Public Archives | Page 94 of 145 | Gale Blog: Library & Educator News

The Gale and Google Integration at Work

July 12, 2016June 13, 2016

Posted June 13, 2016

By Holly Hibner, Adult Services Coordinator, Plymouth District Library (MI)

As libraries continually seek to be a valued educational partner in communities, schools, and institutions, bringing trustworthy digital content into the natural path of their users has never been more important. To make it easier for people to find and use this relevant, authoritative information, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, has partnered with Google for Education in two ways: providing intuitive integration of popular workflow tools through Google Apps for Education and indexing content in Google Scholar. With more than 50 million Google Apps for Education teachers and students worldwide, and an average of over 40,000+ Google search engine queries per second, Google is indisputably the place where people get their answers.

Information is truly at our fingertips now that Gale has become a Google for Education Partner. Many of Google’s popular tools like Drive, Docs, and Classroom are now integrated with Gale’s top products. Information seekers often look to Google for answers. Now they can combine the power of Google with the content authority of Gale databases.

Animal Farm Preface Reveals Truths about George Orwell

July 11, 2016June 13, 2016

Posted on June 13, 2016

By Kelly Torpey

In my school-days, plenty of readings were required, but in all honesty, I didn’t care for most of them. However, George Orwell’s Animal Farm captured my attention. It was unique, I didn’t need a dictionary on stand-by, and I knew it had been banned from some classrooms.

Orwell may be one of the most read, well-known novelists of all time. With books like Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, his work is a constant reminder that we must continually critique the actions of leaders and the acceptance of common thought.

Recently (as in a couple days ago) I discovered details about Orwell’s roots, upbringing, and perspectives in an interview clip from Public Radio International. This clip is available on Literature Resource Center. I quickly learned that I probably wouldn’t have been exposed to these details if a young Ukrainian scholar hadn’t sent a message to George Orwell in 1947. In his note, the scholar asked for permission to translate Animal Farm into Ukrainian. Orwell not only granted permission, but also refused any royalties and penned a detailed preface that we are all incredibly lucky to read. Orwell wrote:

I have been asked to write a preface to the Ukrainian translation of Animal Farm. I am aware that I write for readers about whom I know nothing, but also that they too have probably never had the slightest opportunity to know anything about me.

Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World: “Ambitious” and “Recommended” eBook

September 2, 2016June 10, 2016

Looking for an “accessible” and “ambitious” resource designed to support user’ religion and history understandings? The Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World provides rich historical content partnered with coverage of the issues, countries, and people that are important in today’s world to provide knowledge of Islam’s influence on all areas of human activity. Libraries will “benefit” researchers by obtaining this resource, read a few reviews below!

Calling all Libraries to Be a Part of the Big Picture

February 26, 2018June 8, 2016

Posted on June 6, 2016

ENTER THE MY LIBRARY PIC PHOTO SWEEPSTAKES

Libraries complete our big picture vision. And over the next few weeks, we’re asking YOU to participate in helping us shape that vision. Send us a picture of how your library integrates and embraces technology!

The My Library Pic Photo sweepstakes is for all libraries, big or small, and all types of photographers (professional or amateur). Now through June 30, 2016, submit a photo to any of the 4 categories below, and your library could win big.

Understanding Community Goals Leads to Success for Libraries and Communities – A post from the 2016 Library of the Year

May 23, 2019June 7, 2016

By Leah Sewell, Communications Editor, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Have you ever been on the other line of a survey call? I haven’t, personally, but I’ve often wondered if I would be a willing participant. Perhaps in the midst of a particularly juicy book, soaking up one-on-one time with my fast-growing 9-year-old or closely watching a new recipe simmer, what would compel me to answer the phone, but also to converse with a researcher for an indeterminate spell? Well, for one thing, I’d pretty much drop everything and let dinner burn to gab with any stranger, on the phone or otherwise, when the topic is libraries.

You see, in my career as the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library’s Communication Editor, I am enamored with the “public” part of the public library. How does the public feel about our services? How will they react to a minor or a major change? How can we woo them, engage them, help them feel a part the community through literacy and learning, and subsequently change their lives for the better?

My library is focused on the public and the public good. It’s asking the right questions, discovering people’s goals and needs and assisting them so they can reach them. Ultimately, it’s about making a difference in the community by working with our fellow citizens to make their lives better. That’s a good chunk of the reason why we’re the Library Journal / Gale, a part Cengage Learning 2016 Library of the Year. We have our ears to the ground.

When the 2016 Pew Research Center report, Libraries at the Crossroads, was released in September 2015, I wondered about the people on the other end of those cell phones and land lines. Those individuals that Pew cites variously as “a share of Americans” or “a majority of Americans,” or “low-income Americans” are real individuals with busy lives, loved ones and their own dinners to prepare. Yet, they all sat a spell to gab about libraries.

Demystifying Prescription Drugs

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016

Posted on June 6, 2016

Note to librarians: if you have this title, you may want to share this blog post with your patrons. (Be sure to link it to your GVRL collection.) And if you want to learn more about this title, request a free trial today! Our eBook Specialists are always available to help you fill gaps in your nonfiction eBook collection. Learn more about customizing your collections to meet patron needs.

With some 50% of the US population using at least one prescription drug at any given time, it’s safe to say most of us need more information about prescriptions at some point. But where can you turn when you have questions? Especially late at night, or when you don’t have time for a phone call or a drug store visit?

Now you can find comprehensive consumer information about 300 commonly prescribed medications (including vaccinations) written in highly understandable language by qualified pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and other health professionals. With Gale Encyclopedia of Prescription Drugs, you’ll find a general description of the medication, plus detailed information about each drug’s purpose, recommended dosage, precautions, side effects, and drug and food interactions. And because it’s an eBook, you can access it any time, anywhere, and on nearly any device – making it easy to find information at odd hours or remote locations.

Show Your Furry Friend Some Love with
National Hug Your Cat Day, June 4th!

June 14, 2016June 3, 2016

Posted June 3, 2016

By Tara Blair

What a purr-fect day to show your best friend some love and affection with a big hug. June 4th marks Hug Your Cat Day, a day where cat owners everywhere can rejoice and squeeze their furry buddies until the sun goes down. But, hugging your whiskered pal is just the tip of the iceberg. At Gale, we took a deeper look into how hugging improves your mind, body, and soul.

Save your catnap for later and read what we found!

National Hug Your Cat Day, June 4th!

New Patron info added to Patron Profiles in Analytics On Demand

June 16, 2016June 1, 2016

Curious whether households in your community would read a library mailing? Individuals with a history of mail-order buying are twice as likely to respond to a promotion as someone who has never purchased by mail. Now the Analytics on Demand Patron Profiles app contains more details around households who have purchased merchandise, magazines or services by mail or have responded with contributions to charitable and nonprofit appeals.

New Buyer Data
Fifteen categories were added to the existing multi-category buyer information. This additional Mail Order Responder (MOR)-Bank data including:

Why Advocacy Matters for Public Libraries

March 26, 2018May 31, 2016

Posted on May 31, 2016

By Rhonda Sewell

Long gone is the notion of public libraries lingering in the shadows and doing little to advocate their value to their communities and promote their many offerings, programs, and activities. Advocacy and unapologetic promotion of our transformative systems is now a major priority. Such ideas hold a sacred place in our discussions surrounding public service, strategic goals, funding, construction, marketing, and digital implementation for libraries. Even the Twittersphere of endless hashtags has transitioned from reading sentiments to action items and rallying statements such as #LibrariesMatter, #LibrariesTransform, and #SaveOurLibraries.

Because doing more with less is a reality for public libraries, especially as competition for funding sources and customer demands increases, advocacy matters now more than ever. “Advocacy, the process of acting on behalf of the public library to increase public funds and ensure that it has the resources needed to be up to date, is critical to the success of libraries,” states the Public Library Association (PLA)[i].

Huddle Up Your Sports Enthusiasts

May 23, 2016May 23, 2016

Posted May 23, 2016

Join the 2016 Summer Reading Program
Are you ready for the swarm of kids eager to learn about today’s most admired sports and athletes? 2016 Summer Reading Program is upon us, and learning shouldn’t stop when classes are out for the summer. Keep your library’s school-aged users engaged and on track with fun and authoritative eBooks from Gale.

From DK and Britannica Digital Learning to ABDO Publishing and more, young learners will have better access to your sports resources with the ability to save content to Google Drive for later use.