Aurora Public Library Encourages Staff and Patrons to “Think Gale”

GVRL eBook Success Story

Public libraries play an important role in their communities, and they take their roles seriously. Case in point: Aurora Public Library (Aurora) in Illinois, which is dedicated to “supporting lifelong learning and access to information, knowledge, and ideas.” That’s no small task. Fortunately, GVRL eBooks are front and center in helping Aurora achieve its goals — offering patrons easy, quick access to informational resources covering the spectrum of subject areas, even when they’re not at the library.

Reference Specialist Sue Kovacs runs two reference desks at the Aurora’s main branch, where she’s responsible for buying all reference materials and keeping them updated and relevant. When Sue began working at the library in 2009, she saw that community dynamics were changing. “Most people didn’t want to have to come downtown to look at a reference collection. I evaluated our Gale products as well as the available alternatives.

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In Other News: Boxing Day

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

By Michelle Eickmeyer

As an American, I have zero knowledge of what Boxing Day is in practice. To be honest, I thought it had something to do with the sport of boxing. I know there are soccer matches held on Boxing Day, why couldn’t it have had something to do with boxing? But it turns out, no. It’s actually to do with packages. Two kinds of packages – and some of the best kinds — gifts and left-overs. Boxing Day is an extension of Christmas. Interestingly, modern Boxing Day is a bit of “Christmas [or Hanukkah, I’d presume] with the family you chose, eating all of the delicious food remaining from family holiday celebrations.

I love this, and believe America must adopt it at once!

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Cuba: Learning from the Past

By Bethany Dotson

Last week, President Obama and President Raúl Castro of Cuba announced moves to normalize diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba following more than a year of secret talks in Canada and at the Vatican (Read more here, here, and here). The 54-year-old embargo on trade and diplomatic relations stems back to Cold War hostilities.

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In Other News: The Top Searched Terms of 2014

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

By Michelle Eickmeyer

Well, it’s that time of year again! Ugly sweaters, potentially awkward work/social events (not mine – mine was hilarious) and year end lists! So let’s take a break from the news and take a look at ourselves — and what “you” have been up to this year. We’re going to take a look at the top search terms within GVRL!

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Social Change and Civil Rights in Modern America

If you live in a major city like Los Angeles, New York, or as I do in Detroit, you are witness to outcries and protests in response to the recent grand jury decisions in Missouri and New York. Disturbing images of angry protesters facing off with police officers, too often along racial lines, affect us all in different but profound ways. Young people, now so connected to the world, are inundated with news stories, videos, and commentary – often politically biased – on social media and the web. The events cry out to be put in historical context, and our job as adults is do so, and thus help younger generations better understand our seemingly chaotic times.

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New Editions of Foundational Science Encyclopedias are Here!

Science ebooks

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.

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New Parenthetical Citation Tool Now Available in GVRL

At Gale we are always working to improve our products and make them more useful for our customers. Along those lines, we’re happy to announce the addition of a new Parenthetical Citation tool to GVRL. Designed to work in concert with our popular Highlights & Notes tool, it adds the ability to automatically produce a citation for highlighted text in a GVRL eBook.

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Leading the Western Literature Genre with Popular New Five Star Titles

Five Star Awards

Named “Best Old West Fiction Publisher” by True West magazine and earning a Lariat Award from the Western Writers of America, as well as honors for multiple titles from the Will Rogers Medallion organization, Five Star, an imprint of Gale, part of Cengage Learning, is leading the western literature genre. Recognizing excellence in Western literature and media, the Will Rogers Medallion Award Committee recently honored four titles from Five Star, including gold and silver awards, and True West magazine acknowledged a Five Star author and title in its latest “Best of the West” issue.

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Thanks Librarians

By William G. 

Every story has a beginning and mine began when my mother brought me to 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA. There she introduced me to the librarian. Taking me by the hand she said, “So young man, you like books”, followed by some serious questions. “What would you like to be? Who would you like to know? Would you like to visit the past, see into the future, or perhaps fly on the wings of a dragon?

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