nonfiction for students and researchers in grades 6-12.

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