Technology-savvy people are the explorers and gladiators of our great Information Age. Without them, we’d have no blogs, our phones wouldn’t be smart, and none of us would be able to look up the name of that actress we always forget from you-know-that-one-show in a few keystrokes. The Techie’s thirst for knowledge – whether budding young techies or adult tech users – is boundless.
Gale Courses
Whipping Up the Right Mix of Cooking Resources
Sushi. Cupcakes. Acai. Paleo. Kale. Hot food trends never end. And neither do peoples’ interests in cooking for their friends and family. But many want to look beyond Pinterest and popular websites to learn new skills and take a fresh look at culinary arts.
Members of your community are hungry for resources to help them develop their cooking skills and repertoire.
New Support Contact for Gale Courses
As part of an effort to streamline support of Gale products, support for Gale Courses will transition to Gale Technical Support on February 2, 2015. This folds all product support into a single primary help contact available 24/7.
Library Directors Need Information, Too! Support Your Library’s Growth
Carla is beloved by patrons at her library. As the new library director, she leads monthly meetings for key community members, networks with local business leaders, and responds personally to patron concerns – promptly. And even though she only has a few reference desk rotations a month, people ask for her, because they know she will provide great servi
ce…and know where to find what they need. But Carla is concerned about keeping her knowledge and skills fresh – whether it’s about new collection development strategies or upcoming IT advancements that will affect how the library leverages its MARC records. She recently hit the 15-year anniversary of library school graduation, and she’d like to be sure she has all the knowledge she needs to keep her library as a vital community resource…and continue her career advancement.
Library directors who want to avoid the “cobblers’ children” syndrome (failing to support their own learning and development because they’re focused on supporting others’) can do so easily, with resources we’ve pulled together to meet you and your colleagues’ needs.
Read moreLibrary Directors Need Information, Too! Support Your Library’s Growth
Resources that Help Crafters Cultivate, Connect, and Create
Marissa, whose interest in crafting was piqued by Pinterest, gets a great sense
of accomplishment in learning new skills and has even begun to sell her creations on a craft website and in a local shop that carries unique handmade items.
Erica Domesek, founder of PS I Made This and a judge on The Learning Channel’s Craft Wars, sees this as a strong trend among younger consumers, saying, “People are interested in making their lives more beautiful, more fun.” Homemade crafts offer a welcome respite from the proliferation of impersonal, mass-produced goods.
As crafting grows in popularity, thanks to enthusiastic sharing of craft ideas on social network sites and a renewed desire for handmade artistry, community members are looking for resources that can support their interests.
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Gale Customer Care Could be Your Key to Success in Boosting Usage
By Tanisha Howard-Hall
Does anyone remember, the singing group New Kids on the Block? Well, I can’t sing but I am the new Customer Care Consultant on the block! I am new to this role but not new to Gale. I was first introduced to Cengage Learning and Gale as the Web Marketing Intern. I recently graduated with my MBA with a concentration in Marketing. As the Web Marketing intern, I worked on a variety of projects and quickly learned how dedicated Gale is to serving its library partners.
Read moreGale Customer Care Could be Your Key to Success in Boosting Usage
Self-Improvement Resources For Getting Passed Crossroads
By Tina Creguer
Rebecca used to think that her life would be uneventful at this stage, but, boy, was she wrong. Her son recently moved out and married, and she completed a degree program—just as her position was eliminated at her long-time employer. She has identified an opportunity in a nearby community and is considering starting her own business. Some days, she feels that the possibilities are endless. Other days, she’s overwhelmed and some self-doubt is starting to creep in. She’s looking for information to help her regain her confidence so she can move forward with some assurance that she is making good decisions that will shape her future.
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Picture This: Your community’s photography interests covered
By Tina Creguer
Jay, a young professional, has always been interested in photography. And now he finally has the time (sort of) and resources to pursue that interest more seriously. He’s done with taking photos on his iPhone and trying to pass them off as artistic works. Time to learn some real skills to make the most of his new digital camera. He has found some free how-to videos online, but wants more reliable and professional instruction. Where can he turn for expert resources?
More than 26 million people in the US participated in photography in 20101 – with varying levels of expertise. With the lower cost of quality digital cameras making them more accessible than ever and the increasingly “photo-centric” nature of communications (especially with social media), this hobby is gathering steam.
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Money Management How-To’s from Budgets to Estate Planning
Amy is nowhere near retirement age. But she’s determined to put together a solid plan that will allow her to retire early and travel. She wants to learn more about investment options and learn some of the terminology, but she’s stymied. Should she put her money in the stock market, which seems a little volatile? Invest in real estate, which seems to be rebounding quickly? Where to begin?
A recent study shows that only 40% of US adults keep a budget and track their spending. In fact, some 76% of American families say they live paycheck to paycheck, only have saved less than three months’ worth of expenses.1 The need for financial literacy and effective planning is enormous.
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Helping students find the right college…and the right path to get there
By Kim Martin
Chance is a hard-working (if sometimes distracted) high school junior. Besides doing homework and working out with the team, he thinks a lot about 
applying to college – where to apply, what programs to look at, how to evaluate programs, and how to prepare for the upcoming college entrance exams. The amount of information and entry points to finding information can be boggling and overwhelming.
Chance and other students in your community are looking for information that can help them evaluate career options, examine courses of study, and find financial aid. You can provide them with easy-to-use electronic resources that give them instant access to rich information about every aspect of applying to college.
Support your community’s future college graduates now with resources that can help guide important, life-altering decisions and provide them and their families
Read moreHelping students find the right college…and the right path to get there