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.

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Gale Supports Libraries During National Library Legislative Day

Posted on May 2, 2016

By Kristina Massari

Advocacy on behalf of libraries is at the core of everything we do at Gale – from our My Library Story website and our support for Library of the Year, to making sure the buses are running at ALA meetings and beyond.

We’re proud to support libraries and the ALA by participating in this year’s National Library Legislative Day (May 2-3).  Our representatives are meeting with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill to discuss the important issues affecting local libraries and to rally for federal support. We’re also proud to sponsor two first time National Library Legislative Day attendees from our home state of Michigan.

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The Biggest Large Print Myths Busted!

Thorndike Large Print Books Same Size!

Spoiler Alert: The large print format offers benefits for people under the age of 60 with perfectly good eyesight.

Have you ever been so good at something you’ve found yourself pigeonholed? Being typecast can feel like a mixed blessing—your claim to fame shines bright, creating the shadow in which your other great qualities hide. If large print books were people, they would feel this acutely.

No doubt, large print books are a well-known solution for visually impaired readers, and those readers are typically seniors. Unfortunately for large print, being so good at solving this one problem for this one audience has led to a narrow, and sometimes inaccurate view of the usefulness of the format overall.

We’d love to enlist the expert MythBusters Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman to explore the issue in detail, but if you’ve ever seen the Discovery Channel show, you know their mythbusting process tends to involve blowing things up, and we’d hate to see our beloved books so abused.

So, without the pyrotechnics, here are the biggest large print myths: BUSTED!

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InfoTrac: Environmental Studies and Policy: A “Solid” and “Viable” Collection

Searching for a “solid” resource of “considerable substance” to answer inquiries about environmental concerns? Your search ends here with the InfoTrac: Environmental Studies and Policy Collection, featuring over 5.4 million articles and “more searching flexibility than that of most platforms.” Engage and support students with an easily searchable, mobile-responsive design and integrated Google Apps for Education tools.

Read a review from Library Journal, April, 2016

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Macmillan Interdisciplinary Handbooks: Religion: A “Highly Recommended” Series

Looking for a resource to effectively engage and educate users in the study of religion? The Macmillan Interdisciplinary Handbook on Religion: Sources, Perspectives & Methodologies combines features of an introductory textbook with those of a reference resource to encourage students in studying religion. There are ten volumes in total, that identify different areas of critical thought and practice in the study of religion, the series is “commended for community libraries” as well as “college students.”

Read a review on Volume 1, Macmillan Interdisciplinary Handbook on Religion: Sources, Perspectives & Methodologies, posted by Library Watch, March, 2016.

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Take Control! Finance Books on GVRL

Posted on March 10, 2016

Original article published in Library Journal on February 3, 2016

Many patrons are interested in gaining control over their personal finances. They want to learn about budgeting, taxes, and how to invest wisely. Some are actively seeking the best ways to dig out of dire financial straits but lack the funds to seek professional assistance. Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) offers a wide range of reference material that can guide library users through processes such as estate planning, investing for the future, learning about tax incentives to start a small business, or rebuilding or improving a poor credit score. No matter their fiscal situation, patrons will find what they need in GVRL. Check out some of the below titles!

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The Ever-changing State of Literary Criticism

Posted on February 18, 2016

By Larry Trudeau

I was recently reviewing an entry on Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations for an upcoming volume of Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism (NCLC), and was surprised—delighted, really—to see that we were including two reviews of the novel from 1861, the year it was published in book form.

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Built by Association – Making Connections, Joining Forces

Posted on February 12, 2016

By Tina Creguer

Pop quiz. Are these organizations real or made up?

  • 1904 World’s Fair Association
  • Medieval Academy of America
  • National Clogging Organization
  • National Space Club
  • American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)

Read moreBuilt by Association – Making Connections, Joining Forces

Evanston Public Library Enhances Patrons’ Experience with Gale’s Vast Online Resources

GVRL eBook Success Story

Posted on November 30, 2015

Lesley Williams is Head of Adult Services at the Evanston Public Library (EPL) in Evanston, Illinois. In the 18 years that she Evanston Public Libraryhas worked there, the library has continually subscribed to products from Gale. Today, as a primary “go to” resource for the library’s broad range of patrons, GVRL eBooks are instrumental in helping EPL fulfill its mission. That mission is to be the heart of the community, promoting the development of independent, self-confident, and literate citizens by providing open access to cultural, intellectual, technological, and informational resources. “GVRL is the only online reference book service that we’ve ever had,” says Lesley.

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Catch a Rising Literary Star

Posted on October 29, 2015

These new authors are creating a buzz

Once upon a time, a young thespian named Will set his quill to paper and wrote a play. The word is, he did pretty well…becoming the most beloved playwright and poet of all time.

A few years later, a sheltered young woman living in the country wrote stories to amuse her family. Ms. Jane Austen also met with great success, we’re told.

Every great author started somewhere – by taking the first step and writing a first work. Today, the literary world is bursting with new talent. And Thorndike can help you bring promising new authors to your power readers – many of whom enjoy reading large print for ease and enhanced comprehension.

Here’s a sampling of first novels by promising new authors now available in large print from Thorndike Press.

Read moreCatch a Rising Literary Star