Discover Gale Virtual Reference Library

 

Find a Wealth of Information in a Few Clicks with eBooks on Gale Virtual Reference Library

Easy to access through a Google Chrome app and save content directly to Drive

Gale eBooks on CMRLS is a one-stop learning destination for all of your ready reference needs! Let’s look at a few examples.

Here’s a familiar scenario: a high school student is writing a paper about Bill Gates. They are only allowed one internet source, and need book sources. What a perfect use of GVRL!  Sure, the database is accessed via the Internet, but the sources themselves are books. Glorious, full-text reference books!

A GVRL search returns two of the full-text reference books; both of the volumes have entries for Bill Gates. The student is skeptical – the entries looks like an internet print-off and they are worried that their teacher won’t believe that it really, truly, is from a book. No worries, just click on the “View PDF” link at the top of the Bill Gates entry and the screen changes to look like the entry from the print edition, just as if the student had photo-copied the page from the book itself.

There is even a “Listen” button. Press the triangle “Play” button and listen to the entry read by a computerized voice. It’s a nice voice – not overly robotic and with excellent pronunciation (not like your incomprehensible caller ID announcer; more like a real, human voice!)

Now, would the student like a citation of this source? Of course they would! Click on “Citation Tools” on the right side of the screen and choose from MLA or APA styles. You can even save the citation to one of a number of online options like EasyBib, EndNote, or ProCite.

The student doesn’t have to check out this eBook or any eBooks. They can access CMRLS’s full collection through our website Gale eBooks, or download the “Gale eBooks” Google Chrome app. After their first login with his library credentials, they can authenticate and login with his Google account credentials. Once logged in with Google, they can save articles or article highlights directly to Google Drive for future use.

The student is now ready to write their paper. Meanwhile, their parent has been watching this interaction and pipes in with a question of their own. “Is there anything in there about hypertension? This kid is giving me high blood pressure!” Yes, indeed, the GVRL has many eBooks on health topics. You can click “medicine” on the homepage of the database or just search key terms. 

Now, the parent is onboard with GVRL too, and gets excited. “I’m thinking about opening my own business. Are there books in this database to help me get started?” Yes, yes, yes! There are eBooks on business plans, e-commerce, and more. There are search limiters on the right side of the page as well, to really narrow the search to relevant topics, sources, and document types. One of the document types listed is “statistical data,” which is extremely useful in this kind of research!

It is even possible to translate articles into a variety of languages, making this a truly accessible resource. You can even download the MP3 to listen to an article offline.

This database is an extremely practical and relevant and accessible to you 24/7. Access Gale eBooks on GVRL from our library’s website CMRLS: Gale eBooks Should you have any questions, please contact our customer service at CMRLS.

 

 

Let's Celebrate Picture Book Month!

Celebrate Picture Book Month

    Children’s librarians LOVE picture books. They are perfect for teaching a lesson or a moral in thirty-two pages, and the illustrations can be as close to Art on the page, as Art on the walls. They are also great read aloud and acted out by the reader. Picture books pull young readers in when they are little and can make them life-long readers and learners

    There are not too many picture books that I do not like. I would like to highlight a few that I have enjoyed sharing in previous story times. Personally, I enjoy picture books that make me laugh aloud. One of those books is This is Not my Hat by Jon Klassen. A mischievous fish takes a hat from a much larger fish and “thinks” he is getting away with it. Let us just say the results do not fare well for the mischievous fish.

    I also like books that are fun to read aloud. Wet Dog by Elise Broach is hilarious. If you have a thick, southern drawl like I do, and read the antics of this hound, the kids go nuts. The illustrations are so bright and vibrant the kiddos are at once taken with it. The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith is funny as well. The repetition and tongue twists can be a challenge for the reader but are great fun for the listener. Another author, Mo Willem, is great whether you want to read about Elephant and Piggie, or that crazy Pigeon. The books are perfect for early readers because they are funny, relatively short, and children can relate to the characters.

    So, what picture books do you enjoy? Have I left off your favorites? Of course, I have! I could mention books by Seuss, Carle, Bunting, Mayer, Potter, Wood, Henkes, Brown, but I just wanted to highlight a few of my favorites. I encourage parents to take the time to read to your children while they are young. Doing so, could be the difference between a reader and a non-reader.

 

Veteran's Day Closing

 CMRLS Veteran's Day Closing: 

All CMRLS libraries and administrative office will close Thursday, November 11, 2021 in observance of Veteran's Day. We will reopen at our regular hours on November 12, 2021

International Games Week

         International Games Week started out as a simple idea, can you set a world record by having the most number of people playing the same game, at the same time, on the same day at libraries around the world? Jenny Levine and Scott Nicholson sparked the idea in 2007. They called it National Game Day. In 2012, the name changed from National Games Day to International Games Day, then in 2017, it changed names again to what we now know, International Games Week. The event has grown to include all seven continents.

    The date for this year's International Games Week is November 7-13, 2021. During this week, libraries from around the world participate in local and international activities. The events vary by location. Past events would include a Rock Band concert, Mario Kart Tournaments, and simple board games. Things have changed a little bit with COVID-19. This year they have included some downloadable games for you to print out and play.

Below is the link to the PDF of all the Print and Play games:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Czi51aZIl6hEq5wowFhILR_Quc90ZqxA/view

   International Games Week sponsors include:

American Library Association  https://www.ala.org/

Australian Library And Information Association   https://www.alia.org.au/

L'Associazione Italiana Biblioteche  https://internationalgamesdayitalia.wordpress.com/

Nordic Game Week    https://nordicgameday.wordpress.com/

Finnish Games Week  https://nordicgameday.wordpress.com/category/finland/

For more information about International Games Week and the sponsors visit the following website:

https://games.ala.org/international-games-week/

    Did you know that your library system has games for the following systems; Wii Gaming Console, Playstation Gaming Console, Xbox Gaming Consoles, and the Nintendo Gaming Systems? If you are 18 and older, all you need is a current library card. You are allowed to check out 2 games at a time and you are allowed to keep them for one (1) week. As the systems change, we strive to keep up with the current games. 

   On a personal note, games have evolved since I was a child. My first gaming system was the old Atari system. We loved that game system. My children have grown up with the Super Nintendo to the Nintendo Switch and much more. Now both of my youngest boys play RPG online with their friends and people all across the county. There is something to be said about the classic board games. When the weather gets bad and we think the lights are going to go out, we break out the battery-powered lanterns and some of our favorite board games. 

   Did you have a favorite board game or a favorite video game as a child? Do you play games on your phone/tablet, if so, what are some of your favorite games?

Photo Credit: https://games.ala.org/igw_promos/

New Branch Manager at Sebastopol

Sebastopol Public Library has a new branch manager! Ms. Carolyn Price is very happy to meet her new patrons and to serve the community in Sebastopol. Sebastopol Public library is located at: 17403 Highway 21 North Sebastopol, MS 39359. Please stop by and take advantage of all the great services our Sebastopol branch has to offer!

Sebastopol Hours: 

Monday
CLOSED

Tuesday
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday
CLOSED

Thursday
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday – Sunday
CLOSED