For most of our library users, their first introduction to the books and resources we offer is our library catalog page. Whether you are in the library or at home, a search for items is just an easy click away once you reach the site (at www.boernelibrary.org; then click on browse catalog link).
Most of those folks, however, stop their searching once they input information into the “find” bar on the top right of the page. My hope is that after you read this column today, you’ll start scrolling down the catalog page to the bottom righthand section marked “electronic resources.” Because there is huge power in your card online as well.
• Need a recipe for an internationally themed supper party? “AtoZ World Food” is your go-to site. Amaze all your dinner companions with the other information you can find there – tea time in Chile is called Once, for instance. Europe’s oldest surviving tea shop is A.C. Perch›s, which opened in 1835 and continues to blend teas for the Danish royal family.
• Interested in learning a language this year? Head over to Mango Languages, and choose from Spanish, French, Greek, Gaelic, or … Pirate.
• Looking for a new job? At Learning Express you can brush up on your computer skills, polish your resume, prep for entrance exams and search for jobs or interested career changes. Learning Express also offers GED and Citizenship test prep in English and Spanish and options for researching colleges, scholarships and SAT and ACT Prep.
• Need a new will or a durable power of attorney? Research your options and download Texas Specific, updated forms at the Gale Legal Forms tab.
• Want to catch up on the latest daily local large newspaper? Download the daily digital file to peruse at Newsbank.
• Udemy for business offers more than 4,000 curated, on-demand courses for business, technology, creative arts and personal development. Learn to draw, play guitar or meditate in easy to use modules.
• Texshare Databases provide vetted access to topics ranging from medical diagnosis and health care to crafts and hobbies and home improvement. You can also access the latest issues of Consumer Reports from here.
• Tutor.com provides real time tutoring for students, along with career/resume coaching and AP test prep. Not sure how to help your sixth-grade student with their word problem? Drop it off at tutor.com!
• Our most popular online resources, Cloud Library and Libby, continue to provide access to e-books and audiobooks that you can download at the touch of a button. If you haven’t tried Libby’s magazine access, you are missing out on an easy way to keep up with the latest issues.
We have also recently added two new databases. Newspaper Archives provides access to Texas newspaper archives as far back as 1855, and is an extraordinary resource for Texas history and genealogy research. A quick search in the Express-News unveiled the 1911 obituary for my great-great-grandfather, the names of his pallbearers and an occupation.
Finally, while it may be awhile before our vision becomes reality, we are more than excited to have added Biblioboard to our collection. Biblioboard is a community engagement tool, designed for the community to upload and preserve items of interest. We are using it to upload our archives online.
Currently, archives research involves an actual trek to the library where we find and locate material for you, pull it from the file cabinets and then trade those files for your car keys while you peruse them for anything of value. Being able to bring those to your fingertips instantly will be a vast improvement!
Our best estimate is there are approximately 10,000 items to digitize, so you can imagine this might take a bit of time for the finished project. But we are working diligently and hope to have something to show you later this spring.
In the meantime, a bonus feature of Biblioboard is the addition of 1,500 e-books to our catalog, the vast majority of those from Texas A&M Press & UT Press! Happy exploring in the electronic databases, and as always, call us if you have any questions about how to navigate the system.
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