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Why Advocacy Matters for Public Libraries

Posted on May 31, 2016

By Rhonda Sewell 

Long gone is the notion of public libraries lingering in the shadows and doing little to advocate their value to their communities and promote their many offerings, programs, and activities. Advocacy and unapologetic promotion of our transformative systems is now a major priority. Such ideas hold a sacred place in our discussions surrounding public service, strategic goals, funding, construction, marketing, and digital implementation for libraries. Even the Twittersphere of endless hashtags has transitioned from reading sentiments to action items and rallying statements such as #LibrariesMatter, #LibrariesTransform, and #SaveOurLibraries.

Because doing more with less is a reality for public libraries, especially as competition for funding sources and customer demands increases, advocacy matters now more than ever.  “Advocacy, the process of acting on behalf of the public library to increase public funds and ensure that it has the resources needed to be up to date, is critical to the success of libraries,” states the Public Library Association (PLA)[i].

Read moreWhy Advocacy Matters for Public Libraries

Huddle Up Your Sports Enthusiasts

Posted May 23, 2016

Join the 2016 Summer Reading Program
Are you ready for the swarm of kids eager to learn about today’s most admired sports and athletes? 2016 Summer Reading Program is upon us, and learning shouldn’t stop when classes are out for the summer. Keep your library’s school-aged users engaged and on track with fun and authoritative eBooks from Gale.

From DK and Britannica Digital Learning to ABDO Publishing and more, young learners will have better access to your sports resources with the ability to save content to Google Drive for later use. 

Read moreHuddle Up Your Sports Enthusiasts

Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues:

a “Comprehensive” and “Informative” Resource

Posted on May 20, 2016

Searching for “very useful” information on global health and medicine issues in the modern world?  Worldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues, 1st Edition addresses health and medicine topics relevant to everyone’s lives across the globe. Organized alphabetically, the encyclopedia gives readers easy access to authoritative information on various topics.

This article was published in Booklist‘s May 15, 2016 issue; by Barbara Bibel. Read what she had to say!

CONTENT With the speed of modern travel and the global connections of commerce and industry, health issues quickly become international. This new encyclopedia does an excellent job of placing health and medical problems within social, political, and economic contexts. Using primary source documents, photographs, charts, and graphs to supplement the text, the book provides a brief but comprehensive overview of 90
topics affecting world health.

Read moreWorldmark Global Health and Medicine Issues:

a “Comprehensive” and “Informative” Resource

Do You Keep Your Library’s Business Resources Hidden?

Posted on May 5, 2016

You may remember last year when we published a blog about Samantha Cole’s editorial in Fast Company magazine. Since it’s National Small Business Week, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to make sure you’re not missing out on an opportunity to leverage the gift of free advertising. Keep reading; it’s not too late.

Cole’s article, “Who Needs Business School? The Hidden Startup Resources at your Local Library,” perfectly tells the value story of public libraries and specifically, how you support local entrepreneurs and foster economic growth. Do you ever read or hear something and think to yourself, “I couldn’t have said it better myself!”? This is one of those moments. What Cole has explained about libraries—and how she has explained it—is evidence-based and right on point.

Read moreDo You Keep Your Library’s Business Resources Hidden?

Good Week To Be Large Print: 60% of NYT Fiction Hardcover Bestsellers, 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Posted on May 3rd, 2016 

We’re having a good week at Thorndike, and this news is also good for libraries – and all readers who appreciate the ease of access that large print provides.  Here’s what we’re excited about:

  • Of the seven books debuting on the New York Times Print Hardcover Best Sellers Fiction list the week of April 24, five are titles available from Thorndike in large print.
  • Overall, of the 20 published/extended titles on the Print Hardcover Best Sellers Fiction list, we offer 12 (that’s 60%!) in large print.
  • In addition, Thorndike offers two newly announced Pulitzer Prize-winning books in large print.

Our editorial staff is thrilled, as we continue our quest to put the BEST titles in the best (most accessible to all) format in readers’ hands as quickly as possible. (BEST titles in the best format?? TOP titles? Don’t want to use Best twice.

Read moreGood Week To Be Large Print: 60% of NYT Fiction Hardcover Bestsellers, 2 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Histories of Everyday Life in Totalitarian Regimes – “Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels.”

Posted on April 21, 2016

Guided by a five-person advisory board of distinguished scholars, examine what life was like during the twentieth century under totalitarian rule with Histories of Everyday Life in Totalitarian Regimes, 1st Ed. This set spans multiple disciplines and holds a wealth of information for various college courses as well as high school teachers encouraging the analysis of primary and secondary sources.

This title review was recently published by Choice Reviews Online. Read what they had to say!

Read moreHistories of Everyday Life in Totalitarian Regimes – “Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels.”

Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture: “Enthralling” and “Remarkable” Primary Sources

Searching for “extraordinary” materials to enhance understandings of the evolution of criminal justice and penal reform? Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture 1790-1920 features “easy to use navigation” paired with 2.1 million pages of materials supporting the study of nineteenth-century criminal history, law, literature, and justice, to enhance law and society knowledge during a pivotal era of social change. Only Crime, Punishment, and Popular Culture, 1790-1920 helps users explore the links between fact and fiction by integrating legal and historical documents with literature, an emerging crime-fiction genre, newspaper reports, and more.

Read a review posted by Cheryl LaGuardia of Library Journal, April, 2016

Read moreCrime, Punishment, and Popular Culture: “Enthralling” and “Remarkable” Primary Sources

New Gale Courses Added and Updated to Align with PMI’s Talent Triangle

Instructor-led online Gale Courses for libraries

Posted on April 1, 2016 Great news for Gale Courses customers and potential customers! In efforts to continuously improve our offerings, 37 new courses have been added to Gale Courses.  In addition to these new courses, 31 courses have been updated to align with the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) *new* Talent Triangle therefore continuing eligibility for Professional Development Units … Read more

Global Issues In Context Product Update 3/31/2016

Updated May 24, 2016

Original Posting March 31, 2016

Global Issues In Context has been updated to reflect the standard user interface found in all the other Gale In Context products. Customers will be migrated to the new version of the product August 5, 2016.

During the continued soft launch – running through the month of July – here’s what you’ll find:

  • Spotlight stories will track current events.
  • New and updated portals will be called-out (flagged) so they are easy to find.
  • Google integration tools like Google sign-in, download to Google Drive, and Classroom Share capabilities.
  • A mobile optimized interface for ease of use on any device.
  • Additional features familiar to users such as, Highlights and Notes and additional language translation options.

Read moreGlobal Issues In Context Product Update 3/31/2016

Help Yourself! Self-Help Books on GVRL

Posted on March 31, 2016

Originally posted in February 2016 by Library Journal

It can be hard to maintain a positive outlook and self image in a world that places so much emphasis on material wealth and physical beauty rather than how we feel and think. We underestimate the importance of learning to love ourselves as we are rather than the way society tells us we should be. The right self-help books can and do provide a wealth of information to help you on your journey to understanding and improving yourself on your own terms. Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) provides a collection of insightful guides to help you meet your goals and reach your full potential.

Read moreHelp Yourself! Self-Help Books on GVRL