By Carrie Stefanski
You’ve seen the headlines: Pluto ISN’T a planet; wait…Pluto IS a planet. From its discovery in 1930 until 2006, Pluto was considered the ninth planet in the solar system. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto was not in fact a planet, and changed its designation to “dwarf planet.” [1]
With constant change and discovery in the field of science, it’s important to keep your eBooks up-to-date for patrons seeking scientific resources. Today’s students and thinkers require resources that reflect the latest developments and findings.
For example, 3D printing may have been previously used in the prototyping industry, but “as of September 2013 online open source projects exist that provide free instructions on how to assemble a rapid prototyping kit.” [2]
3D printing along with DNA databanks, crime scene investigations, podcasts, and wireless communications, are new entries in the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 5th Edition. The 4th edition, published in 2008, comprised six volumes; the new edition brings the total up to eight volumes covering all major areas of science, engineering, technology, mathematics, and the medical and health sciences with:
More than 100 new entries, making 2,600 total highly searchable articles, half of which have been updated with new content.- Over 1,000 color illustrations, tables, and photos to help users better understand complex topics.
- Break-out boxes highlight key terms important to understanding each topic.
“This work is intended for general readers and ‘younger students’ and would be a valuable addition to most science collections, particularly those libraries seeking a smaller and less expensive alternative to the McGraw-Hill set,” (Booklist, October 1, 2014).
If that’s not enough, the UXL Encyclopedia of Science is newly updated too, last published in 2002. Many libraries find this best-selling title indispensable, as it’s intended for non-scientific audiences and covers scientific theories, life forms, inventions, discoveries, and controversies like GMOs.
GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are controversial “because many people worry that genetic modification can cause dangerous unintended consequences. Genetically modified plants, or transgenic plants, are common today. Genetically modified crops have been engineered to resist disease and insects, to tolerate cold or drought, or to withstand the application of herbicides.” [3]
This 3rd edition supports the Next Generation Science Standards and includes:
204 new entries and 594 updated entries making 798 up-to-date entries total, in this ten-volume set.- More than 775 images and illustrations in full color depict and explain complex concepts.
- Sidebar boxes highlight interesting facts.
- “Words to Know” boxes that define commonly used terms.
- Extensive cross references that lead directly to related entries and sources for further study, including books, magazines, and web sites.
In addition to the freshest information, with the award-winning GVRL platform:
- You can provide the capability to pinpoint information easily by digitally searching through all volumes at once.
- Plus, there’s no checkouts! All the elementary-aged students and adult researchers in your community can be accessing all the encyclopedias’ content at once with unlimited simultaneous usage available to patrons 24/7 from anywhere.
- Entries can be emailed, printed, downloaded in PDF form, or read aloud with the unique ReadSpeaker text-to-speech technology, which allows the user to control audio speed.
- Plus, there’s a new parenthetical citation tool for students! Learn more…
Don’t wait another minute to update your science resources. Access a free trial today!
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About the Author
Carrie is starting her public library career after six years in higher education IT. She has a B.S. in written communications, gets her work/life balance playing roller derby, and still has her first library card.
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- “Pluto.”UXL Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. Amy Hackney Blackwell and Elizabeth Manar. 3rd ed. Vol. 8. Farmington Hills, MI: UXL, 2015. 1750-1753. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 16 Dec. 2014.
- “3D Printing.”The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 5th ed. Vol. 8. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. 4383. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.
- “Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).” UXL Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. Amy Hackney Blackwell and Elizabeth Manar. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. Farmington Hills, MI: UXL, 2015. 1060-1062. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.