World Book Changes Coming July 1

World Book is getting a brand-new look! View Inside the New World Book Online Article Page. This 30-minute in-depth look will give you a look inside to see what’s new, what’s changed, and why the improvement will be beneficial to you and your students and patrons.

Currently World Book Kids already has the new look, so you can check it out live there.

In addition, World Book is a State Database and we now have two new World Book databases: World Book Student and World Book Advanced.

Hot Topic – How to Use the Library Databases: World Book Online also has a short video of the new look as well as links to the World Book Video &Tutorial pages which describes the new features.

How to Use the Library Databases is Growing!

I have added more database vendors to the Hot Topic – How to Use the Library Databases along with scavenger hunts, search tips sheets you can download and more. A new page has been added called “What is a Database?”. This page not only explains what a database is but also provides information on why you should use a database and tips for getting started with a research or report.

You will also notice a new search tool available for Gale databases called Research In Context. Research in Context will search across GALE homework databases and eBooks (GVRL) so it is designed for grades K-12. Prior to school starting we will be adding it to the Homework Help pages as well.

Please keep checking back as I still have additional vendors to add to this Hot Topic. If you have any suggestions for this page, please let me know.

Transparent Language Online is Now Available

Transparent Language Online is now available to your patrons. To learn more about this new service visit the Hot Topic – How to Use the Library Databases – Transparent Language Online.

If your patron already has a library Zinio Magazine account, they can use the same email address and password to access their Transparent Language Online account.

NOTE: LIBRARY COMPUTERS WILL ASK FOR A BARCODE. Once you enter a barcode and PIN, bookmark the page you land on and use the bookmark link so you don’t have to enter a barcode.

 

Smashwords Portal Now Available On Hot Topic – Writing & Publishing

Recently the Virtual Library launched a Smashwords portal on the Hot Topic – Writing and Publishing. This portal is for authors who are looking to sell their books, including marketing their book to libraries.  You can read more about the Smashwords co-branding in the article Public Libraries Embracing Self-Publishing Services.

Value Line User Guides and Videos

On How to Use the Library’s Databases page a Value Line tab has been added with how-to PDF guides and videos on it.
The Value Line User Guides provide a quick introduction to the Navigation of the digital platform, Screener Tool, Charting, and Value Line Digital Report, including additional tips on using Value Line products and services.
The Value Line video tutorials help you to maximize the value of the Library’s online subscription. The tutorials present the topics: Basic Navigation, How to Use the Digital Research Report, Maximizing the Screener Application, and Creating Advanced Charts.

ChiltonLibrary Updates – See What’s New

ReadSpeaker text-to-speech technology is now available in the Repair and Bulletin/Recalls sections of ChiltonLibrary. ReadSpeaker® is the worldwide leader in online text to speech and its functionality lets users hear the article read out loud, as the words spoken are highlighted on the screen.

Users simply click the new Listen button in the Tool Bar. Pause and Stop abilities are also there. With the Settings button, users can change speed, highlighter color, and font size.
ReadSpeaker technology helps individuals who have lower reading levels comprehend details in Chilton content.
ESL/ELL users can better comprehend the content by hearing the English pronunciations.
Audio content from the Repair section can be downloaded in MP3 format for users to save and access offline.

In addition Full Service Information has been released for:

• 1996-2015 model Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury cars, SUVs, vans, and trucks
• 2011-2015 model Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, and Jeep cars, SUVs, vans, and trucksThese updated databases describe and direct repair procedures specified by Ford Motor Company and Chrysler. Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), Diagnostics, Scheduled Maintenance, plus critical health and safety precautions are also included.

Key Content Changes in This Release

Comprehensive factory diagnostic and service information for over 880 Year, Make, and Model combinations.
Updated repair and diagnostic articles
449,300 from Ford
305,561 from Chrysler
Updated graphics—More than a million from Ford using color to identify components and the sequence. These are also helpful to those who may be more visual, hands-on, have difficulty reading, or those with limited English skills. More than 500,000 from Chrysler, including diagrams and real photos.
All major systems, sub-systems, and components are covered.
Download complete lists of the new ChiltonLibrary makes and models at The Gale Blog.

Visit Databases A-Z General Reference for access to ChiltonLibrary.

Transparent Languages is Coming Soon!

Transparent Languages will be added next week ( Tuesday or Wednesday) to replace Rocket Languages.

• View a short overview of Transparent Language Online
• View List of Languages Available
  Promotional materials available in the eMedia Drop folder .Virtual Library HELP

Here’s why we selected this product to replace Rocket Languages.

Features: 95+ Languages (and growing!)  From Afrikans to Zulu
Extensive English Collection: Materials for speakers of 25+ languages including an intermediate-level immersion course
Features all aspects of language learning and Core Skill-Building Activities:               Listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Speaking Practice: Compare your pronunciation to that of a native speaker
Typing Activities, learn to write in a new language
Flexible Learning Path: Follow a plan or blaze your own trail.
Insight and Review: Quickly and easily see how much you’ve learned and easily review the material.
The Welcome Lesson: Using game dynamics, a quick, basic lesson to learn a few key words and how to use the program.
Improved Speed: The latest HTML/JavaScript framework makes it ultra-fast.
Intuitive Interface: Designed to be used on any PC or tablet, the service optimizes itself for the size of your screen
Free app for mobile devices is also available see Transparent Languages Mobile for additional information.

50 ideas for creative uses of mobile apps in library services

Looking for ideas to use with your branch iPads?  Here are 50 ideas to use in your daily work and with patrons. Read 50 ideas for creative uses of mobile apps in library services.

OverDrive Listen is Now Available

OverDrive Listen, is now available for our audiobook collection! Similar to OverDrive Read for eBooks, OverDrive Listen offers the same ease of use; simply browse, borrow, and listen right in your browser with a single click. There are no downloads or software required; all you need is a compatible web browser and an Internet connection. Using OverDrive Listen, you can add bookmarks, take notes, or make highlights.

This additional listening option has been automatically added to MP3 audiobooks in our digital collection (where publisher permits) at no additional cost.

OverDrive Summer Reading Program

OverDrive is excited to introduce an inaugural OverDrive Summer Read program, designed to encourage students to keep reading all year long. This program aims to help prevent the Summer Slide by providing exciting titles young readers that are simultaneously available during the summer weeks. The below titles will be automatically added  with unlimited access from June 9-July 9 to our eReading Room For Kids.  Similar to the Big Library Read this program will enable young readers to enjoy these titles without any wait lists or holds during the summer.

The Fat Boy Chronicles by Diane Lang & Michael Buchanan. It’s bad enough being the new kid, but as a freshman, Jimmy finds school less enjoyable than many of his classmates. Standing 5’5″ and weighing 187 pounds, he’s subjected to a daily barrage of taunts and torments. His only sources of comfort are his family, his youth group, and his favorite foods. When his English teacher assigns a journal as a writing project, Jimmy chronicles not only his struggles but also his aspirations – to lose weight and win the girl of his dreams. Inspired by a true story and told in first-person journal entries, The Fat Boy Chronicles brings to life the pain and isolation felt by many overweight teenagers as they try to find their way in a world obsessed with outward beauty.

Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky by Sandra Dallas. It’s 1942: Tomi Itano, 12, is a second-generation Japanese American who lives in California with her family on their strawberry farm. Although her parents came from Japan and her grandparents still live there, Tomi considers herself an American. She doesn’t speak Japanese and has never been to Japan. But after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, things change. No Japs Allowed signs hang in store windows and Tomi’s family is ostracized.

Things get much worse. Suspected as a spy, Tomi’s father is taken away. The rest of the Itano family is sent to an internment camp in Colorado. Many other Japanese American families face a similar fate. Tomi becomes bitter, wondering how her country could treat her and her family like the enemy. What does she need to do to prove she is an honorable American? Sandra Dallas shines a light on a dark period of American history in this story of a young Japanese American girl caught up in the prejudices and World War II.

Look for them June 9th!

Training on Small Engine Repair Reference Center

Upcoming Online Training Session – May 19, 2015

Here’s an opportunity to learn more about the features available in Small Engine Repair Reference Center™ by attending the following online training session on Tuesday, May 19, 2015.

Small Engine Repair Reference Center 

This session is intended for librarians, teachers, faculty and others desiring an overview of Small Engine Repair Reference Center. This reference center provides user-friendly repair guides for all types of small engines. Find reference books, photos, illustrations and diagrams by searching product type, brand, model/engine type, model numbers and more.

Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Time: 12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4) – 9 a.m. PDT

 Register at EBSCO Training

You can view a complete list of training offerings at http://training.ebsco.com.

Help Patrons Get More Out of ReferenceUSA

ReferenceUSA’s new feature Personalization Features is now available. Show Them How to Take Advantage of New Personalization Features.
The new personalization features take the user experience to a whole new level. Now your patrons can:

 

• Create user profiles
• Save searches
• Generate customs search lists
• Access a personalized home page

Want to learn more? Visit Hot Topic – How to Use the Databases – ReferenUSA to view videos and visit the ReferenceUSA YouTube Channel.

Tips for Creating a Poster or Facebook Graphic

What makes for great content on a flyer? How do you write it? Here are a few things to keep in mind. Read Creating Effective Flyers.

Important! New Zinio Getting Started Guide

We have updated our Zinio Magazines Getting Started Guide. It can be found on the Zinio Hot Topic as well as in the Media Drop in the Zinio Marketing folder. Patrons can also download it from eRead Me Vegas, under the Getting Started section. Please be sure to get rid of all old guides and start using this new one.  There has been major changes!

If you plan on marketing Zinio Magazines on your print magazines section in the library, there are shelf-talkers available in the Media Drop.

Please note we have dropped some magazines and added new ones.

Here’s the list:
NEW MAGAZINES
American History
Civil War Times
Gun Digest
Inc. Magazine
JazzTimes
Military History
National Enquirer
Official Xbox Magazine
Paleo Magazine
PC Gamer (US Edition)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Soap Opera Digest
The New Republic
Triathlete
Wine Enthusiast Magazine
Women’s Running
Writer’s Digest

DROP MAGAZINES (Back Issues Available)
4Wheel Drive Magazine
Girls’ Life
Good Housekeeping-BuenHogar
GreenSource
Ladies Home Journal
Men’s Journal
PASMAG
Petersen’s PHOTOgraphic
Popular Hot Rodding
Rolling Stone
Us Weekly
Spin to Win Rodeo
Algarabía Niños
Doanh Nhan
Hispanic Network Magazine
Muy Interesante – Mexico
Publishers Weekly
Reader’s Digest Chinese Edition
Reader’s Digest Hong Kong 讀者文摘香港版
Rod & Custom
Soccer America

World Vital Records Now MyHeritage Library Edition

World Vital Records was recently purchased by EBSCO. They have now launch it as MyHeritage Library Edition™ which has been created specifically for library patrons who are looking into their own roots or doing scholarly research of historical sources that document the lives of individuals and groups of people.

MyHeritage Library Edition was created to make it easier for people around the world to discover their heritage and strengthen their bonds with family and friends. My Heritage enables users of all ages and means to satisfy their curiosity and enjoy the thrill of discovering their family history at the click of a button.”

MyHeritage now offers libraries a one-stop shop to help families around the world effortlessly discover and preserve their unique history. Not only can they research original records, but the users can also access the family trees created by MyHeritage users around the world, enabling them to build connections and share research. Its flagship technologies, Smart Matching™ and Record Matching, connect family trees and relevant historical records; and the unique Record Detective™ technology takes research one step further by recommending additional records for each discovered record.

MyHeritage has the widest selection of historically valuable and internationally diverse genealogical content on the market today. Its intuitive interface is available in 40 languages, enabling researchers to seamlessly cross both geographical and language barriers. The data repository contains rich genealogical documents, including birth, death, and marriage records from 48 countries; the complete US and UK censuses; immigration, military, and burial records; and more than 1.5 billion family tree profiles created by users all from around the world. In addition to its already unparalleled collection of documents, MyHeritage Library Edition continues to add more than one million records each day.

For now you can still find a link under World Vital Records but there is also a link for MyHeritage Library Edition as well.

ReferenceUSA Personal Accounts

If patrons wish to use the new feature Personal Accounts in ReferenceUSA, please have them use the second link on Databases A-Z tab R. ReferenceUSA will authenticate them on their end which will allow them to create a Personal Account to create a personal profile, save searches or search criteria to use on later searches. To learn more about how to use ReferenceUSA visit the Hot Topic – How to Use the Library Databases – ReferenceUSA

Library Databases Help! What’s available and how do I use them?

The Virtual Library is putting together a Hot Topic called How to Use the Library Databases. Here we will highlight videos, websites and/or guides on how to use each database we subscribe to during the year. Currently, BrainFuse and World Book Online pages are available. As the databases get renewed this spring we will be updating the Hot Topic. Please feel free to use these with staff and patrons as needed.

LearningExpress Updates for April

Beginning in April 2015, LearningExpress Library™ will have a new responsive design and a wide array of great new product enhancements and resources. Here are the highlights:

Responsive Design & More

They’ve improved performance, navigation, and usability—providing patrons with a superior experience on any device—including tablets, desktops, and smartphones.

• The new responsive design gives users a fully optimized experience on any size screen or device.
• Our new optimization technology has made LearningExpress Library™ faster than ever before.
• The new advanced search engine delivers quicker, more comprehensive results.
• Navigating the resource catalog has improved, for quicker and easier browsing.

Updates include new content:

New Practice Tests
They’ve added thirteen (13) new practice tests to the Career Center, including newly updated electrician’s licensing practice tests, three (3) sets of Praxis Core® practice tests (marking the complete replacement of Praxis I resources), and updated practice tests for the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) exam. In addition, the College Preparation Center now has two (2) Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology practice exams.

New eBooks
Four (4) new Flash Review guides for the GED®  test and new editions of ASVAB Success, ASVAB Power Practice, Police Officer Exam, and Critical Thinking Skills in 20 Minutes a Day are the latest additions to our growing eBook collection.

New Common Core Resources
Thirty-six (36) new resources, aligned to the Common Core State Standards, have been added to the School Center. They include tutorials for middle school students and parents, and tutorials and practice tests for high school students.

For a complete listing of changes read the 2015 Product-Updates.

A look back at a record breaking year in digital reading (Infographic)

Take a look how OverDrive broke the digital reading records in 2014. Did you know LVCCLD increase downloading of eMedia by

A look back at a record breaking year in digital reading (Infographic).

 

Hoopla’s New Interface Coming Soon!

The  Hoopla LightSpeed Release Information Sheet offers a quick, yet comprehensive, look at the features we think you’ll find most interesting, and is segregated by use purpose:

• General LightSpeed Information
• Information Libraries Can Use
• Information Patrons Can Use

On top of these, two big changes that you and your patrons should know are:

• Patrons will need to log in using their password (which they may or may not remember). hoopla will be glad to help in response to patron password inquiries.
• Patrons (iOS users only) with active downloaded content will notice that updating to LightSpeed will delete their previous download (s). These are, however, still accessible, and only need to be re-downloaded – not re-borrowed – to enjoy offline.

  Please read and share the Hoopla LightSpeed Release Information Sheet with your colleagues.