Topic Finder: The Perfect Tool for Both New and Experienced Researchers

By Dale Prentiss

Ruth Diggory is head librarian for ATA College, a medical career school in Kentucky and Florida that serves a broad demographic of students. As such, she needed to offer her students tools that can assist them in their research needs, regardless of their level of experience. Recently, Ruth has discovered that Gale’s Topic Finder tool is the perfect resource for her diverse needs.

Read moreTopic Finder: The Perfect Tool for Both New and Experienced Researchers

In Other News: Cheryl’s birthday

A look at a current news item through the lens of different Gale electronic resources.

By Michelle Eickmeyer

Oh, word problems… this is not your week! This week the world bemoaned a question, first posted to Facebook (then making it away through Buzzfeed to the BBC, and beyond.) The certainty of posters with their “easy” (and, of course, incorrect) responses only helped to fuel the fire. For those who missed it, here is the original question (with some spelling and grammatical editing… that’s an entirely different post!).

Read moreIn Other News: Cheryl’s birthday

Historical Fiction Recommendations from Joyce Saricks: New and Popular in Large Print

Forget the “Columbus sailed the ocean blue” mnemonic devices and dusty history books.  If you want to experience history with dimension and humanity, turn to historical fiction.

Read moreHistorical Fiction Recommendations from Joyce Saricks: New and Popular in Large Print

Celebrate National Library Week with the Best Libraries of Yore!

By Melissa Rayner

Libraries mean so much to so many people. For me, personally, the library represents a place of belonging and comfort, a place of endless possibilities, and a dream. My mother took me to see Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in theaters for my seventh birthday. Being that I was always a shy, imaginative child, books had already become my best friends and most constant of companions by then. So, it should be no surprise that my young heart fell irrevocably in love with the Beast the moment he gifted Belle his colossal castle library.

In the more than 20 years since my first viewing of this film, my dream has not wavered once. I still crave that library for myself, and I’m still searching for the perfect house that has just the right layout–and more than enough space–to integrate a huge home library.

To honor National Library Week (a holiday of the utmost importance in my book!), I’d like to share a series of other dream-making libraries. Like Belle’s, some of them do live within castles, others reside in government quarters, and still others are closed to the public. I’ve scoured Gale’s historical archives via Gale Artemis: Primary Sources in order to find the most luxurious and the most special libraries, and now I’d like to share them with you. Enjoy!

Read moreCelebrate National Library Week with the Best Libraries of Yore!

In Other News: Sarah Thomas

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

By Michelle Eickmeyer

First, apologies for the break. I was taken down by spring allergies/my annual sinus infection, then having a great time with many of you at ACRL, then recovering from both of those things. But back at it! Last year at this time, I wrote about the Masters. If that had not happened, today’s post would feature a clip of Jack, easily sinking his predicted hole in one. Man, he’s good. Or I could have written about the horrible tornadoes which struck Illinois last night. But I had already done that too. Finding a research topic can be tough, especially when all the obvious choices are taken. (Sound familiar?)

Read moreIn Other News: Sarah Thomas

Complement Your May Programing with Product-Related Posts

By Gale Customer Care

It’s always fun to find and share obscure holidays. You never really know what you could be celebrating before you do a little research. And what better place to research than the library!

We encourage you to have a little fun with some lesser known holidays in month of May and give a sneak peek of eResources while you’re at it.

We’ve got equal parts National Geographic Virtual Library and Artemis Literary Sources to post on social media or share in your newsletter. Please feel free to pick and choose and use the images and copy provided below… or use it as inspiration. Show your followers what you have to offer in your digital collections and tell them how to access.

May 1: Mother Goose Day

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Promoting the Role of Libraries in Community Development with National Media Campaign

EveryLibrary advocacy for public libraries

By Kristina Massari

In support of National Library Week, organizations partner to raise awareness of resources public libraries provide for entrepreneurs and start-ups

Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is partnering with EveryLibrary, a national non-profit organization dedicated to non-partisan political action on behalf of libraries, for a media campaign to increase awareness of the role libraries play in community and economic development. The partnership demonstrates Gale’s advocacy on behalf of libraries and its support of National Library Week, observed this year from April 12-18.

Read morePromoting the Role of Libraries in Community Development with National Media Campaign

Gale Sponsors Library Journal’s Lead the Change Professional Academy

Professional Development for Libraries

Library Journal’s Lead the Change, a professional development program for librarians available online and in a series of live events across the country, is launching next month.  As series sponsor, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is helping to fund the event and making unique tools available to librarians.

Lead the Change offers timely resources and tools to help librarians stay ahead of innovations and changes affecting the library profession.  Library staff at all levels can participate in hands-on live events, access insightful on-demand webcasts, and participate in a new online learning program. 

Read moreGale Sponsors Library Journal’s Lead the Change Professional Academy

Looking for a Change? Welcome to National Name Yourself Day!

By Melissa Rayner

It’s almost here! National Name Yourself Day, which by the way is absolutely a real holiday, will be here in just a couple more days. This special holiday fits in perfectly with another cool thing going on right now–National Poetry Week. Shakespeare by way of Juliet famously asked “What’s in a name?” and now I’d like to pose that question to each of you.

How does your name fit you? What image does it cast in the minds of people who have yet to meet you? Have you ever wished your parents had done a better job saddling you with a moniker?

Read moreLooking for a Change? Welcome to National Name Yourself Day!