Metaphor for Subject-Specific Databases

This was an aside in an ACRLog post, but I loved it!! As a metaphor for using Subject-specific databases instead of just Google:

"when I need shoes I go to a shoe store; I don’t go up and down the mall asking for shoes in every store"

Courtesy of Maura Smale http://acrlog.org/2011/03/02/in-praise-of-ideas/

Screencasting for Virtual Reference

I've posted about Screenjelly.com before, and I just had the chance to use it for an email reference questions. Screenjelly.com is a super low-end screencasting website that allows you to quickly record 3 minutes of screen activity. It is not fancy or editable, but is great for a quick and dirty how-to screencast. I created this one to show a student how to access JSTOR and Project Muse to find articles. Her email said she was using "databases" but only finding books, so it sounded to me like she was confusing the catalog with the databases. This quick video helped demonstrate where she was going wrong. You do have to create an account to grab a link for the video, but it's free and easy.

GreenFile Database

We have the Ebsco database GreenFile listed on our Databases page because a few years back we learned that we had (free?) access to it. At the time it was my understanding that it was only citations, so I never promoted it too heavily. However, I taught an Environmental special topics English II yesterday, and discovered that there is definitely a good amount of full-text available through GreenFile. My guess is that it links to content available in other Ebsco databases, and ScienceDirect through the Linked Full Text that we see in Academic Search Premier. Just something to keep in mind for those researching environmental issues - this database may be more useful even to English I's than we (or maybe just I) initially thought!

History Primary Source Documents

A student just came in with an assignment to do an analysis of 3 primary source documents related to early American history. The website suggested by the professor was terrible, but I came across this one while helping her that seemed to have a wealth of useful primary source material.

TeachingAmericanHistory.org/library

And of course Facts on File is pretty useful for this sort of thing.

Datamonitor

There have been a few reference questions lately inquiring if we subscribe to Datamonitor. The library does not have a Datamonitor subscription. However, Datamonitor reports are available in Business Source Premier. The easiest way to access them is to click "Company Profiles" from the options at the very top of the database screen. This takes you to a searchable listing of companies' Datamonitor Reports, which are available in PDF.