An Inside Look at ChiltonLibrary and Car Care Programming Ideas

| By Holly Hibner | Here in Michigan, we take our automobiles pretty seriously; it is very common for laypeople to perform routine maintenance and basic repairs on their own vehicles. My husband wouldn’t dream of paying for an oil change or a tire rotation! But when both got new vehicles in 2016, general maintenance wasn’t as easy … Read more

Car Tips: What To Do When Stuck in the Snow

| By Tracy Junker | Before you get stuck in the snow, here are some items to keep in your vehicle and some tips on how to get moving again. What to Carry in your Vehicle Small or collapsible shovel Boots (if you don’t regularly wear them) Sturdy pair of gloves or mittens and a … Read more

Free Access to Gale Digital Resources Now Available to All Ohio Residents

| By Sydney Fairman | The purpose of Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO) is to ensure that all Ohioans have access to a core collection of information resources and library services that will help them compete in the global knowledge economy. Alongside its related partners, – OhioLink, OPLIN and INFOhio – LCO has partnered with Gale to … Read more

75th Anniversary of the Jeep: One Man Behind the Machine — Karl K. Probst

By Ryan Lee Price

“As to the riding qualities of the Jeep, a chiropractor should be standard for each car.” —Charles “Harry” Payne
The Jeep is ubiquitous as America itself. It has been to battle, to camp, to the highest mountain and the lowest valley. It is a car fit for danger, adventure, and any rough road in between. In a story written by Colonel William F. Lee, the officer in charge of new developments for the U.S. Army, and specifically, the development of the Jeep for World War II, he described it thusly: “Its a quarter-ton runt with a mechanical heart and a steel constitution; it has more speed than a backfield full of All-Americans; it can climb mountains; it can fly; it can swim; it can jitterbug across rough terrain at 50 miles an hour, hauling four armed soldiers and a 37 min gun with the same ease a hound dog carries fleas, and it is the first silk stockingless subject to enter a conversation whenever two or more Army men get together.

Read more75th Anniversary of the Jeep: One Man Behind the Machine — Karl K. Probst

Baby, You Can Drive my Car

Posted on April 18, 2016

By Mary Kelly

One of my favorite databases to play with is Gale’s Chilton collection. Not because I am a car person. (To me a car is a giant purse on wheels.) Not because as a librarian it is the easiest way to do car repair reference (which is very true). The Chilton database is more like my own personal marriage saver. This is because I have been married to an auto engineer for more than thirty years and car vocabulary is constantly the lingua franca of our household. This arrangement is great since I really don’t have to worry about car stuff. However, I do have to listen to all sorts of talk about cars. I am also told (in great detail) about car maintenance issues and why it is important.

Chilton is my personal car vocabulary resource/translator for about 75% of our conversations. (Yeah, this database is bookmarked for me.) It helps me explain my car problems to the Engineer husband, followed by criticisms of my general lack of car knowledge and failure to follow regular maintenance schedules.  This discussion is usually punctuated by people shouting and swearing. (Note: The current version does not include any definitions for the accompanying swearing associated with car repairs. Perhaps Chilton’s can consider adding swear words as a “feature” in future releases, until that happens, you are on your own.)

Read moreBaby, You Can Drive my Car

Announcing Audio Component in ChiltonLibrary

Chilton Auto Repair Library Resource

Posted on June 10, 2015

ReadSpeaker text-to-speech technology is now available in the Repair and Bulletin/Recalls sections of ChiltonLibrary. ReadSpeaker® is the worldwide leader in online text to speech and its functionality lets users hear the article read out loud, as the words spoken are highlighted on the screen.

Read moreAnnouncing Audio Component in ChiltonLibrary

ChiltonLibrary: Highly Recommended and “Makes Users Happy”

Chilton Auto

Tune up your patron’s auto repair know-how!

For reliable car repair information, turn to Chilton, the car-care experts for more than 100 years. Find the most up-to-date coverage for almost every year, make, and model. Only available online! 

  • Save time and money with do-it-yourself car repairs
  • Access 24/7 from library, home or on-the-go
  • Look up recalls and service bulletins
  • Find estimated labor time
  • Prepare for ASE mechanic certification with test prep quizzes

In April, both Library Journal and Booklist reviewed ChiltonLibrary. Read what they had to say! 

Read moreChiltonLibrary: Highly Recommended and “Makes Users Happy”

The History of Transcontinental Travel Part 2: Wheels and Wings

Chilton DIY

By Ryan Price

In October of 1893, General Roy Stone, a Civil War hero and roads advocate, was appointed to be in charge of the new Office of Road Inquiry (ORI) within the Department of Agriculture. With a budget of $10,000, ORI promoted new rural road development to serve the wagons, coaches, and bicycles on America’s dirt roads.

Read moreThe History of Transcontinental Travel Part 2: Wheels and Wings

It’s All about Horsepower for Gearhead Patrons

Chilton Auto Resources at Library

By Ryan Lee Price

The 305 cubic-inch engine in the Koenigsegg One “megacar” is capable of producing 1,360 horsepower from its gas-powered V8, propelling the 1,360-kg car to a top speed of 280 mph in 20 seconds. That’s a lot of power, and one can’t help but to imagine 1,360 horses hitched to the front of the $1.5 million car attempting to pull it up to 280 mph. However, in either guise—engine or horse team—1,360 horsepower represents the work of a lot of horses, and to understand how the term has been applied to cars, we have to go back about 100 years before cars were even invented.

Read moreIt’s All about Horsepower for Gearhead Patrons