Tag: library databases

Databases Series: BookFlix & TrueFlix

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The BookFlix and TrueFlix logos.

Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

We have officially come to the end of this databases series!  Except for future updates, when we add or remove resources, this will be my last post for this series.  So, last, but certainly not least, I will talk about our two big children’s literacy databases: BookFlix and TrueFlix.

Scholastic’s BookFlix pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction from trusted Scholastic imprints.  This engaging resource for children in grades pre-K through 3 will help early readers develop and practice essential reading skills and introduce them to a world of knowledge and exploration.  Each BookFlix unit includes a video of a classic children’s story; a related nonfiction text presented in an eBook format; interactive educational games related to the specific pair; profiles of the author and illustrator of the story on which the video is based; editorially selected, age-appropriate Web links related to the pair topic; and suggested teaching activities created specifically for each fiction/nonfiction pair.  A number of pairs are available in Spanish!

TrueFlix leverages the award-winning True Books content to help students hone literacy skills, build knowledge of subject-area content, and cultivate 21st Century Skills through the inquiry process.  All of the True Book titles are supported with related content and primary sources featuring videos, audio, images, and text.  Each TrueFlix title includes a streaming video that engages the student and introduces the topic; a flipbook version of the True Book with page-turning and read-along features, chapter tabs, and vocabulary terms identified and defined; related content that provides opportunities for further research and reading across a variety of text types; a lesson plan with teaching activities that are tied to the specific content of that TrueFlix topic; a project goal and ideas or questions on how to kick-start research; a 10-question multiple-choice quiz and a Word Match game based on the important words included in each title; and related Web links to help further extend learning, broaden the content area, and provoke further research.

Find BookFlix on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> B –> BookFlix (POWER Library)

Find TrueFlix on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> T –> TrueFlix (POWER Library)

This is the final post in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Research & Reference

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

We’re nearing the end of this series, but I still have a couple more important topics to cover, the first of which is research and reference databases.  We have a number of research and reference databases both through us and through POWER Library targeted towards various age groups and covering a wide range of subjects.  These are useful for doing research, completing school papers or projects, homeschooling, or otherwise finding authoritative sources.  I will go over each of them briefly here:

Academic Search Main Edition (POWER Library):  This database includes full-text and peer-reviewed articles in subjects such as biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, psychology, religion, and theology.

Gale eBooks:  We currently have two Gale eBooks collections, one through POWER Library and one through CCL.  These collections include reference titles in the arts, biography, business, education, environment, general reference, history, literature, medicine, nation and world, science, and the social sciences.  CCL’s collection includes the Business Plans Handbook series.

GreenFILE (POWER Library):  GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment.  Its collection of scholarly, government, and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.

IN CONTEXT: Middle School (POWER Library):  This database includes reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues.

Kids InfoBits (POWER Library):  Elementary students in kindergarten through grade five will find age-appropriate content covering a broad range of educational topics such as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, technology, and etc.  Content is continuously updated and provides interesting and important facts with connections to current and past events.

Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (POWER Library):  This database indexes a number of journals, books, research reports, and proceedings in subjects such as librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more.  Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.

MasterFILE Premiere:  This database provides subject overviews, full text for magazine articles (including Consumer Reports Magazine and Consumer Reports Buying Guides), an image collection, and AP clips. (Please note that we will no longer have access to this database after June of this year, so use it now while you can!)

ONEFILE: High School Edition (POWER Library):  Secondary school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political science, sports, and environmental studies.

Science Reference Center:  Perform research from hundreds of full text science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, and other reliable sources.  View high-quality science images from sources such as UPI, Getty, NASA, National Geographic, and the Nature Picture Library.

SIRS Discoverer:  This database provides coverage in areas including history, health, language arts, math, science, social studies, and technology.  All newspaper, magazine, and reference book content is 100% full text, editorially-selected, and indexed from publishers such as Britannica, World Book, Rosen Publishing Group, Enslow, and ReferencePoint Press.

Teacher Reference Center:  Teacher Reference Center provides indexing and abstracts for 280 of the most popular teacher and administrator journals and magazines to assist professional educators.

Find these databases on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases

This post is number 21 in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Auto Repair Source & Small Engine Repair Source

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

Today, I’ll be talking about two resources provided to us through POWER Library.  You might have noticed me mention POWER Library in other posts before this, but I realize today that I’ve never told you what it is.  POWER Library is a collection of resources provided by the State Library of Pennsylvania to all residents of Pennsylvania.  As long as you have a library card for your local library (and, if you’re reading this, you likely have one through the Chester County Library System), you have access to POWER Library resources.

The resources that I will talk about today are Auto Repair Source and Small Engine Repair Source.  Both of these resources are meant to assist you in repairing your own machines so that you can skip the repair shop, save some money, make your machines last longer, and maybe even learn a new skill while you’re at it.

Auto Repair Source provides accurate, authoritative, and up-to-date service and repair info for thousands of vehicles.  The information is sourced from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and includes step-by-step repair information, diagrams, maintenance schedules, parts and labor estimates, service bulletins, and recalls.  Simply enter the year, make, and model of your vehicle and engine type, then click into the part you want to address and view the information.

Small Engine Repair Source provides detailed repair guides for all types of small engines, from ATVs, boats, motorcycles, and snowmobiles to more household machines like generators, lawn mowers, and more.  The repair guides offer assistance with routine maintenance (tune-ups, break service, etc.) as well as extensive repairs such as engine and transmission disassembly.  Use the search bar to search by product type, brand, model/engine type, specific area of model/engine type, and model numbers, or browse the topics lists.

Find Auto Repair Source on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> Auto Repair Source (POWER Library)

Find Small Engine Repair Source on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> S –> Small Engine Repair Reference Center (POWER Library)

This post is number twenty in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Newspapers

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

A few weeks ago, I introduced you to our Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Times, and News for You newspaper databases.  Today, I’m going to introduce you to the last of our newspaper databases: AP Newsroom and ONEFILE: News. 

AP Newsroom is relatively self-explanatory and simple to use.  It is news and photos, both current and historical, from the Associated Press as brought to us by EBSCO, a popular library resource company.  You can search by keyword, filter by type, or browse the collections available on the homepage.

ONEFILE: News is a database with over 3,500 different newspaper publications aggregated by Gale, another popular library resource company.  You can use the search bar to search by keyword if you’re looking to read articles about a particular topic, or, if you’re looking to read articles from a particular publication, go to the Publication Search and type in the name of the newspaper.  If ONEFILE: News carries the publication, you will see it pop up.  For example, ONEFILE: News carries The Washington Post from January 1, 2014 to current.  Click on the name of the newspaper, click on the date of the issue you want to read, and then all the articles from that issue will show up in a list of titles.  Simple click on the article you’d like to read, and it will provide the full text.

Find AP Newsroom on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> AP Newsroom (POWER Library)

Find ONEFILE: News on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> O –> ONEFILE: News (POWER Library)

This post is number nineteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Driver’s Education

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  I’m back again, and for those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

Today’s resource is slightly different in that it’s a free resource that we have listed among our databases because we’ve found it to be an excellent, in-demand resource for those of you looking for help passing a driver’s exam.  This resource is driving-tests.org.  It contains practice tests, handbooks, video simulations, and more for car, commercial, and motorcycle driver’s license exams in all 50 States as well as the District of Columbia.  Just choose your state when you first click the link, toggle to the test for which you’d like to study, and begin.  You can also download the handbook for your exam directly from this resource; just scroll down towards the bottom of the page to find it.

Find Driving-tests.org by going directly to the website or by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> D –> Driver’s Education – Practice Tests and Handbooks

This post is number eighteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Candid/FDOP

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Hello!  My name is Tom, and I am the Candid Community Co-supervisor here at the Chester County Library. Today I’ll be guest starring and introducing you to one of the library’s databases that is all about grant seeking.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

I’ll be discussing the Foundation Directory Online Professional database from the company formerly known as The Foundation Center, now called Candid. The Foundation Directory Online Professional (FDOP) is a global resource that provides information on 302K+ funders, 28.8 million awarded-grant records, 2.2 million recipient profiles, and 1.5 million key decision makers. It provides detailed profiles of funders, grants, recipients, and companies. Funder profiles and grant information are updated daily. Candid’s premier fundraising tool gives grant-seekers unprecedented access to the largest amount of clean and coded philanthropic data that currently exists. By combining exhaustive data with intuitive search functionality and informative data visualizations, this tool makes fundraising quick and efficient.

The FDOP is a premier resource for our over 800 local area nonprofit organizations who are looking to expand their funding base. It has a user-friendly but powerful search engine that quickly scans and retrieves customized results for your mission or program.

The Foundation Directory is currently only available on our desktop PCs at the Chester County Library.

This post is number seventeen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: ChescoPIN

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

Today I’d like to tell you a little bit about ChescoPIN.  ChescoPIN is a portal that holds most of Chester County’s online public records databases or provides links to other county portals that hold the relevant records.  For records housed directly through this portal, it allows users to search these databases, organized by county department, by entering values in the appropriate fields of the forms provided on the website.  The county departments with records housed directly through ChescoPIN are the Prothonotary, the Assessment Department (real estate), and the Tax Claim Bureau.  For records housed in another county portal, it will link directly to the relevant portal, where you can then search that specific database.  The county departments with records housed in other county portals are the Recorder of Deeds and the Pennsylvania Judiciary (criminal records).

For those who have used ChescoPIN before or who are looking for the Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court/Marriage Licenses, please note that these will have been moved to a new portal by end of day today (Monday, March 31). ChescoPIN will continue to link to this new portal once the move has been finalized. The new portal can be found here.

Find ChescoPIN on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> C –> ChescoPIN

This post is number sixteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Computer Learning Resources

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Hello!  It’s Rebecca, back again!  I hope you enjoyed or learned something new once again from Mikaila, our Business and Career Librarian, who wrote last week’s post about another of our business databases.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

This week, rather than writing about a single database, I’d like to write a bit about a couple of databases that include resources covering a single topic – basic computer skills.  I talked about LearningExpress Library already earlier in this blog series, which has a few basic computer courses included in among everything else it offers.  So today I’ll talk about DigitalLearn and PA Online Learning. 

DigitalLearn is a project of the Public Library Association that has free, easy-to-follow tutorials on basic computing, being safe online, job skills, social media, and more.  They’re simple, list their skill level, and show the time it takes to complete upfront.  Some of the relevant learning courses include Navigating a Website, Intro to Email, Introduction to Google Maps, Getting Started with Telehealth, Intro to Facebook, Online Fraud and Scams, Applying for Jobs Online, Cloud Storage, and Using Healthcare.gov to Enroll in Health Insurance.

PA Online Learning is a free growing collection of tutorials on how to use software, social media, and library resources, such as POWER Library.  Tutorials are a nice mix of videos, images, and text and are relatively comprehensive, providing the basics and then building off of those basics as you move through the course.  Some of the relevant learning courses include Computer Basics, First Steps with Digital: iPads and Tablets, Gmail – Email from Google, Google Chrome, Google Search, How to Zoom, Tech Talk: Passwords, LinkedIn – Social Networking for Job Seekers and Professionals, Instagram – Share Your Moments, and Searching for Jobs Online with Indeed.

Find DigitalLearn on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> D –> DigitalLearn

Find PA Online Learning on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> P –> PA Online Learning

This post is number fifteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.

Databases Series: Statista

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Hello!  My name is Mikaila.  I am the Business and Career Librarian at Chester County Library, and I am back once more as a guest star on this series!  Today I’ll be introducing you to another of the library’s business databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card.

The business database that I’ll be discussing today is called Statista.  Statista is an international database that focuses on market and industry analysis.  While Reference Solutions can hone in on data surrounding your individual business and community, Statista looks at the big picture of how your business engages with the larger scale industry.  With Statista, you can view data on over one million market and consumer statistics covering 80,000 topics, 170 industries, and over 150 countries.  For E-commerce businesses, Statista can be invaluable in gathering the marketing and consumer insight that may be difficult to garner in such an expansive playing field.  Whether it’s to better understand your market or provide research for your business plan, you can download statistics, reports, market insights, and forecasts and surveys at your leisure.

Find Statista on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> S –> Statista

This post is number fourteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here. If you would like to read Mikaila’s first guest post, the one on another of our business databases called Reference Solutions, you can find it here.

Databases Series: News for You

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Hello!  My name’s Rebecca.  For those who haven’t been following this series, I am the Information Literacy Librarian here at the Chester County Library.  (You might recognize me as the librarian with the purple hair!)  Welcome to this series here on our blog where every week (or thereabouts) I’ll be introducing you to one of the library’s databases.  A library database, for those who are unsure, is essentially just an online resource that the library pays for so that you can access it for free with your library card!

Following in the past couple weeks’ trend of introducing you to newspapers, I would like to talk a little about News for You.  News for You is a weekly news publication written at a basic adult English level for ESL (English as a Second Language) speakers and others with limited English proficiency.  The articles cover a wide-range of subjects both domestic and international.

For those who prefer to read a physical newspaper, we do offer copies on a limited basis for free upon request at the CCL Reference Desk.  But for those who don’t mind reading online, News for You Online includes curriculum and assignments for ESL students and teachers, vocabulary lists pulled from the week’s articles, teacher guides and voting guides, and more to support English language learning.  The best feature, however, is the built-in ability to listen to the articles read out loud.  You can click the play button at the top of each article to play the article out loud in full, or you can click on a single sentence to hear only that sentence.

Contact the Reference Desk at 610-344-5957 or ref@ccls.org to receive the login code.

Find News for You Online on our website by going to chescolibraries.org –> Tools and Research –> All CCLS Databases –> N –> News for You Digital Access

This post is number thirteen in this databases series!  If you missed the previous installments, you can view them here.