Changes to POWER Library

POWER Library is in the process of changing their eResouces line up. They have dropped several of their Gale offerings and are going to add in some Ebsco and ProQuest resources.

The Gale resources they have discontinued are

Gale Academic OneFileGale Environmental Studies (GREENR)Gale InfoTrac Student Edition
Gale Books & AuthorsGale General OneFileGale LitFinder
Gale Business InsightsGale Health & WellnessGale News
Gale Educator’s Reference CompleteGale Informe AcademicoGale Topic Collections

They have also discontinued Cybersmarts

We have removed the discontinued resources from the eLibrary site. If you link directly to any of these resources on your library’s website, please remove these resources as they no longer work.

POWER Library has not announced the full line up of new resources yet. POWER Library anticipates the resources will be available for libraries to add to our websites in late September. We will share a list of the upcoming resources once we receive them.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!

~ Hilary Lewis, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Continue ReadingChanges to POWER Library

Tutor.com Training Session

It’s important to understand the different databases and learning tools at your disposal. Join us on Tuesday, August 22 at 11 am to learn more about Tutor.com and all of the features within it. This will be a comprehensive 30 minute overview of Tutor.com and will strengthen your ability to guide patrons when they approach you with questions. Please stick around for the Q&A session at the end!

Register to join the live session, or to receive a link to the recording to watch at your availability.

Click here to register

-Erin Weaver, Bridgeville Public Library

Continue ReadingTutor.com Training Session

Back to school is right around the corner!

As summer reading is winding down for many libraries, we are switching gears into the Back-to-School season. There are many resources available to library staff and patrons. Here is the link to showcase just a few – handy for bookmarking or social media posts!

Gabi – Robinson Library

Continue ReadingBack to school is right around the corner!

Notify Me Tags and You

Hey, champ! Let’s sit down and have a chat. You’ve been using Libby a lot recently and it has become your favorite way to read. Your friends are doing it, your family is doing it — hey, it was probably your local librarian that introduced you to Libby.

And this stock photo of a librarian wants you to know that you’re doing great!

There comes a time in a reader’s life when you’re discovering new and exciting ways to read and you’re going to have questions. Listen, sport, I get it. Sometimes you’re embarrassed to ask. Maybe you don’t want to sound naïve, but I remember back when I was just like you — I was wondering:

What is a Notify Me Tag and how does it work?

Sometimes the eBook or audiobook you’re looking for doesn’t show up when you search for it in Libby. That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. These items still show up with Deep Search. What’s Deep Search? Deep Search is an optional Filter in Libby that shows you the thing you are looking for even though it isn’t currently available to you. You’ll know something isn’t available because instead of having the options to either “Borrow” or “Place Hold”, you’ll get the option: Notify Me.

A Notify Me Tag does exactly what it says on the tin: you put a Notify Me Tag on an item that you want to be notified about when it is added to the Libby collection. Folks commonly use a Notify Me Tag with their favorite magazines so they know when the latest issue becomes available. Very useful.

Want to practice real quick?

I’m looking for the book What the Dead Know: Learning About Life As a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher. See how that item isn’t listed in the results below? At the bottom of your Libby search page, you can click where it says “Deep searching is available in the filters of this list” and it will open your Filters (you can also select “deep search” any time in Filters).

Scrolling down through your Filters you will see the option to enable Deep Search. Select “deep search”, then click where it says “Show (#) Titles”, and you’ll also start seeing things not already owned.

See how when I select “deep search” it turns purple? Like I always say: highlighted purple = good to go, highlighted gray = you’ll never know.

Above, you can see examples of materials with the Notify Me option are now intermingled with items you can place a hold on or borrow. Next to the Filters button, it shows that Deep Search is enabled.

After you place a Notify Me Tag on an item, you’ll be…notified when it becomes available on Libby! It’s truly that simple. Fair warning: a Notify Me Tag doesn’t automatically place a hold for you. When you are notified, act fast so you can either Borrow or Place a Hold (depending on availability).

So, if you don’t see the eBook or audiobook you’re looking for on Libby, try enabling Deep Search! Then all you’ll need to do is hit the Notify Me button and wait for the magic to happen!

Of course, if you ever have questions, reach out to your local library.

Good chat, tiger. Wake me up in about 15 minutes, will ya? I want to check to see if my Holds came in.

Derek, South Park Twp Library

Continue ReadingNotify Me Tags and You