databases

New Novelist user experience incoming!

Starting June 16, Novelist will transition to an updated user interface. The new design will furnish patrons with an improved experience while still providing library staff with the same in-depth richness we depend on for our work.

Please click here to read an overview of what this is going to look like, as well as learn more about what you can do to manage your own Novelist account ahead of the transition. 

One big change for staff that I’d like to highlight is how folders will be reconfigured. The folders function in Novelist is useful for managing book groups, outreach, lists, special projects, and so much more, so it’s important to make sure your folders and data are ready for the transition before the 16th. 

If you have books, lists, and articles saved to the “My Folders” option, that material should migrate automatically and be stored under the new title “My Dashboard.” 

However, if you have Search Alerts set up, those will not migrate, and you will have to re-create them in the new My Dashboard section. Take note of what Search Alerts you have and be ready to set those back up after the transition. 

Additionally, if you have any folders under the “My Custom” function, you will have to download that data and add it manually after the transition.  Have this done before June 15th, otherwise you may lose the data. 🙁

You can click here for detailed instructions on how to manage both Search Alerts and My Custom folders for the transition.

Novelist is also providing training sessions on June 17 from 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM, and on June 26 from 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM. If you can’t make either of those times, register anyway, and you’ll be sent a recording of the session to watch when your schedule allows.  

Click here to register for the June 17 session. 

Click here to register for the June 26 session. 

You can also take a look through the user guide for the New Novelist Experience below.

This is a lot! Let Mary P. know if you have any questions. Onward, Novelist!

-Mary Phillips – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

NoveList-NavigatingTheNewExperience-TutorialDownload
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Beyond Mango

We all know Mango Languages is fantastic. If you don’t, you can get up to speed here. But did you know about our other language learning tools? 

Let’s say you want to learn some Greek, so you head over to Pimsleur, a trusted name in quick and impactful language instruction for over 60 years. The Greek program alone is $19.95 a month! The Pimsleur method is effective, of course, but you’re going to be spending more than $20 getting the hang of the language. 

If you are set on Pimsleur, you can head over to Hoopla, where “each lesson provides 30 minutes of spoken language practice, with an introductory conversation, and new vocabulary and structures.”

In fact, Hoopla has a fantastic array of Pimsleur options, including English instruction for native speakers of a variety of other languages (English for Arabic speakers, English for Norwegian speakers, etc). 

You don’t have to limit yourself to Mr. Pimsleur, either! Hoopla has lots of options for audiobook language learning.

And it’s not just Hoopla. And it’s not just Greek! You can find similar content in our Libby collection. 

You can also head over to Udemy for language instruction!  

Whether you want to brush up on a new language in time for an upcoming vacation, or you have new neighbors who speak a language new to you, there are so many ways our eResources can support your language learning goals.  

-Mary, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 

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Training opportunity with Tutor.com University

Tutor.com is providing us with a new online training platform: Tutor.com University. 

This self-directed, interactive course is designed for any and all staff who work with students, adult learners, and job seekers. It guides staff through the patron experience within the platform and provides insights into engagement strategies, helpful tools, and more.  

If this sounds like it will be useful in your work, all you need to do is fill in this form! 

In the box for “library location,” please list your library’s name. For CLP, please enter your location as follows: CLP – [branch name]. In the box for “Consortium” please list ACLA. Select “No” under the question “Are you a program manager/admin for your Tutor.com Program?” 

Tutor.com processes these registration forms on the 15th and 30th of the month. Once you submit the form, Tutor.com will reach out with a link to set up your Tutor.com University account. You then have 30 days to complete the learning modules once you’ve started. You can click here to get started with the registration form.

If you think you might need extra time to complete the course, or if you have any other questions about Tutor.com University, reach out to Hilary Lewis or Mary Phillips.  

-Mary – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 

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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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