Research Blog : databases

Up-To-Date H1N1 and Flu Information Available Now!

Bufkinite@evpl — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:09:00 GMT

As public concern about pandemic H1N1 and the upcoming flu season continues to grow, the medical and nursing editors from both EBSCO Publishing and the Gale Group have responded by offering the latest scientifically verified flu-related information available for free.

These free flu information resources are available in the following ways:

To access EBSCO's information, click here.
To access Gale Group's information on the science and history of H1N1, click here.
To access Gale Groups up-to-the-minute global news on H1N1, click here.

This free flu information will be continually updated, so please check both of these sites often, and feel free to share, post, and email a link to this blog post to your colleagues, family and friends.

Topographic Maps Now Available on A to Z Maps Online

Bufkinite@evpl — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:58:00 GMT

If you haven't been to A to Z Maps Online, then you've really missed a wonderful site, especially if you like maps. This site was already a very rich site, with a well organized mix of maps, made by the vendor and gathered from public sources. Now, the site has added over 70,000 new maps, by acquiring the entire 7.5 minute series of topographic quadrangle maps from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

These maps cover every inch of every state in the U.S., and use contour lines to show elevation. A contour line is a line that connects points of equal elevation, and each map has a contour interval - the difference in elevation between one line and the lines on either side of it is known as the contour interval, and this interval is stated at the bottom center of each map. Take a look at a portion of the Evansville Quadrangle at the center left, that includes the Reitz Bowl, Reitz High School, and the surrounding Forest Hill area; places where the light brown contour line are closer together represent a steeper grade, and where they're further apart are gentler slopes.

So how do you find the topographic maps online? It's easy! Go the the Alphabetical Listing of Databases on the EVPL website, where A to Z Maps online is the very first choice, and then click on that link. You'll end up at a page that looks like the one to the left if you're at home. Just enter your library card barcode number into the appropriate box in the upper right hand corner, and click "Go!" Those boxes will then disappear, and instead you'll see the message "You are currently logged in!" in bright yellow type. (If you're in the library, that yellow type will show up immediately.)

Once you're there, find the "USGS Maps" tab on the green left hand menu, and click on it. A submenu will drop down, like the illustration bottom left. Look for the "USGS Topographic Maps of the US" link and click on that.

You'll be taken to a page that looks like the illustration in the center, below. On this page, clicking on the name of a state in the alphabetic list, or on the image of any state on the map, will take you to the index page for that particular state. A thumbnail of the index page for the state of Indiana is at the bottom right. There are three ways to find particular topographic maps, the first is to type in a word, like "Evansville" and that will present you with a list of all the Indiana maps that have "Evansville" in their name. The second way is to choose a quadrangle name from a complete drop-down list of names for the entire state, and the third way is to click on a letter of the alphabet, which will result in a list of every map that begins with that letter, along with a thumbnail view of each map.

In the results list, you'll often see what look like duplicate maps, except that the second map has the initials "TVA" in Parentheses following the name. These maps are Universal Transverse Mercator projections, very slightly different, at this scale, from the normal topographic projections.

I really enjoy looking at maps, and the USGS 7.5 series topographic maps have always been one of my favorites! It's great to have organized, online access to them in one place.

Hobby and craft info galore

googler@evpl — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:26:00 GMT

Hobbyists and crafters will be in heaven browsing our new database, the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center. It contains content from more than 740 magazines and books, as well as access to more than 720 videos and over 140 hobby reports, with detailed "how-to" instructions and creative ideas to meet the interests of virtually every hobby-enthusiast.

Accessed through the Library's databases page (the category is "How-To"), the user is presented with a user-friendly screen dividing the many topics into categories for fun browsing, such as collecting, model building, needlecraft and textiles, paper crafts, etc. For more immediate access to a specific topic, use the search box at the top of the screen.

The result list contains both specific projects, when available, and general information articles (and searchers can use a tab to go directly to the projects, if that's what they're after). The searcher can also use the list of more specific terms that are presented, to narrow the results.

Patterns and instructions are taken from popular magazines and presented in PDF or HTML format. And take note of the "video" tab found for a number of crafts. The short videos are quite informative, and any new knitter needing to learn to cast off, for example, will be happy to have them.

Ladies and Gentlemen Start Your Engines

wag.mado@evpl — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:18:00 GMT

Central Library’s Lobby Display starting next week will be featuring circulating materials about car racing and automobiles. With the Indianapolis 500 being this weekend, and NASCAR racing in full swing, it seems a good time to pull those items off the shelf.

If you like fiction, we have plenty of books and movies about the world of automobile racing.

There are biographies about race car drivers too.

We not only have car racing resources, but also materials regarding the history of automobiles, customizing, and maintenance/repair manuals on almost every make and model for the past 20+ years. If you cannot find the right manual, you can access our Auto Repair Reference Center database from your home computer and search for repair/maintenance instructions and diagrams for your specific auto.

Maybe you're not in “love” with your car like most Americans, but just want to know how to be a more responsible owner. In that case, we have books with information on saving gas, living greener, cutting back on the use of your car, and much more.

Visit your favorite library branch to take a look - and don't forget to buckle up!

Explore Issues of Global Importance with New Database

Bufkinite@evpl — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:56:00 GMT

Need up-to-the-minute information on child labor? Want to have an idea about current world opinion regarding the US military's use of torture? Are you concerned about nuclear weapons in failed states falling into the hands of international terrorist organizations? Are you confused by the proliferation of different and conflicting information about global climate change and sea-level rise?

Information on all of these issues and much more is available through a new database called Global Issues in Context. Available through the EVPL database page, this resource offers global news and perspectives on issues and events of international importance, like the ones outlined above, and provides background information on them, placing them in the proper sociopolitical, religious, and cultural context.

Searching Global Issues in Context can take place in a variety of ways, starting with simple keyword searching in a single search box. There is also a clickable world map, where choosing a particular country then links to issue portals where that country is mentioned.

Global Issues in Context has a great deal of multimedia components, including extensive audio and video clips from such places as NPR, PBS, CBC, and NBC news; interactive maps, and links to world newspapers.

TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS: Global Issues in Context's conten is aligned to state and national social studies and science standards and is up to date. Thus it can be used across the curriculum. It also encourages and develops critical-thinking skills by providing students a variety of pertinent global perspectives on the issues.

Check out this resource; it will broaden and deepen your understanding of current events and issues affecting countries and people around the world.

Two New Databases Emphasize U.S. & World History

Bufkinite@evpl — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:47:00 GMT

History buffs now have two new resources at their disposal 24 hours a day through the databases page at the EVPL web site. The History Resource Center: World and History Resource Center: U.S. are easy to navigate, rich resources.

History Resource Center: U.S. was named a "Best Reference" by the New York Public Library, and provides a easily searchable interface to a unique combination of primary and secondary sources. The most extensive online collection of historical information available today, History Research Center U.S. delivers:

- comprehensive coverage of the most-studied topics in U.S. history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the post-Cold War era
- a "roll-over" chronology that features a graphical, annotated timeline of significant events spanning pre-Columbian prehistory to today's headlines
- more than 5,000 primary source documents, including more than 9,000 commentaries
- over 350,000 periodical articles
- over 130 reference books
- thousands of downloadable images, maps, charts, and flags

Whether you're a student in high school, college, or a life-long learner, History Resource Center: U.S. delivers unmatched pinpoint results and reliable sources, allowing you to establish the context within the content.

History Resource Center: World was named a "Best Reference" by Library Journal, and offers students and researchers access to more than 5,000 years of world history, including 15,000 pages of primary source material, more than 50 encyclopedias and compendiums, more than 150 academic journals, more than 1,600 maps, atlases and other images, hours of video content, and daily podcasts from NPR, CBC, and other reputable sources, and annotated Web links to history-specific academic and news information sites.

Featuring extensive coverage of the 20th century, this resources also features coverage of teh Ancient Mediterranean, Ancient Near East and Asia as well as the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the modern Middle East and Latin America. Other highlights:

- Asian history recounts the events from Bronze Age China to modern India
- African, Indian, and Latin American history includes the end of colonization in Africa and India as well as the social and political movements in Latin America
- the same kind of "roll-over" timeline as the one featured in History Resource Center: U.S.

Both of these resources feature a very simple search tool, which allows you to search either one - or both - resource centers with one search by clicking the appropriate radio button. An example of the search box can be seen below. You can also search by a person or by a subject, and there is an advanced search option that allows you to limit by document type, historical date ranges, date of publication of the resource, and to use Boolean operators.

Consumer Reports Now Available Online

Bufkinite@evpl — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:06:00 GMT

One of the library's most requested resources, Consumer Reports magazine, is now available online. Not only do the magazine's articles appear here, all of the product testing and review information is archived there as well.

This is sure to become one of the most used databases available at EVPL. As of this writing, it is already number 8 on our "top ten" list of most popular databases.

Check it out!

New database for corporate info

googler@evpl — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

EVPL is now subscribing to the Million Dollar Database, which provides detailed information on over 250,000 public and private companies with at least $9 million in annual sales or at least 180 employees. Company data is updated frequently to ensure the most accurate information possible.

Company profiles include specialty information like executive biographies, number of employees, sales, year established, and Dun & Bradstreet's "prescreen score," assessing the risk of delinquent payment. The database offers you unlimited searching, viewing and printing of detailed company profiles with contact information.

The database is especially designed to help you find in-depth company and contact information, find new sales opportunities, conduct marketing research, and identify potential job opportunities. With that in mind, the database includes a Basic Search for simple company lookups, and a Search Designer that lets you search by a combination of over 30 criteria. And using the Million Dollar Database's File Builder, you can easily download a list of leads in minutes.

The initial search screen is a very simple, with search boxes for company name and location. (On this screen you can also search by phone number or SIC codes if you have that data but no company name.) For more complex searches, choose "advanced search" and choose from the list of criteria (zip code, minority owned, size by sales or employees, etc.). Be sure to click "add to criteria" and then make sure your "current search criteria" contains the ones you chose.

After you click "run search," you'll be able to sort the result list, click an entity name for detailed info, and select records to download.

A PDF file with more information on using the database can be found here.

As with all databases, call Reference Services at 428-8218 if you have any questions!

New Database Brings the World to your Desktop

Bufkinite@evpl — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:26:00 GMT

A new database called Global Road Warrior brings you comprehensive information on 175 countries around the world. And when I say "comprehensive" that is exactly what I mean. There is information in over 100 specific areas for each country listed.

There is basic information like geography (including flags and maps for each country), govenment, and climate; information about the society and culture, like standard greetings and courtesies, food peculiar to the area (including recipes), holidays, religions, and sports; information about how business is conducted, with special attention given to women in business; information about the currency used there, including a currency converter; and infrastructure information including electricity, telephones, Internet connectivity and ISPs, telegram, fax, and postal services.

In addition, there is a "security briefing" for every country taken directly from the CIA's World Factbook, health and medical information, and contact information - addresses, email, and telephone numbers - for all foreign embassies and consulates within each country.

Below left is a screen shot of the home page for Mongolia. The menu on the left is standard for each country, and includes the information outlined above and much more. Below right is a close-up of the standard menu, with an example of the sub-menu choices for "Society and Culture," to give you an idea of the richness of this resource.

Teachers will especially enjoy global road warrior! The maps listed for each country include a simple outline map as well as an outline map that includes outlines of states & provinces. There is also a list of "essential terms" for each country: how to say "hello," "goodbye," "yes," "no," and the other essential words and phrases you'll need to get around.

The search interface is very easy to use, and allows you to search within a particular country, or search for a particular term across all countries. Try it today and see what you think about EVPL's newest database offering.

Magazines now included in Google Book Search

googler@evpl — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:46:00 GMT

Google hasn't published a list of titles, for some reason, but they've started adding lots of page images from a variety of magazines, some going back to the 1800s.

Start at books.google.com, and click on the small "Advanced Book Search" link that's to the right of the search box. If you want to find a particular magazine, use its title as a phrase search (as an example, type Mother Jones into the exact phrase box). If you want to look for topic in that magazine, type those keywords into the topmost search box (for example, type in pesticides). Be sure to use the radio buttons to restrict your search to magazines. You can also scroll down and specify years, to make sure you get only recent articles. (Or, for nostalgia's sake, you might enjoy a search in something like Popular Science for a time span like 1850-1900.)

This article has a little more information on this project, for the curious.

And don't forget the Library's vast access to full-text magazines, available through databases we subscribe to (notably Masterfile). These databases can be access by all in any library, or from outside of the library by current resident card-holders.

Indiana Veterans of World War I

seeker@evpl — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:53:00 GMT

Do you have a family member who served during World War I, the "war to end all wars""? The original federal military records were lost in a fire in St Louis, so a 5-year project is researching the Indiana Veterans of World War I. Among other resources used, Service Records of Vanderburgh County by Ethel F. McCoullough and C.F. Hammerstein covers 4,537 local veterans, so we are well represented. The site also includes information from interviews from returning veterans: home front stories, camp life, hospital experiences, women in service, P.O.W. memories and explanations of the various brances of service.

Check out the names of veterans you've heard of and see how well they're represented. If you are aware of a veteran who is not listed or have additional information, you can contribute anything you know about him or her by emailing Jan Mattingly at WWVets@Gmail.com.

"Big Brown Books" Now Available on Your Home Computer

Bufkinite@evpl — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:42:00 GMT

How many of you were given an assignment in a high school or college literature course to find "critical reviews" of some obscure author, and despaired of finding anything meaningful before you found - or were directed to by a librarian - the gold mine of the "Big Brown Books"? Actually different series, entitled Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, these books compile information from a number of literary journals and poetry magazines, and arrange them by author. Each title now runs to well over 100 volumes, and Central Library has a complete run of all three titles.

But now comes Literature Criticism Online, and all volumes are available online through EVPL's databases page. So, not only can you browse them from the public computers at any of the EVPL branches, you can browse them from home, 24/7!

Logging in to Literature Criticism Online presents you with options for a basic or advanced search. Below is a screenshot of the Basic Search window, and you can see there are tabs for an advanced search, as well as for browsing by author, or by work. You can limit your search to one of the titles, e.g. Contemporary Literary Criticism, or choose to search all held titles with one search. The drop-down menu beside the search box allows you to search by keyword, full text, named author, or named work.

Search results present you with a list of links to pdf versions of the original print materials, so that what you find online is visually identical to what you would find in the original printed books. There are cases where copyright restrictions end up presenting the message "Text Not Viewable Online," but they are very few and far between.

So check out Literature Criticism Online, look up your favorite author or work, and find out what the critics had to say!

Plunkett Research Online Just Got Better

Bufkinite@evpl — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:10:00 GMT

One of EVPL's many databases, Plunkett Research Online, is a great tool for researching current trends in 32 distinct industry sectors, including everything from Alternative Energy to Wireless Technology. For each industry sector examined, you'll find a market overview and an analysis of major trends for each company, an industry-specific glossary written in language that is easy-to-understand, a statistics section containing extensive data on many facets of the industry, and in-depth profiles of leading companies in each industry.

Now, Plunkett has added current job information to its company profiles. In the sample page image below, you can see the result of a search for 3M Company. Just below the company name is the heading, "Latest 3M Company Jobs." The first three positions are directly linked, while more positions and job details are just a button click away. In today's very tight job market, this kind of resource is very likely to come in handy.

Issues & Controversies database

T-ref@evpl — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:50:00 GMT

One of my favorite EVPL databases is Issues and Controversies. A recent reference query led me to use this great resource. Over the phone, a young customer needed articles about how the body image of girls is distorted because of the modeling industry. I told her about all of our databases and that she could find articles using her computer outside the library. I refined the search to contain the words "teenage body image" and came up with some articles using Masterfile Premier. I then tried Issues and Controversies and came up with the following article: Thin Fashion Models. The article seemed to be exactly what she needed. If you have a library card, you can access the databases from outside the library. If you need assistance with this, just call the Information Center Desk at Central Library at 428-8218 and we'll be happy to help you.

Encyclopedia of Associations Online

T-ref@evpl — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:19:00 GMT

EVPL subscribes to many databases and one of our newest databases is the Encyclopedia of Associations: A comprehensive guide to International, National, and State associations, with brief histories, addresses, and current contact information, current membership numbers and annual meeting information.

Use the Basic Search form for simple searches by name or keyword. Go to Advanced Search for precision searching by industry, geography, or the many other unique data fields supported by individual directory titles. The directories available for searching include 755,300 entries. When doing a search you must select: Include both current and backfile directories.

I have also included the results of a search for the Public Library Association so you can see what a typical search result looks like: