Gale

Do you take old National Geographics? No?

Introducing an exciting new database you can share when your patrons ask you this eternal question! Thanks to Power Library, all libraries in Allegheny County now have access to a robust run of National Geographic, featuring a collection of fully searchable issues running from 1888 –2020. This is great news for students, researchers, and anyone interested in this classic American magazine that explores the natural world, both on and off planet Earth.  

The search interface will be familiar to anyone who has used a Gale product before. We have access to lots of great Gale content! They all work in similar ways, and I’m here to point out a few exciting things I’ve found in the new National Geographic Virtual Library. 

Because I am so dorky, I always head to the advanced search page to see what it can offer. This advanced search page provides some useful options for sifting through such a large collection, including multiple keyword fields, date ranges, and content types. Yes, you can search through National Geographic content not just for the articles but also for the iconic covers, detailed maps, and even the advertisements!

I’ve been having a grand time searching through 132 years’ worth of advertisements!

The electric car won’t happen overnight in November 2002, pg. 39

An electric car from November 1914, pg. 549

I’m a fan of the dynamic reading pane, as well. Readers can flip through the pages, zoom in and out, and read in a full screen view. There are tools to adjust contrast and brightness to enhance accessibility. Here, I’ve used the “Invert” tool to create a kind of “dark mode.” 

The table of contents is also fully linked. Readers can explore content by type within the reading pane if they want a more direct, hyperlinked reading experience, as opposed to the flippable browsing kind. National Geographic is covering cheetahs, the Bronze Age, the Brothers Grimm, Y2K and more just in this issue! You can see other navigation options listed along the left side, as well, offering a rich search experience for patrons (and staff!).

Click here to get started with the National Geographic Virtual Library. Let me know in the comments what interesting articles, beautiful maps, and (especially) weird ads you find.  

-Mary Phillips, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Continue ReadingDo you take old National Geographics? No?

Need LEGIT legal forms? Don’t just “Google” it!

We’ve probably all had that reference interview that started with something simple like needing help printing, when what was REALLY needed was much more than that: a résumé re-write, mini-lesson in MS Office, or trickiest of all – legal advice. That is something we can’t dispense and most of us are not equipped to do so! However, what we CAN do is simplest of all – point to Gale Legal Forms.

Last week I had a patron very frustrated with the fact that she was told she needed a specific form, but “Googling” it just let to bad places, either non-legit or costly or both. She was having trouble accessing one such website to print out the form (which was going to cost her $30 to download). Luckily she asked for help, because I was able to help her take a U-turn out of that particular dark alley and send her straight to Gale for free, legit, and accurate access to the very form she needed.

This tax season (and really all year round), we should have this resource in our back pocket ready to pull out instead of saying, “I’m sorry, I can’t help you, I’m not a lawyer.” As a notary, I often have to say that myself, but I can at least add Gale Legal Forms as a legitimate place to start, with hopefully more ease of use and definitely fewer dark alleys than Google Country. And of course it’s always free when brought to you by your friendly neighborhood library!

Legal Forms – eResources for Allegheny County Public Libraries (einetwork.net)

– Heather Auman, Western Allegheny Community Library

Continue ReadingNeed LEGIT legal forms? Don’t just “Google” it!

Free Legal Documents for Library Users

How many times have you been asked to help a library patron download/print a legal form, only to hit a paywall? While many sites advertise legal forms, few of them offer any for free. (And can patrons even trust the ones that are free??)

Fortunately, Gale Legal Forms provides FREE, TRUSTWORTHY forms specifically for Pennsylvania residents.

What forms can you find?

  • Wills
  • Affidavits
  • Rental Agreements/Leases
  • Contracts of Sale
  • Healthcare Directives
  • Power of Attorney
  • Divorce
  • Invoice Templates
  • and so much more!

You don’t have to have a law degree to know where to find trusted forms! Gale is your go-to for US Legal Forms.

Richelle @ Sewickley Public Library

Continue ReadingFree Legal Documents for Library Users

Save Money and Stress with Gale Legal Forms

Legal resources are often expensive and complex. Luckily, we have access to Gale Legal Forms. This database makes it simple to find legal forms for many of life’s milestones and business situations. They offer real estate, leases, corporations, employment, wills, sale of property, loans & financing and other business forms.

Of course, they have forms for common agreements, such as landlord/tenant leasing agreements (even tenant applications!), but the forms can get very specific to cover unique situations, such as Cohabitation and Nonmarital Agreement between Parties Living Together but Remaining Unmarried with Joint Purchase of Real Estate.

There are forms for all business types and side hustles. Some examples:

  • Independent Contractor Agreement with Massage Therapist
  • Pet Sitting Agreement with Pet Sitter – Self-Employed
  • Hair Salon Booth or Chair Rental Agreement
  • Website Design Agreement  

Chances are if you’re entering into an agreement of any kind, you can be sure that Gale Legal Forms has a form for you.

Find marketing materials here!

Leigha Lamont

Wilkinsburg Public Library & Eastridge Branch

Continue ReadingSave Money and Stress with Gale Legal Forms