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Database Evaluations

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The Digital Resources Committee is in the process of reviewing the databases in the eLibrary collection to determine which databases will be renewed for 2026.

Each database is evaluated by the same set of criteria to make sure our evaluations are consistent and thorough. Some of the criteria we consider are: 

User Experience

  • Quality of interface: functionality, appeal, etc.
  • Availability and usefulness of help features 
  • Search function/options 
  • Translation function availability/language options

Relevance

  • Uniqueness of information: Readily available elsewhere? Costly to attain in other ways?
  • Appropriateness for the target audience
  • Degree to which content of database meets a community information need
  • Level of audience interest

Authority

  • Amount of peer-reviewed content
  • Publisher/vendor reputation
  • Ability to identify authority
  • Quality of content contributors

Content Availability

  • Amount of full text
  • Amount of embargoed content
  • Access to retrospective content

Accessibility Interface

  • Compatibility with accessibility software
  • Does the page layout allow for logical navigation using JAWS (or other software)?
  • Quality/existence of alt tags and/or other coding
  • Ability to adjust font size

The following databases have been reviewed

  • Ancestry Library Edition
  • Gale Biography in Context
  • Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context
  • Gale U.S. History in Context
  • Gale World History in Context
  • Historical Black Newspapers
  • Novelist Plus
  • Novelist K – 8 Plus
  • Creativebug
  • Business Source Elite
  • Consumer Reports
  • Morningstar

Based on the criteria, the use and cost of the databases, and discussions during our monthly meetings, the following database will not be renewed upon its upcoming renewal date.

Opposing Viewpoints in Context

The remaining databases will be reviewed over the next couple of months:

  • Gale Legal Forms
  • Tutor.com
  • Udemy
  • Little Pim Languages
  • Mango Languages

Announcements will be made after the DRC concludes our evaluation to notify staff which, if any, of these databases will not be renewed.

The databases not listed in our evaluation that are on the eLibrary site are Power Library databases, so we are not including them in our evaluation process.

If you have questions, please contact Hilary Lewis at lewislacknerh@carnegielibrary.org.

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Gale Kids InfoBits

As educators and library staff, we continuously seek high-quality, reliable digital resources to fuel the curiosity of young learners. Gale Kids InfoBits stands out as one of our most dependable and user-friendly tools for teaching students essential research skills, safe information-seeking practices, and age-appropriate content.

Whether a student is delving into animal studies for a class project, learning about historical figures, or exploring their personal interests, Kids InfoBits makes the experience enjoyable, accessible, and secure.

🌟 What Is Gale Kids InfoBits?

Gale Kids InfoBits is an online research database designed specifically for elementary-aged students. It offers:

  • **Age-appropriate articles** written in clear, kid-friendly language
  • **Engaging visuals** including photos, diagrams, and illustrations
  • **Reliable, vetted content** sourced from magazines, reference books, and trusted digital platforms
  • **User-friendly navigation** and search tools tailored for developing readers

Think of it as a “starter research database” that empowers children to explore topics responsibly, without getting lost in overwhelming or unverified information.

🎒 Why Should Staff Recommend It?

Here are several compelling reasons to suggest Kids InfoBits to families, educators, and young learners:

  • **Fosters Early Research Skills**

The intuitive interface guides students in learning how to search, browse categories, and evaluate sources—skills that will benefit them throughout their academic journeys.

  • **Content That Kids Grasp Easily**

Articles feature simple language, helpful glossaries, and read-aloud functions, ensuring accessibility for all reading levels.

  • **Curriculum-Aligned Topics**

The database encompasses subjects commonly assigned in school, such as:

    • Animals and nature
    • Science and technology
    • Geography
    • Biographies
    • Social studies and history

🚀 Tips for Introducing Students to Kids InfoBits

If you facilitate classroom visits, research assignments, or library orientations, consider these quick tips:

  • **Begin with a tour:** Guide students through the main categories. The icon-based homepage makes this engaging and intuitive.
  • **Utilize the read-aloud feature:** This is especially helpful for younger readers or English language learners.
  • **Demonstrate a search:** Show how to input a keyword, select an article, and identify key features such as headings, images, and fact boxes.

**Encourage exploration:** Kids often uncover new interests while browsing by topic!

Gabi – Robinson

Continue ReadingGale Kids InfoBits

I was promised a .pdf, Libby.

Have you ever been listening to an eAudiobook in Libby, and the narrator refers to a .pdf that accompanies the book? Have you also felt your frustration sink into despair when you are unable to find this promised .pdf anywhere in Libby? I’ve certainly been there.  

While it is true that neither the Libby nor the Hoopla apps support the supplementary content that would accompany the eAudio title had you purchased it on the consumer market, I am here today to show you a trick that can get you that sweet extra content that audiobook narrators dangle so tantalizingly into your ear drums. 

The trick? Why, it’s none other than acla.overdrive.com. You read that correctly. As long as the library’s by-now classic OverDrive catalog lives on, you can find, download, and savor those .pdfs!  

Remember this? It’s OverDrive’s pre-Libby online catalog.  

One more time, that’s acla.overdrive.com. Once you’ve found a title you’re interested in, you’ll see that its record states that it “includes supplementary content.” 

Not every eAudiobok will have this, but if the item does have it, it will be listed in the catalog record. After you check the item out, you will see a little paperclip in the right top corner of the Success! pop up box and also on your Loans page. That is your key to those elusive files! Clicking on it prompts you to “Read now in browser,” which will pop open a new tab with the goods.  

In this case, the extra content is a fantastic list of further reading! There are several pages you can peruse either by using the arrow keys or clicking and dragging to the next page.  

Again, not every eAudiobook contains extra content. If it does, though, it will say so at the bottom of the book’s description in Libby, and narrators often refer to it. So, it’s good to know that as long as acla.overdrive.com survives, there is a way to retrieve it! 

-Mary Phillips – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 

Continue ReadingI was promised a .pdf, Libby.

Hoopla “Bonus Borrows” has your Halloween horrors!

Did you forget to check out some creepy DVDs for your spooky party…and that old copy of Bridget Jones’s Diary just won’t cut it? BUT you also already used up all your borrows on Hoopla? Well don’t forget about “Bonus Borrows”!

Available the last week of the month for those of us who don’t plan ahead, these don’t cost one of your five checkouts and you can feel free to binge on them all! For the last week of October, it looks like Hoopla has us covered with plenty of screams & chills in their bonus movies selection.

– Heather Auman, Western Allegheny Community Library

Continue ReadingHoopla “Bonus Borrows” has your Halloween horrors!