|
Openshelves
October 2002 In September I attended a workshop that will enable me to better help patrons find information using two online databases, Infotrac and FirstSearch, which are available free of charge at the library. These tools will help parents, seniors, students, and the general public find articles on current topics. Infotrac retrieves information from hundreds of magazines and newspapers; FirstSearch offers articles with a more academic profile, on subjects like psychology, the arts & humanities, and science. The databases contain as many as twenty years of back issues. Patrons can print or e-mail lists of selected articles as well as the full texts of most of them. The Vermont Department of Libraries supplies both the staff training and the databases to public libraries and schools who are part of the Vermont Automated Library System. This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency, through the Library Service and Technology Act. I want to remind parents that Camel's Hump Radio, Vermont Public Radio's weekly family read-aloud series, began its third season a week or so ago. The program airs each Sunday at 7 P.M. and features guests who read from children's books old and new. A companion website, featuring book discussion points, related links, and a down-loadable bookmark and coloring page, is available online at www.vpr.net. Just click on the camel. Thanks to Molly McCumber, who volunteered at the library all summer. She was a great help to me and will be missed. A new volunteer, Juliet Tuck Polaczyk, came on board just as Molly was leaving, and Jane Cleveland continues her good work. We have finished weeding the dead cards from the adult card catalog and are now focusing on the children's catalog. Tedious work, but necessary. Our summer reading program was a success. During the seven weeks we averaged eleven adults and seventeen children. A total of 193 people participated during the run. Thanks to those who spoke about their travels, and thanks to Lisa Kaija, who organized the program.
Cordially,
|