BlogJunction Illinois » Electronic Resources

Order in the Library Through Interactive Games

WJIL Project Team — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:33:08 +0000

Looking for a way to keep order in your library? Try these fun, interactive games discovered by our friends at WebJunction Idaho and available free online. Each of the 3 games gives the learner the chance to sort, shelve, or reorder a series of books with call numbers. Enter your name and choose an animal to represent you and you’ll even get a nifty certificate of completion with your name on it to signify your success!

Who says shelving hs to be boring! Great way to train and test your library shelvers. Hint: Check out the tutorial before playing the games to get a brief introduction to how it all works.

News About Novelist/Novelist Plus and OCLC’s FirstSearch Database Package

WJIL Project Team — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:10:04 +0000

As of September 30, 2010, the current E-RICH subscription to Novelist/Novelist Plus for ILLINET libraries coordinated by the Illinois State Library will expire. The subscription will not be renewed by the Illinois State Library.

Additionally, EBSCO recently acquired OCLC’s NetLibrary Division. EBSCO plans to maintain and enhance the NetLibrary platform and will integrate NetLibrary e-books into the EBSCO host platform. Service to libraries will not be interrupted. Additionally, OCLC is no longer a reseller of vendor-owned databases; they plan to discontinue the sale of these third party databases once current subscriptions have ended.

For many years, the Illinois State Library has subsidized statewide access to the databases in the OCLC Base Package. The current Illinois group subscription ends June 30, 2011.

Following is a list of databases that are included in the FirstSearch (Base Package) platform:

OCLC WorldCat
OCLC Electronic Books Online
OCLC Archive Grid
OCLC Article First
CAMIO
OCLC Electronic Collections Online (bibliographic index only)
OAIster
OCLC Papers First
OCLC Proceedings First
WorldCat Dissertations and Theses
Clase/Periodica
ERIC
GPO
MEDLINE
World Almanac

For details about other databases that have not been part of the Base Package, please refer to the OCLC website.

Teaching Technology in Libraries

WJIL Project Team — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:41:50 +0000

Libraries, especially public libraries, are finding that they still need to teach the basic classes of computer literacy to their patrons. As a part of their Technology Training Wheels the Alliance Library System has developed a short resource module for Teaching Technology in Libraries.

The Teaching Technology in Libraries module provides materials and resources for library staff members with training responsibilities and online tutorials and websites for patrons working to improve their skills. Staff members can view actual scripts, handouts, and other resources to assist with the design of computer classes in their own libraries. Many of the materials provided can be duplicated or adapted.

Try-It! Illinois Returns

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:02:10 +0000

From October 1 through November 30, the State Library’s annual statewide database trial, Try-It! Illinois, will be open for you to test the offerings of 25 vendors. Now in its tenth year, Try-It! Illinois gives you the chance to test databases from Capstone, Gale/Cengage, Encyclopedia Britannica, ProQuest, Rand McNally, and more, all at no cost. The login and password will be available starting October 1. Questions? Contact Gwen Harrison, 217-785-7334.

Free Training on Illinois Legal Aid Website

WJIL Project Team — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:12:52 +0000

This free webinar will educate librarians on the free legal resources available online at www.IllinoisLegalAid.org. Participants will learn the features of the website and how to assist their patrons in accessing the legal information which they seek. The webinar also includes a brief explanation of the legal services delivery system in Illinois and ethical considerations when providing legal information to the public.

The Illinois Legal Aid website is designed to assist lower-income Illinois residents with their civil legal matters including unemployment benefits, mortgage foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce, domestic violence, landlord/tenant matters and much more. Interested librarians may register for the webinar by going to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/408650736.

Gale Virtual Reference Library Offer

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:13:14 +0000

You still have time to join the almost 100 Illinois public libraries that have saved thousands of dollars on the Gale Virtual Reference Library by purchasing through the Library Partnership Trust (LPT) consortium. This LPT offer includes over 370 premier Gale electronic reference titles at an incredible low price, and it expires October 31. Learn more about this Library Partnership Trust offer and receive a no-obligation quote. Visit the Library Partnership Trust site for info about all the available offers.