Tips & Tricks for ACLA Databases and Downloadables

POWER Library Has More Than You Think

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Look I love Libby, let’s be clear about that, it is a brilliant resource for so many great reads. But I also have a confession to make… it doesn’t always have EVERYTHING I need. *GASP* I know. I will pause for you to compose yourself.

*DRAMATIC PAUSE FOR EFFECT*

BUT – just because Libby may not offer a book does not meant the library does not have it. We may OF COURSE have a physical copy (please come see us in person we miss you) but we may also have that eBook you need RIGHT NOW via one of the last places you may think to look. The State Library’s POWER Library!!!

POWER is a very underused brilliant offering that I have found often has those sneaky eBooks that Libby just does not offer. And it has an easy way to find all of their eBook offerings in one place!

I get it you are saying… surely you must be joking, Libby has everything I need!

Well, let me give you an example. I just bought a new house and I am looking for an easy to care for lawn. And do you know what one of the easiest to care for lawns is? Moss. Well, when I go to see about how to care for moss gardens this is what Libby had to say for itself.

Libby, sweetheart, no – not even remotely what I needed.

So, I went to the ever handy POWER Library E-Book Collection and did the same search and HUZZAH!

POWER, I appreciate you.

So, now all I had to do is click on the “Electronic Location” link and… TA-DA!

Okay, I know that doesn’t look very exciting but it is what I needed and was looking for – so it was a success!

What I am trying to say is that the library DOES have that eBook or resource you are looking for electronically it just may not always be on Libby. Give POWER a chance and see everything that the State has wonderfully bestowed upon us.

Drop us a message or shoot your message to the State librarians via POWER’s chat function, someone is always willing to help you find the resource you need even when it isn’t where you think.

-Adrianne, Northland Public Library

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Scholastic BookFlix

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Explore Scholastic BookFlix: An Entertaining and Educational Digital Resource for Young Readers

Are you in search of an enjoyable and educational tool to assist your child’s reading journey? Look no further than Scholastic BookFlix, an amazing digital platform made available through state funding!

Scholastic BookFlix is an online resource tailored for young readers, providing an exciting way to discover books and videos. Designed for children from preschool to grade 3, it combines classic children’s literature with captivating animated videos, helping early readers enhance their literacy skills while igniting their creativity.

What Can You Find on Scholastic BookFlix?

Featuring over 130 book pairs, Scholastic BookFlix explores a diverse array of topics that intrigue curious young minds. Each pair connects an illustrated children’s book with a corresponding educational video, covering areas such as:

  • Animals & Nature: Discover the wonders of wildlife and the environment.
  • History: Learn about historical events and notable figures.
  • Science: Delve into fascinating science facts and concepts.
  • Stories & Folklore: Enjoy timeless tales and fables from around the globe.
  • And much more!

Every book pair includes a range of interactive features, such as:

  • Read-Aloud: The “read-aloud” feature allows children to listen to the story while following along with highlighted text, helping enhance their reading abilities.
  • Quizzes: After reading, kids can assess their understanding and knowledge through engaging quizzes.
  • Additional Educational Resources: Each story comes with extra activities and materials to enrich learning and deepen engagement with the content.

Why Scholastic BookFlix is an Excellent Choice for Young Readers

  • Develops Early Literacy Skills: The combination of books and videos aids in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary growth.
  • Interactive Learning: Features like read-aloud options and quizzes make the learning experience enjoyable.
  • Safe and Educational Content: Parents can feel confident knowing the material is suitable, educational, and entertaining.

24/7 Access: Enjoy BookFlix anytime, anywhere!

Gabi B. – Robinson Library

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Kids InfoBits and Accessibility

One of the greatest tools we have to offer children is the Kids InfoBits database. You might already know it for its wide subject base and ability to adjust the reading levels of its content, making it an invaluable tool for any elementary-age student, but it’s also built with a number of features that make it accessible to everyone:

  • You can have the text of the article read aloud by selecting the speaker icon at the top of the page. This function means the website is instantly accessible to anyone whose reading skills aren’t quite advanced enough to read it on their own. It also makes this a valuable tool for new readers: they can play the audio while reading, leading to higher word recognition and comprehension of the sentences.
  • Adjustable text size makes the content available to anyone with visual impairments, and increases readability on a variety of screens. For younger readers who are used to seeing text nice and big, the text can be adjusted to be more familiar.
  • Display options can be customized. The background color can be changed, and, most importantly, so can the text. There are only four font options, but one is Open Dyslexic, a font that’s easier for people with dyslexia to read. On top of different fonts, you can also adjust the spacing of each line, letter, and word.
  • Articles can be translated to a variety of languages. You can also change your interface language, so the entire website will be presented to you in your chosen language. The importance of that is obvious, but I’ve got an additional benefit: for libraries with limited collections of books in languages other than English, this is a really useful tool. Kids InfoBits provides hours of readable content for kids who are learning a second language (and, of course, for anyone learning English as a second language).

With all of these features, Kids InfoBits is not only a great reference source, but an excellent companion to your early reader and international languages collections.

-Jaime @ Penn Hills Library

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New databases, bird flu, and you! 

Bird flu! It’s in the news.  

Maybe your patrons are wondering about it. Maybe they’ve already transformed into giant chickens themselves! That’s what bird flu does right? I read that somewhere on the internet.  

Just kidding! When I go looking for information online, I start with library databases. I love Wikipedia dearly, but sometimes it will lead me astray. Just look at this link! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_Flu. 

Luckily for me, POWER Library has provided two new databases that can help with health information and much more: Health and Wellness and Academic OneFile Select, both from our pals at Gale. As with other Gale products, they look almost the same but contain different information aimed at different audiences. 

Health and Wellness contains full-text articles from medical publications and reference works, but also from more popular, general media outlets with a focus on health information that is approachable for a general audience. Here are the results for a search for “bird flu” with a publication date limiter of the “past month.” 

Notice that it leads with four audio clips from various NPR programs. Health and Wellness is for a general audience looking for reliable information that doesn’t get too deep into medical jargon. 

However, if your patrons do want jargon, we now have Academic OneFile Select! 

This resource is geared toward students, researchers, and curriculum-based learners. It provides access to full text articles across many disciplines, not just health, as well as also vocational/technical training material for students who are studying the trades. A nice complement to BlueCareer! 

But back to the chickens. If I do the same search for “bird flu” with that “past month” time limiter, I get results that may not be appropriate for a lay audience but will definitely help with a college student’s research. 

These new resources provide information for a variety of different types of patrons and are now live on the eLibrary website. Check them out! 

-Mary, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 

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