There are a number of search engines that you can use to help answer questions -- Yahoo, Ask, LiveSearch and Dogpile among them. Most important is to be familiar with what you use regularly.
Assuming that you do use Google, try to know the basics and explore some of the advanced features. Google’s home page is very plain, but if you click on Advanced Search, there are many other options. You can search within particular domains (edu, org, etc.); kinds of files (Word, pdf, Excel, etc.); without certain words, and a variety of other possibilities. For reference you might use the translators, Google Books or Google Scholar. You can type a zip code, an area code, a currency conversion, a telephone number, and other common questions into the search box and find an answer. Google Maps and News offer good reference assistance also. Be sure to look at Advanced Search options when searching on each of the Google search.
Should you always use one search engine? If you’re looking for pictures or images, be sure to check others. Search engines process image requests differently so you might be surprised to see what results you get.
So regardless of which search engine you use, learn the features that will enable you to help your customers.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
What Resources are Available for Aspiring Musicians?
Music is a popular topic of interest for library patrons. A very common and often difficult reference question to answer is “How do I make it in the music business?” or “How do I copyright my song?”
To start, learn more about the patron’s information need. Do they just want to copyright one song? How familiar is the patron with the music business? After conducting a reference interview, establish the type of resource that will be best for this particular patron.
If a patron wants to know how to copyright their song or is wondering about licensing music; Web sites are usually the best resource as the information is current, and often includes forms and filing procedures.
The United States Copyright Office is very useful for music business questions. Copyright terms are explained and telephone help-line numbers are provided. Copyright forms can be printed from this Web site, filled out, and mailed to the Copyright Office.
If the information need of the patron is more general, such as “How do I make it in the music business?” or “How can I find a record deal?,” a book that gives an overview of music business may be the best option. Some recommended books include:
To start, learn more about the patron’s information need. Do they just want to copyright one song? How familiar is the patron with the music business? After conducting a reference interview, establish the type of resource that will be best for this particular patron.
If a patron wants to know how to copyright their song or is wondering about licensing music; Web sites are usually the best resource as the information is current, and often includes forms and filing procedures.
The United States Copyright Office is very useful for music business questions. Copyright terms are explained and telephone help-line numbers are provided. Copyright forms can be printed from this Web site, filled out, and mailed to the Copyright Office.
If the information need of the patron is more general, such as “How do I make it in the music business?” or “How can I find a record deal?,” a book that gives an overview of music business may be the best option. Some recommended books include:
- All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald S. Passman, a law professor who is a practicing music attorney.
- This Business of Music: The Definitive Guide to the Music Industry by M. William Krasilovsky, includes a CD-ROM with copyright regulations, forms, and other contracts.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Top Ten Programming Tips for Children Age 8 - 12
We received this question from Jeannine Finton from Harford County Public Library who is an LATI participants:
"I read the SLRC “programming tips for children” and realized that these were tips for story times for young children (2 yrs to 7 yrs) But libraries also program to older children. What differences in approach are recognized?"
In response, we've come up with a list of top ten programming tips for children ages 8-12.
"I read the SLRC “programming tips for children” and realized that these were tips for story times for young children (2 yrs to 7 yrs) But libraries also program to older children. What differences in approach are recognized?"
In response, we've come up with a list of top ten programming tips for children ages 8-12.
- Be friendly, warm, and welcoming. If you remember children by name, greet them accordingly. Engage positive emotions such as happiness, excitement, suspense, and surprise. Make sure everyone HAS FUN.
- Encourage participation; ask for volunteers to do something, such as trying tongue twisters or brain teasers. Create an environment that fully immerses participants in the program experience. Include movement if possible.
- Combine activities so that more than one sense is used. Utilizing many different venues recognizes that each child learns differently. Book reading, booktalking, storytelling, music, movement, and puppetry, are all effective with school-age children.
- Find a way to help children build a personal connection with topics; if you are booktalking, choose a subject that has some relevance to them. Give the children a realistic problem to solve or ask for their opinion by voting on something."
- Assess the interests and needs of the audience. Children who are 8 and children who are 12 have different interests. Keep spare books aside in case you attract an audience that is much younger or older than you expected.
- Provide enrichment through your programs. Add unique experiences that the children might not get elsewhere. For instance, try an activity with colored scarves (using them to be a pirate, an old lady, a Canadian Mountie). Sparks the imagination of your program participants.
- Schedule public programs for times when school-age children are in the library!
- Always mention library resources, including free online homework help.
- Have your supplies ready ahead of time. Books for booktalking should be set aside at least one week in advance to make sure they are still available on the day of the program. Preparing craft programs a week in advance ensures that there will be enough materials and that your supplies are in good condition.
- As long as you don’t think it is babyish, they won’t think it is babyish. For instance, if you want to use picture books, just add an introductory sentence such as: “Some picture books are meant for older children and adults. They have sophisticated humor and more complicated story lines, but because they have lots of pictures, older children don’t usually read them. Today I am going to read you some pictures books that I would never read to preschoolers, but I know you’ll enjoy them because you are the intended audience.”
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A student has a list of ten African American scientists and needs to find biographical information and a photo. Where should you direct them?
For a comprehensive list of African American scientists, Blacks in Science and Medicine is the recommended resource. It lists over 1500 biographies, which include birth and death dates, specialties, education, employment, and organizations. The range of coverage is wide, extensive and tremendously useful.
The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Scientists includes an extensive list of scientists, including biographical information and pictures. Scientists are organized by profession or name.
For research about African American scientists, Notable Black American Scientists contains a rich source of information from colonial time until present. The entry begins with basic information about each subject--name, year of birth and death (if deceased), and specialty. Additionally, it follows with biographical essay covering the subject's life and professional accomplishments as well as photos. And, the scientific explanation is easily presented for students with science and non-science background.
The African American Department has also created a How-to Guide called Researching African American Scientists and Inventors which would provide much assistance to librarians or customers. It covers additional Web sites and books that can provide biographical information and pictures of different African American scientists.
The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Scientists includes an extensive list of scientists, including biographical information and pictures. Scientists are organized by profession or name.
For research about African American scientists, Notable Black American Scientists contains a rich source of information from colonial time until present. The entry begins with basic information about each subject--name, year of birth and death (if deceased), and specialty. Additionally, it follows with biographical essay covering the subject's life and professional accomplishments as well as photos. And, the scientific explanation is easily presented for students with science and non-science background.
The African American Department has also created a How-to Guide called Researching African American Scientists and Inventors which would provide much assistance to librarians or customers. It covers additional Web sites and books that can provide biographical information and pictures of different African American scientists.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Essential Resources and Other Sources: Sights and Sounds
The Sights and Sounds Department at the State Library Resource Center includes all of the audio-visual materials, covering CDs, audiobooks, DVDs, and videos.
Essential Resources
Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook and Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide are annual guides that are quick and reliable sources for patron’s seeking movie reviews.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, written by film critics and historians, is a thoughtfully compiled list of movies selected for their historical importance and popular acclaim.
501 Movie Stars: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest Screen Actors is filled with bios and filmographies, as well as an entertaining collection of quotes from the stars off-camera.
501 Movie Directors: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest Filmmakers profiles important film directors, including a discussion of their work and influences, their complete filmography, and listing of awards they have received.
Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, authored by jazz historians, features more than 14,000 reviews of CDs and 400 new artist entries. Entries include very brief descriptions of the artists and a list of their recordings, with reviews and ratings by the authors.
Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings surveys the recorded work of more than a thousand blues artists with crisp, expert, and witty reviews of almost six thousand recordings
Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion is an excellent guide to classical music which ranges over the entire history of recorded sound, with 50-plus contributors covering some 500 composers.
The New Penguin Opera Guide presents an encyclopedia of major operas, offering text sources, premiere dates, character names with voice types, synopses, and some critical remarks.
Books Out Loud: Bowker’s Guide to Audiobooks contains bibliographic information on over 120,050 titles, including more than 16,500 on CD. Listings include reader's name, price, running time, number of cassettes or CD's, content summary, release date, abridged or unabridged version, and availability.
Other Sources
Bowker’s Complete Video Directory together with The Video Source Book are the most comprehensive video directories on the market. They are good for tracking down hard-to-find titles and providing patrons with a definitive reference and selection guide to the video market.
AV Marketplace is a directory of companies that create, apply, or distribute Audio-Visual equipment and services for business, education, science, and government.
VideoHound’s Golden Movie Retriever is the most extensive single volume resource for movie reviews available, containing reviews of more than 22,000 movies written with wit and humor.
VideoHound’s World Cinema: The Adventurer’s Guide to Movie Watching is a highly subjective but always entertaining work of short critiques of hundreds of non-U.S. movies from all times and countries. Interspersed are short biographies of major directors and performers. The book concludes with an excellent index
Animation on DVD is an extensive guide to animation and anime films available on DVD. Entries include storylines, reviews, history, ratings, and technical data.
Schwann Opus is the primary consumer listing of classical, jazz and pop recordings, and is supplemented by a constantly updated Web site.
The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States is an authoritative resource on American film information for the years 1893-1972, containing plot summaries, full production credits, details of cast and music, and indexing by both subject and genre.
Film Index International to Film Periodicals is a major information resource for entertainment films and personalities. With a scholarly, inclusive approach to all film genres, this work provides international coverage, indexing films from over 170 countries.
The Encyclopedia of Television includes histories of major television networks as well as broadcasting systems around the world and is complemented by resource materials, photos and bibliographical information.
Encyclopedia of Documentary Film is a fully international reference work on the history of the documentary film that explains concepts and themes in the study of documentary film, the techniques used in making films, and the institutions that support their production, appreciation, and preservation.
Essential Resources
Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook and Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide are annual guides that are quick and reliable sources for patron’s seeking movie reviews.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, written by film critics and historians, is a thoughtfully compiled list of movies selected for their historical importance and popular acclaim.
501 Movie Stars: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest Screen Actors is filled with bios and filmographies, as well as an entertaining collection of quotes from the stars off-camera.
501 Movie Directors: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest Filmmakers profiles important film directors, including a discussion of their work and influences, their complete filmography, and listing of awards they have received.
Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, authored by jazz historians, features more than 14,000 reviews of CDs and 400 new artist entries. Entries include very brief descriptions of the artists and a list of their recordings, with reviews and ratings by the authors.
Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings surveys the recorded work of more than a thousand blues artists with crisp, expert, and witty reviews of almost six thousand recordings
Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion is an excellent guide to classical music which ranges over the entire history of recorded sound, with 50-plus contributors covering some 500 composers.
The New Penguin Opera Guide presents an encyclopedia of major operas, offering text sources, premiere dates, character names with voice types, synopses, and some critical remarks.
Books Out Loud: Bowker’s Guide to Audiobooks contains bibliographic information on over 120,050 titles, including more than 16,500 on CD. Listings include reader's name, price, running time, number of cassettes or CD's, content summary, release date, abridged or unabridged version, and availability.
Other Sources
Bowker’s Complete Video Directory together with The Video Source Book are the most comprehensive video directories on the market. They are good for tracking down hard-to-find titles and providing patrons with a definitive reference and selection guide to the video market.
AV Marketplace is a directory of companies that create, apply, or distribute Audio-Visual equipment and services for business, education, science, and government.
VideoHound’s Golden Movie Retriever is the most extensive single volume resource for movie reviews available, containing reviews of more than 22,000 movies written with wit and humor.
VideoHound’s World Cinema: The Adventurer’s Guide to Movie Watching is a highly subjective but always entertaining work of short critiques of hundreds of non-U.S. movies from all times and countries. Interspersed are short biographies of major directors and performers. The book concludes with an excellent index
Animation on DVD is an extensive guide to animation and anime films available on DVD. Entries include storylines, reviews, history, ratings, and technical data.
Schwann Opus is the primary consumer listing of classical, jazz and pop recordings, and is supplemented by a constantly updated Web site.
The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States is an authoritative resource on American film information for the years 1893-1972, containing plot summaries, full production credits, details of cast and music, and indexing by both subject and genre.
Film Index International to Film Periodicals is a major information resource for entertainment films and personalities. With a scholarly, inclusive approach to all film genres, this work provides international coverage, indexing films from over 170 countries.
The Encyclopedia of Television includes histories of major television networks as well as broadcasting systems around the world and is complemented by resource materials, photos and bibliographical information.
Encyclopedia of Documentary Film is a fully international reference work on the history of the documentary film that explains concepts and themes in the study of documentary film, the techniques used in making films, and the institutions that support their production, appreciation, and preservation.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
What are the five essential ready reference resources?
You can’t go wrong with these books:
- World Book Encyclopedia – a 22 volume source which can help you answer anything from what are the dimensions of a horseshoe court? to what are the signs of the zodiac? Also has great biographies of famous people, country information and covers nearly every other subject you can think of.
- World Almanac and Book of Facts 2008 – a great one volume resource for questions like: How many $5 bills are in circulation? What are the all-time highest rated TV programs? How many Triple Crown winners have there been?
- American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language – not only the spelling and definitions of words, but also great usage notes like: When do you use a and when do you use an?
- Chases’ Calendar of Annual Events – Answers such questions as: Is Thanksgiving always on the last Thursday of November? Who was born on August 18th? Is anything celebrated on September 7th? Or even when do they add leap seconds?
- Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations – Who said what and where did they say it? For example, who said “Big Brother is watching you?” [George Orwell, 1984 pt I ch1]
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Essential Resources and Other Sources: Maryland
The Maryland Department of the State Library Resource Center focuses on all things Maryland. From historical records to legal information to genealogical sources, the Maryland Department is the best source for all things Maryland.
Essential Resources
The Annotated Code of the Public General Laws of Maryland (the Code, not annotated, is also available online) is necessary in a public library for customers to check up-to-date laws in force.
Maryland, a Middle Temperament, 1634-1980 is the most comprehensive and best history of Maryland written in the past half century.
File for Divorce in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A plain language reference for complicated family law questions that includes copies of the forms that customers need.
Directory of Maryland Church Records identifies where records from churches around the state are held, including records that pre-date official genealogical records.
The Place Names of Maryland, Their Origin and Meaning is one of the few books that identifies where Maryland locations got their name.
Maryland Business Directory (online as Reference USA) has basic information on every individual establishment and is arranged geographically and by type of business.
An Index of the Source Records of Maryland, Genealogical, Biographical, Historical.
Originally printed in 1940, this book contains citations to identify where information on people and surnames can be found. An indispensible resource and a last resort when other genealogical information cannot be located.
History of Maryland, From the Earliest Period to the Present Day is a 3 volume set, published in 1879 and simply the most comprehensive history of the state written up to the late nineteenth century.
The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy is the one book to turn to when you need to learn about any type of genealogical record or method.
Maryland Practice Forms is the most useful book of legal forms containing blank copies of subjects like power of attorney, adoption, name change and various motions.
Other Sources
Maryland Guide to Local, State and Federal Laws Governing Tenant-Landlord Relations: Including Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in Housing breaks down renter’s law into terms everyone can understand but also cites the appropriate sections of the Maryland code.
How to Start a Business in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia an all-in-one guide for customers needing information on starting any form of business in the state.
Criss-Cross Directories are reverse telephone directories that are arranged by address rather than name. They are invaluable for finding people and businesses in past years.
Black’s Law Dictionary is the most authoritative source when looking for definitions or synonyms for legal terms. If you have law in your library, you must have Black’s.
Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore: An Illustrated History and Directory of Theaters, 1895-2004 is an encyclopedic work on movie and stage theaters in the Baltimore area that provides historical information and photos. There is a volume for the Washington area too.
International Building Code is a necessary reference as the state, counties and local jurisdictions are adopting these national standardized codes.
Maryland Operating Budget. Aside from the obvious financial information the budget has information on personnel detail, salaries, departmental objectives and statistics.
West’s Maryland Law Encyclopedia: Based on Maryland Statutes, Case law, State and Federal; Attorney General Opinions and Law Reviews. The savior for those who are not versed in the law, this encyclopedia has explanatory chapters for each area of the law and cites statutes in the Code as well as court precedents
What to Do About Personnel Problems in Maryland is an up-to-date digest of federal and state laws that relate to work and employment in Maryland.
Maryland, a Guide to the Old Line State. Published as part of the WPA state guide series in 1940, this is the definitive guide to places and historical locations in Maryland
Essential Resources
The Annotated Code of the Public General Laws of Maryland (the Code, not annotated, is also available online) is necessary in a public library for customers to check up-to-date laws in force.
Maryland, a Middle Temperament, 1634-1980 is the most comprehensive and best history of Maryland written in the past half century.
File for Divorce in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A plain language reference for complicated family law questions that includes copies of the forms that customers need.
Directory of Maryland Church Records identifies where records from churches around the state are held, including records that pre-date official genealogical records.
The Place Names of Maryland, Their Origin and Meaning is one of the few books that identifies where Maryland locations got their name.
Maryland Business Directory (online as Reference USA) has basic information on every individual establishment and is arranged geographically and by type of business.
An Index of the Source Records of Maryland, Genealogical, Biographical, Historical.
Originally printed in 1940, this book contains citations to identify where information on people and surnames can be found. An indispensible resource and a last resort when other genealogical information cannot be located.
History of Maryland, From the Earliest Period to the Present Day is a 3 volume set, published in 1879 and simply the most comprehensive history of the state written up to the late nineteenth century.
The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy is the one book to turn to when you need to learn about any type of genealogical record or method.
Maryland Practice Forms is the most useful book of legal forms containing blank copies of subjects like power of attorney, adoption, name change and various motions.
Other Sources
Maryland Guide to Local, State and Federal Laws Governing Tenant-Landlord Relations: Including Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in Housing breaks down renter’s law into terms everyone can understand but also cites the appropriate sections of the Maryland code.
How to Start a Business in Maryland, Virginia, or the District of Columbia an all-in-one guide for customers needing information on starting any form of business in the state.
Criss-Cross Directories are reverse telephone directories that are arranged by address rather than name. They are invaluable for finding people and businesses in past years.
Black’s Law Dictionary is the most authoritative source when looking for definitions or synonyms for legal terms. If you have law in your library, you must have Black’s.
Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore: An Illustrated History and Directory of Theaters, 1895-2004 is an encyclopedic work on movie and stage theaters in the Baltimore area that provides historical information and photos. There is a volume for the Washington area too.
International Building Code is a necessary reference as the state, counties and local jurisdictions are adopting these national standardized codes.
Maryland Operating Budget. Aside from the obvious financial information the budget has information on personnel detail, salaries, departmental objectives and statistics.
West’s Maryland Law Encyclopedia: Based on Maryland Statutes, Case law, State and Federal; Attorney General Opinions and Law Reviews. The savior for those who are not versed in the law, this encyclopedia has explanatory chapters for each area of the law and cites statutes in the Code as well as court precedents
What to Do About Personnel Problems in Maryland is an up-to-date digest of federal and state laws that relate to work and employment in Maryland.
Maryland, a Guide to the Old Line State. Published as part of the WPA state guide series in 1940, this is the definitive guide to places and historical locations in Maryland
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