This site contains all class work completed during this ten week course.

The final project is a ready reference resource for a Connecticut public library.

The Evaluations are presented in two formats. The completed group project and a posting of individual work. All group projects were completed in collaboration with my classmates, Anna Cierocki, Holly Duffy and Leah Gray.

This resource is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for ILS 504 Reference Materials and Services, Summer 2010, Dr. Okobi

Abstract

The following Ready Reference resource is designed to serve the public library in a small town, population less than 10,000 people, in Northwestern Connecticut. The town of Litchfield has some historical significance and as such many public library users are visitors to town who have an interest in local history. Also being a community where there is no public transportation and located 20 or more miles from major centers of commerce there are many small business owners in the community. This public libraries ready reference source reflects the interest and needs of the community.

The resources included on this guide are free internet resources. In additional to these resources there are many resources available through the iCONN databases. While iCONN is listed as this resource, specifically the state wide catalog, this document does not list the other specific resources that are available to all Connecticut library card holders.

This public library ready reference guide is also available online in two forms.

At http://delicious.com/dbutwill/publiclibraryreference users can use the tags on the right hand side of the screen to navigate to specific resources. This tagging feature allows resources to be indexed under more than one subject heading. This guide is also online at http://ils504db.wordpress.com/ as part of a website containing all course work completed during the summer session of ILS504, Reference and Information Resources and Services, taught by Dr. Okobi.

Index

Library OPACs

Encyclopedias and Factbooks

Indexes

Current Events/News

History

Biography

Reader’s Advisory

Business

Government

Library OPACs

Oliver Wolcott Library
www.owlibrary.org

The OPAC for the Oliver Wolcott Library allows users to search for items held at the local library by keyword, title, author or subject. There are also tabs for Advanced Search, Recommended Reads, Media Searches, Downloadable Audio Books, My Account, Kid’s Catalog, Other Public Libraries and School Libraries. Users with a valid Connecticut library card may use this site to request and/or renew items. An Oliver Wolcott Library card is needed to download audio books.

Bibliomation

http://bibcat2.biblio.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=hdqr&lang=eng#focus

This OPAC allows users to search the catalog of over 60 libraries that participate in the Connecticut Bibliomation consortium. This interface allows users to search for items held at participating libraries by keyword, title, author or subject. There are also tabs for Advanced Search, Browse Searches, Reader’ Resources, Media Searches, My Account, Public Libraries and School Catalogs. Users with a Connecticut library card know to the system may use this site to request and/or renew materials.

iCONN – Connecticut’s re-search engine
www.iconn.org

Users need a Connecticut library card or to register as a guest to use this site. Once in users may search through magazines, journals, newspapers, and the statewide library Catalog (reQuest). There are also online reference materials to aid searches in the fields of Health and Science, Business, History, and Genealogy. This site also allows users to download audio books

WorldCat.org: The World’s Largest Library Catalog
http://www.worldcat.org/

This is a comprehensive catalog and resource for bibliographical data. Worldcat allows users to search for books, dvd’s, cd’s and articles. This free interface also allows users to find local participating holding libraries. Advance searching feature are available. Users may register with the site and this allows users to create lists, bibliographies and reviews of library materials.

Return to Index

Encyclopedias and Factbooks

Encyclopedia.com
http://www.encyclopedia.com/

A service of Ask.com Encyclopedia.com has more than 100 trusted sources, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses with facts, definitions, biographies, synonyms, pronunciation keys, word origins, and abbreviations. Encyclopedia entries are comprehensive and include links to additional resources.

Encyclopedia Smithsonian: The Smithsonian from A to Z
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/

Search over 2 million records with images, video and sound files, electronic journals and other resources from the Smithsonian’s museums, archives & libraries

CIA – The World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. The reference tabs include: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.

Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/

This resource is a service of Ask.com and includes a dictionary, thesaurus, quotes, encyclopedia and translator features. It also offers Word of the Day, Crossword puzzles, Crossword solver, and word games. This tool also offers a Medical and Legal dictionary.

The Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com/

The Internet Movie Database is an excellent source for answering “readers advisory” questions about movies. Also a comprehensive index allows users to determine what episode to watch next in a series. Entries include original air date for TV episodes. A product of Amazon, the search engine is very forgiving and offers alternatives if the user’s spelling is not an exact match to an existing title. In addition to the search bar users can navigate to movies, TV, and celebrity news. Entries for celebrities give a brief bio including a listing of all their TV/film work. A great source for answering “do you have any other movies with Katherine Bates?” or “What is the next episode in the Midsomer Murder Series?”.

XE-Universal Currency Converter
http://www.xe.com/

This site provides current information on the currencies of the world. It offers a converter tool, information on trading an encyclopedia on currency and currency charts.

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Indexes

Infoplease: All the knowledge you need
http://www.infoplease.com/
A subject index containing an atlas, encyclopedia, dictionary, and thesaurus. It also contains time lines and geographic information arranged by country. The indexing also provides links to new from around the world, national news, history and government, biographies, sports, arts and entertainment, calendars and holidays, health and science, and a home work center. In addition to navigating to information using the subject index users may also use the search bar to search the entire site or just one section.

Ipl2: Information you can trust
http://www.ipl.org/

A subject index containing the following resources: an atlas, encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, time line and country resources. The indexing also provides links to World & news, United States, history and government, biographies, sports, arts and entertainment, calendars and holidays, health and science, and a home work center. In addition to navigating to information using the subject index users may also use the search bar to search the entire site or just one section.

Return to Index

Current Events/News

Litchfield.bz
http://www.litchfield.bz/

The Litchfield.bz is an electronic newspaper serving the communities of Litchfield, Goshen, Morris, and Warren. Users may navigate to news, sports, opinion, things to do, art & culture, home & family, schools, business, real estate or town information. Users may also sign up for a weekly digest delivered to their email. This website also mains information about the town governments for the communities it serves. This is a valuable resource as not all of those towns maintain websites.

The Register Citizen
http://www.registercitizen.com/

The Register Citizen is a local paper that covers the communities in northwest Connecticut especially the cities of Torrington and Winsted.

The Republican-American
http://www.rep-am.com/

The Waterbury Republican is a state wide newspaper that has some international news and a local section that covers Litchfield County.

BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/

The BBC is the largest broadcasting organization in the world. Its mission is to enrich people’s lives with programs that inform, educate and entertain. It is a public service broadcaster, established by a Royal Charter and funded by the license fee that is paid by UK households. This online free source provides international coverage of world events. Users may navigate to areas of interest using tabs. The home page has general categories including news, sports, weather, TV, Radio. Each subsequent page allows users to narrow their criteria. Each page is equipped with a search box. From the about page users call also navigate to the latest FOI disclosures from the UK. A good source for evaluating how Europeans perceive the United States.

CNN
http://www.cnn.com/

This resource offers international, U.S., Mexican and Arabic editions. This new source has up to the minute coverage of news stories from around the world. Tabs allow for easy navigation to areas of interest including business, world sport, Entertainment, tech, Travel and geographic locations.

NPR: National Public Library
http://www.npr.org/

NPR is an internationally acclaimed producer and distributor of noncommercial news, talk, and entertainment programming. It is a privately supported, not-for-profit membership organization. The NPR website offers users a searchable database of international news stories. There are also links for art and culture stories including reviews of books and interviews with authors.

Thousands of newspapers on the Net
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

This resource allows users to track down local newspapers by geographic location. Entries allow users to link directly to papers home pages. A good source for finding out what is going on in a town before relocating, for tracking down obituaries, or for placing ads to reach new markets.

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History

Connecticut Historical Society
http://www.chs.org/

The Connecticut Historical Society’s local online catalog offers users the ability to search for items cataloged after 1984. They also offer a links to Connecticut History Online, Woodward Genealogy Loan Collection, a subject guide to African American Resources and to the Civil War Manuscripts Project.

Connecticut History Online
http://www.cthistoryonline.org/cdm-cho/index.html

Connecticut History Online (CHO) is a digital collection of over 15,000 digital primary sources, together with associated interpretive and educational material. This digital collection includes historical artifacts, including photographs, maps, broadsides, oral histories, manuscripts and oral histories. This collection documents events, people, and places that are part of the fabric of Connecticut and American social, business, political, educational, cultural, and civic life. The four current CHO partners are the Connecticut Historical Society, Connecticut State Library, Mystic Seaport, and the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.

Connecticut State Library
http://www.cslib.org/

Everyone can use the resources of the State Library which focus on public policy, government, law, legislation, Connecticut history and genealogy. The collections include books, journals, maps, documents, archives, photographs and newspapers, ask well as databases. A service to special populations include: Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped. The Museum of Connecticut History is a division of the Connecticut State Library that focuses on the military, industrial, and political history of Connecticut.

Litchfield Historical Society Digital Collection
http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/archon/

Archon is the finding tool of the Litchfield Historical Society, used to access their growing collection of digital data. Use iCONN to search for books and other holdings at the Igraham Library at the Litchfield Historical Society.

The National Security Archive: The George Washington University
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/index.html

This independent non-government research library collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. This resource is excellent resource for research on American history.  Also, an interesting site to browse for news and/or history junkies.

The Presidents/the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents

This government website provides biographical information about presidents past and present. It also contains biographical information on each of the first ladies. It also gives a brief history of the white house. It is also a good resource for information about the office of the presidency.

Today in History
http://www.scopesys.com/today/

This website lists births, deaths, events, holidays, MIA, and religious observances that happened today or on any day in history. New items have not been added since 2007, but still an excellent source for historical events that happened on a given day in history.

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Biography

Biography.com
http://www.biography.com/

This biographical resource contains both current and retrospective biographical data. The scope is international, covering authors, politicians and celebrities. Famous and notorious figures from around the world and throughout recorded history have complete biographies. Each entry contains cited information. Entries are lengthy, often several pages long. The entries on this site are suitable for an adult audience. This source does provide both print and online suggestions for further reading. It also provides a list of related people. Updates are not done regularly for current international data as the president of Russia since 2008, Dmitry Medvedev is not listed, although his predecessor Vladimir Putin does have an entry. Many entries contain a photo, and some also have video clips. This resource is appropriate for users that want a comprehensive overview of a person’s life. Entries contain both person and profession information.

Congressional Biographical Directory
http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp

Allows users to search for the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to present using the following terms, last name, first name, position, state, party and year/congress. Bibliographic data contains a photographic. The search interface makes this good resource for answering the partial reference question. Entries are brief and do not contain any personal information.

Obituaries.com: newspaper obituaries from the U.S. and Canada
http://www.obituaries.com

This resource is a good source of finding biographical data about people who have died. It varies greatly what time periods are covered as each newspaper has records going back different lengths of time. Most newspapers charge a small fee to read the entire obituary, but many offer a few sentences including birth and death date for free. Users may search all newspapers at once, or may choose a specific paper to search. Search criteria allow for a general search by last name and first name, or an advanced search where last name, first name, obituary source, state, date range and/or keyword may be entered. Newspapers that are affiliated with Legacy.com are searched. The home page lists participating newspapers alphabetically by state. This is a particularly good source for information about the less famous, like local politicians and community leaders.

Return to Index

Reader’s Advisory

Books – The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/

This online resource makes available the New York times best sellers lists, and a searching tool for looking back at book reviews since 1981. it also maintains multiple lists for browsing books including, 10 best books of 2009, 100 Notable books of 2009, children’s books, crime books, books for style, and armchair traveler.

Book Browser: Your guide to exceptional books
http://www.bookbrowse.com/

This online resource makes weekly recommendations of books to reads across all genres. It provides reviews and then also the ability for users to read a portion of the book to see for themselves if it is a book they would enjoy. The site has a Find a Book finding devices for discovering books within specific genres. It also provides guidelines for book clubs. Many services are free and there are enhanced features available for members.

ERL – Reader’s Corner – Who Writes Like
http://www.erl.vic.gov.au/readers/who.htm

A very simply user interface allows users enter an author they like and are returned a list of authors with a similar style of writing.

Indie Bestsellers
http://www.indiebound.org/indie-bestsellers

Reported weekly by independent booksellers across America, the Indie Bestseller Lists let you know what indie readers are buying right now. Entries for these recommended titles offer descriptions of the books, about the author and media links to author interviews.

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Business

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 edition
http://www.bls.gov/oco/

The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook is revised every two years.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov/home.htm

This government resource provides a wealth of information for those looking for employment, those marketing to businesses and to business owners. It includes information on inflation, spending, unemployment, employment, pay & benefits and productivity. It also provides resource guides for Business leaders, consumers, economists, investors, jobs seekers, media, public policy makers, and students and teachers. Much of the statistical information is broken down geographically.

U.S. Small Business Administration
http://www.sba.gov/

This government resource is devoted to helping small businesses. It provides a small business planner, information on services, and tools and local resources available to small business owners. This is a good starting point for those looking to start a small business as it contains information on financing and marketing.

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Government

The 2010 Statistical Abstract
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/

The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. This government e-book may be read or searched online. It is also possible to look at past editions for a historical perspective. Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations.

Connecticut Judicial Branch
http://www.jud.ct.gov/

The state of Connecticut Judicial Branch provides information of citizens needing to deal with the court system including what do as a juror, how to go to small claims court, and the right of tenants and landlords. The interface is driven by a subject index and also provides a search box.

EIA – U.S. Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.gov/

This government website provides a comprehensive overview of the energy industry. Users may browse by Energy Sources, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Electricity, coal, Renewable and Alternative Fuels, and Nuclear. There is a section on Basic Information: What is energy? Also geographical profiles are available. The site provides international data and historical data overviews for the United States.

U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/

Data provided in this resource is based on the latest census data, which is updated every 10 years. The data online now is from the 2000 census. A link to the American Fact Finder government resource allows users to get statistical information by city/town and or zip code. Charts break down populations based on age, race, gender, incomes, education, and marital status.

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The answers to the following questions include the methodology as well as the answer to the question. The questions where obtained using a specified type of source. For group I the answers where found in print sources where possible. In section II the answers were sought using the electronic resources available through online databases at Southern Connecticut State University’s, Hilton C. Buley Library. In section III the answers were sought using the internet.

I. Print Sources
What is the name of the archbishop of Canterbury?

To answer this question I would look in a directory of religions leaders published in England. Using the WorldCat database I do a FirstSearch (FS) search using the keywords England and religion*. I find a title, but I am not sure if the archbishop is in the Catholic Church or the Church of England. I turn to Encyclopedia Britannica where I learn that the archbishop of Canterbury is the leader of the Church of England. I return to WorldCat and do a search for a non-fiction title published in 2009 – 2010 using the keywords, directory and Church of England.  This search returns the Crockford’s clerical directory 2010/2011. The bibliographic data reveals that this source is lists clergy in the Church of England. When I look at the location codes I find that most of the libraries that own this item are in the United Kingdom. The two domestic copies are located in NC and NH. Going back to the Encyclopedia Britannica I am able to link to the official website of the Archbishop of Canterbury at http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org.  From that site I can navigate to a listing of all Archbishops of Canterbury from Augustine, the first, to Archbishop Rowand Douglas Williams, the current Archbishop of Canterbury.

Crockford’s clerical directory 2010/2011. (2009) London: Church House

Chin-Sue, Claire. (n.d.) The Archbishop of Canterbury. Retrieved from
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1

What University offered the first bibliography course and when?
To answer this question one could use an encyclopedia or factbook specific to library science or a resource on first facts. I first examine the Encyclopedia of Communication where I find information about the first schools to offer instruction in library science, but nothing that specifically mentions a course in bibliography. Going to World Cat and doing a search for the subject words history and library science, I find a promising resource on the shelves at Buley.
Wiegand, W.A. & Davis, D. G., (1994) Encyclopedia of library history, New York: GarlandPub.

Rather than drive to Buley I check the catalog at the local library, I find that the following resource in the reference collection:

Kane, J. N., (1981). Famous First Facts. New York: H.W. Wilson Company

According to Kane(1981) the first bibliography course was offered in 1878 by the University of Michigan , at Ann Arbor. Raymond Cazallis Davis, a librarian, was the instructor.

This entry was easily found, as it is an alphabetized entry under Bibliography Course.                    

When and where was Senator Edward Kennedy born? I need some information about his life.

Since this question is asking for details about the life of a Senator I immediately go to a biographic source dealing with members of the United States Congress.

Treese, J.D.., Unites States, & United States (2002). Biographical directory of the United States    Congress, 1774-present, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Congress

This source is also available online. Details about the life of Senator Edward Kennedy can be retrieved at http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=K000105. According to the Biographical directory of the United States Congress(2010), Senator Edward Kennedy’s full name is Edward Moore Kennedy (1932-2009). He was born in Boston on February 22, 1932 and served as a Senator from Massachusetts from 1962 until his death in 2009. He served in the United States Army from 1951-1953. He was elected to the United States Senate on November 6, 1962 in a special election.

Biographical directory of the United States Congress, 1774-present. (2010). Retrieved from http://bioguide.congress.gov/

What information should be included in the first paragraph of the minutes of a meeting?
Questions about procedure to running and recording meetings are answered using a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Robert, H.M. (1990). The Scott, Foresman Robert’s rules of order newly revised, Glenview Ill: Scott, Foresman

According to Robert (1990) “content of the minutes. The first paragraph of the minutes should contain the following information (which need not, however, be divided into numbered or separated items directly corresponding to those below):

1)      the kind of meeting; Regular, special, adjourned regular, or adjourned special

2)      2 the name of the society or assembly

3)      the date and time of the meeting, and the place, if it is not always the same;

4)      the fact that the regular chairman and secretary were present or, in their absence, the names of the persons who substituted for them and

5)      whether the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved – as read, or as corrected- the date of the meeting being given if it was other than a regular business meeting.” (p. 458-459)

Provide a list two articles on Public Libraries and Lifelong Learning published in the past two years.

For a question requesting articles, the answer will be found in an index. Many indexes today are available online. Using WorldCat FS a search is conducted using index* & periodical* in the subject field and library science as a keyword. The search is also limited to works published in 2008-2010. I did not find any print sources. When I expanded the search to include works published from 2000- 2010, I find the following print source.

Rentschler, C., (2000). Library literature & information science, 1999. New York: H.W. Wilson   Co.

This source is currently no longer in print except for the retrospective volumes, but is available online through EBSCO. Using that source the following two articles were found. A keyword search was done using the words public library* and (life long or continuing education) and limiting the search to articles published between 2008 and 2010.

Butcher, W., & Street, P.-A. (2009). LIFELONG LEARNING WITH OLDER ADULTS.   APLIS, 22(2), 64-70.

Pinkston, J. (2009). Wanted: A Revolution in Library Continuing Education. Public Library Quarterly, 28(4), 295-311.

II. Buley Electronic Resources Questions

I need to buy some books by African Writers, who is the publisher of African Writers series?

This patron is looking for bibliographical data of which WorldCat is an excellent source. Doing a series search on African Writers Series, 4051 entries are retrieved. Looking at the bibliographical data of the first few entries reveals the publisher to be Heinemann International.
OCLC (2010) WorldCat, Retrieved using FirstSearch.

The patron may want additional information including contact information for the publisher. That could be found in the Literary Market Place, or by doing a simply search against the iCONN Business & Company Resource Center. The following is the result of a search for Heinemann International.

Current Company: Heinemann International Southern Africa

Business & Company Resource Center, (2010). Heinemann International Southern Africa. Retrieved at http://tiny.cc/qcc4z using iConn.

In what ways does the meaning of “Device” differ from “Contrive”?

Since this question deals with the meaning of a word, a dictionary will be resource used. Using Credo Reference the Penguin English Dictionary is selected because it describes itself as having “clear, detailed definitions, with particular emphasis on difficult concepts and meanings”.
The Penguin English Dictionary offers the following definitions:

device/di’vies/noun : 1. a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed for a special purpose or function. 2. a scheme to trick or deceive. 3. something elaborate or intricate in design. 4.(a) a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed for a special purpose or function. (b) a scheme to trick or deceive. (c) something, e.g. a figure of speech or a dramatic convention, designed to achieve a particular artistic effect. (d) something elaborate or intricate in design.

5(a) an emblematic desing with a motto used as a heraldic bearing: compare CHARGE(b) a motto * leave to somebody to their own devices to leave somebody alone to do as they please.

‘device’ 2007, in The Penguin English Dictionary, Penguin, London, United Kingdom, Retrieved from http://0- www.credoreference.com.www.consuls.org/entry/penguineng/device.

contrive /ken’triev/verb trans
1(a) to devise or plan (something).(b) to create (something) in an inventive or resourceful manner – They contrived a stretcher from a couple of branches 2(a) to bring about or manage (something) Perhaps he could contrive another encounter with her (b) to manage (to do something stupid) – He contrived to lock himself out

contrivability /-ʹbiliti/ noun

contrivable adj

contriver noun [earlier controve from late Latin contropare to compare, from contra- + Latin tropus turn, manner, from Greek tropos].

‘contrive’ 2007, in The Penguin English Dictionary, Penguin, London, United Kingdom,  Retrieved from http://0-www.credoreference.com.www.consuls.org/entry/penguineng/contrive

The clearest difference between the words “Device” and “Contrive” is that “Device” is a noun and “Contrive” is a verb.

My neighbor complained to me about the NIMBY syndrome that is affecting the
community. What does NYMBY mean?

Since the patron is looking for clarification of an acronym, a factbook about acronyms, such as a dictionary of acronyms, would be a good source. Not finding such a specific source in Buley Electronic resource I try a more general factbook, the Encyclopedia Britannica. This source does have a dictionary option which I use to search for NIMBY. The following result was returned:

Main Entry: NIMBY
Pronunciation: nim-b
Function: noun
Etymology: not in my backyard
Date: 1980
: opposition to the locating of something considered undesirable (as a prison or incinerator) in one’s neighborhood
- NIMBY·ism \-i-zm\ noun

‘Nimby’ (n.d.), in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica        Online: http://0-search.eb.com.www.consuls.org/dictionary?va=nimby&query=nimby

What literary awards did Jack Vance receive?

The patron asking this question is looking for biographical information about an author. A good source for this type of data is Who’s Who in Literature. Not finding that source on Buley I go to Biographical Resource Center on iCONN. Doing a search on Jack Vance I retrieve the following information about the awards John Holbrook Vance has received:

AWARDS

Edgar Allan Poe Award, best first novel by an American author, Mystery Writers of America, 1961, for The Man in the Cage; Hugo Award, World Science Fiction Convention, best short fiction, 1963, for “The Dragon Masters”; Nebula Award, best novella, Science Fiction Writers of America, 1966, and Hugo Award, best novelette, 1967, both for The Last Castle; Jupiter Award, best novelette, 1975, for The Seventeen Virgins; World Fantasy Awards, life achievement, 1984, and best novel, 1990, for Lyonesse: Madouc; GilgamXs Award, 1988; named Grand Master, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, 1997.

Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2010. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center.    Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2010. http://0- galenet.galegroup.com.www.consuls.org/servlet/BioRC

I am looking for short stories published by Cyprian Ekwensi and African writer.

This user is requesting bibliographical data that can be found using a FS search against the WorldCat database. The search was set up with Ekwensi, Cyprian in the author field and short stories in the descriptor field. Four relevant titles where returned.

Ekwensi, C. (2004). Lokotown: And other stories. Trenton: Africa World Press.

Ekwensi, C. (1971). The rainmaker and other stories. African reader’s library, 6. Lagos: African Universities Press.

Ekwensi, C. O. D., & Young, T. C. (1947). African new writing: Short stories by African authors. London: Lutterworth Press.

Easmon, R. S., Agbadja, A., & Ekwensi, C. (1963). Transatlantic review [offprint]: No. 14, autumn 1963. London: s.n..

OCLC (2010) WorldCat, Retrieved using First Search.

I will like to apply for a grant for services to the homeless, help me locate the names and contact information for three foundations to which I can apply for the grant.

Contact information regarding foundations will be found in a specialized directory. In this case the Founders Directory Online, a featured resource at Buley Library. An index driven interface allows a search for grantmakers offering grants for homeless or human services or homeless. The search can also be narrowed by looking only in Connecticut to organizations accepting applications. The following foundations where chosen from a list of 27 because they may provide grants to the Northwest Corner of Connecticut.

Swindells Charitable Foundation

c/o Bank of America, N.A.
777 Main St., CT2-102-22-02
Hartford, CT 06115-2303
Telephone: (860) 952-7405
Contact: Kate Kerchaert, Sr. Prog. Off.
Fax: (860) 952-7395
E-mail: kate.kerchaert@baml….
URL: www.bankofamerica.com/grantmak..

The Connecticut Community Foundation

(formerly The Waterbury Foundation)
43 Field St.
Waterbury, CT 06702-1906
Telephone: (203) 753-1315
Fax: (203) 756-3054
E-mail: info@conncf.org
URL: conncf.org

NewAlliance Foundation, Inc.

195 Church St., 14th Fl.
New Haven, CT 06510-2009
Telephone: (203) 784-5042
Contact: Kim A. Healey, Exec. Dir.
Fax: (203) 772-0254
E-mail: khealey@newallianceb…
URL: www.newalliancebank.com/about/…

Foundation Center (2010).  Foundation Directory Online Professional. Retrieved from

http://0-fconline.foundationcenter.org.www.consuls.org/prof_search.php

I need an article on world geography Lesson Plan that discusses Gender Equity.

Not being familiar with resource for lessons plans, the Buley online databases subject index is a good starting point. There a list of education specific databases is found. The KCDL Online database is chosen as it is a curriculum development library.  Using the advanced search feature entries are located in the field of Social Sciences dealing with the subjects of gender bias, gender differences or gender discrimination, and that included lesson plans. No limitations are put on grade level, issuing agency, state, country or publication year. The following are the results.

Social Sciences
Amnesty International U.S.A.
Intended Consequences: Genocide Mothers; Children of Rape.
RISE! Revolutionary Women Reenvisioning Afghanistan Companion Curriculum.
The Kite Runner Companion Curriculum.
Buck Institute for Education
Problem Based Government.
Institute on Religion and Civic Values (formerly Council on Islamic Education)
Online Lesson Plans for the documentary film Frontline: Muslims.
Teaching Tolerance, A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
Vietnamese Americans: Lessons in American History.
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Modules on Major Topics in American History: The Tumultuous 1960s.

Kcdlonline. (2010). Kraus Curriculum Development Library. The Rowman Littlefield       Publishing Group. Retrieved from http://tiny.cc/q1v6a

The distance librarian at Buley Library published an article on “Second Life.” I will like to the full title of the article and where I can get a copy of the article.

A user is looking for an article a librarian has written. This calls for a search against a Library specific index of journals. Using the EBSCO interface to search against Library, Information Science & Technology Database while using second life in the subject field and (Buley library or Southern Connecticut State University) in the keyword will produce the desired results. The second result retrieved using this search criteria is the article the patron is seeking.

Exploring Virtual Librarianship: Second Life Library 2.0.Citation Only Available By: Hedreen, Rebecca C.; Johnson, Jennifer L.; Lundy, Mack A.; Burnette, Peg; Perryman, Carol; Van Den Brekel, Guus; Jacobson, J. J.; Gullett, Matt; Czarnecki, Kelly. Internet Reference Services Quarterly, 2008, Vol. 13 Issue 2/3, p167-195, 29p, 16 Black and White Photographs; DOI: 10.1080/10875300802103833; (AN 33777473)

Subjects: DIGITAL libraries; LIBRARY 2.0; WEB-based instruction; INTERNET in education; PUBLIC services (Libraries); ACADEMIC libraries — Effect of technological innovations on; Libraries and Archives; WEB librarianship; VIRTUAL reality; SECOND Life (Game); COMPUTER games

Database: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts

The Author Affiliation information on the entry confirms that author #1,  Hedreen, Rebecca C., is the Coordinator for Distance Education at Buley Library, Southern Connecticut State University.

Hedreen, R., Johnson, J., Lundy, M., Burnette, P., Perryman, C., Van Den Brekel, G., et al.          (2008). Exploring Virtual Librarianship: Second Life Library 2.0. Internet Reference   Services Quarterly, 13(2/3), 167-195. doi:10.1080/10875300802103833.

III. INTERNET

What was the editorial in New York Times on November 1st, 2001

Since the user is looking for relatively recent information that was published in the New York Times going directly to the New York Times Web site at http://www.nytimes.com/ to search back issues is a logical step. From that site the keywords November 1, 2001 editorial can be entered into the search bar. The results reveal that there was more than one editorial printed on November 1, 2001. The following are the results from the editorial desk.

Your search has been narrowed to results published on November 1, 2001.

·         Tough Economic Times Ahead – Editorial

Yesterday President Bush bluntly encouraged Congress to ”get to work” on an economic stimulus package and bring a bill to his desk by the …November 1, 2001 – Editorial Desk

·         Restoring Confidence in Air Travel – Editorial

With many Americans still too worried about the level of airport security to resume flying, and Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta …November 1, 2001 – Editorial Desk

·         A Puzzling Anthrax Death – Editorial

The death from inhalation anthrax yesterday of a woman who worked at a hospital in New York adds a puzzling new dimension to the anthrax …November 1, 2001 – Editorial Desk

Editorial opinion: Tough Economic Times Ahead. (2001, November 1) New York Times Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/

Editorial opinion: Restoring Confidence in Air Travel. (2001, November 1) New York Times Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/
Editorial opinion: A Puzzling Anthrax Death. (2001, November 1) New York Times Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/

I need an article that discusses “Multiple Personality Issues” published in the last five years.

A general search was done using the keywords psychiatry journal to identify an appropriate journal to search. The American Journal of Psychiatry was selected and can be retrieved at http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/index.dtl. At that site a general keyword search on multiple personality issues returned the following article.

Rottman, B.M., Ahn, W., Sainslow, C. A. and Kim, N.S. (2009) Can Clinician Recognize DSM-  IV Personality Disorders From Five-Factor Model Descriptions of Patient Cases? American Journal of Psychiatry 166:427-433.  doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.08070972

I want to borrow a book from a public library with the title, The thing around your neck.  I live in Hamden CT, which is the nearest public library that owns the book and how do I get to the library from 126 Ursini Drive? How far is the library from my house?

Since this patron is from Connecticut and interested in driving to the nearest library that has the request book title, AGent:the Connecticut State Online Library Catalog, is an excellent source for finding a copy of the title.

Before I use AGent the USPS zip code locator retrieved at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp is used to determine the zip code for the address 126 Ursini Drive. It is determine that 06514 is the correct zip code. This will allow me to rank the results from AGent by distance from the patrons’ home to holding library.

Zip Code Lookup (2010). United States Postal Service, Retrieved at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/zcl_0_results.jsp

The search feature in AGent is used to look for a book with the title “Thing around your neck”. The Limit Results for Library Catalogs:Library Location and /or Distance feature is also used. By inputting the zip code of the patron from Ursini Drive the results can be ranked by distance from the patrons’ home. Executing the search reveals 57 copies of this title are in the state catalog. Expanding the results to show the list of holding libraries one can see the left hand column list the miles of the holding library from the zip 06514. By clicking on the miles column header, the list is sorted from the closest to furthest. The closest library is the Hamden Public Library at 3.3 miles. The search results may be retrieved at http://tinyurl.com/2562my4. Using the Map Location button I may get directions for the patron. Also, by clicking on the name of the library one may obtain the phone number of the ILL department. This allows one to call ahead and have the library set the book aside for the patron before they drive over, just in case it’s not on the shelf. The state library system does not list the status of items.

What is the current number of U.S. fatalities in the current war in Afghanistan?

An accurate answer to this question would be found in a government source. The United States Department of Defense website at http://www.defense.gov/ is a likely source. A search is executed using the terms Afghanistan fatalities 2010. The first document reveals the data sought.

As of August 4, 2010, 10 a.m. the total U.S. causalities in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom(OEF) are 1,204.

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) U.S. Casualty Status: Fatalities as of August 4, 2010, 10a.m. EDT, Retrieved from http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf

I am looking for a journal article on a new Teacher Tool, white boards and a meta-analysis.

After doing a general search using the keywords education and journal it was discovered that many education journal are hosted by Sage Journals online at http://online.sagepub.com/. A search is executed using the keywords whiteboard, and meta-analysis. The following article was retrieved:

Nesbit, J.C. and Adesope, O.O. (2006). Learning with Concepts and Knowledge Maps : A Meta-Analysis, Review of Educational Research, Fall, Vol. 76, No. 3, pp. 413-448. Retrieved on August 4, 2010 from doi: 10.3102/00346543076003413 using Sage journals online.

Only the abstract of this journal was available without a subscription.

I hear that the banks have been prohibited from charging overdraft fees on ATM transactions – I need to find the details of the rule.

The most reliable source for legislative action would be a government source. Since this question deals with banking regulations the Federal Reserve website at http://www.federalreserve.gov/ is an appropriate source. From their home page there is a consumers information tab. The second entry under consumer information contains the information sought.

According to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2010) banks can no longer automatically enroll customers in overdraft protection plans, customer must opt-in. If customers do not opt-in the default will be that there is not overdraft protection. These new regulations do not apply to checks and automatic bill payments. Your bank may still automatically enroll you in their standard overdraft protection plan.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, (2010). What you need to know: New Overdraft Rules for Debit and ATM cards. Retrieved August 4, 2010 from             http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/wyntk_overdraft.htm.

When and where was the last earthquake, and how many people died in the disaster?

Since the patron here used the word disaster, we will assume that the patron is not interested hearing about milder earthquakes that are recorded daily by the United States Geographical Survey. Going directly to their home page at http://www.usgs.gov/ and after navigating to earthquakes section a site search is executed using the word fatalities. That presents the user with a host of options including links to earthquakes with over 1,000 deaths, over 5,000 deaths or earthquakes Magnitude 8 and over. If the patron was available one could ask them to elaborate on what they where looking for and what the data will be used for. Lacking the actual patron we will define a disaster as 1,000 or more deaths. According to the USGS the most recent earthquake with over 1,000 deaths occurred on January 12, 2010. This event occurred in Haiti when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake resulted in 222,570 deaths.

USGS (2010). Earthquakes with 1,000 or More Deaths, USGS: Earthquake Hazards Program,  Retrieved on August 3 from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/world_deaths.php

Atlas of the World. 5^th ed (1997) New York: Oxford

Coverage/Organization: This atlas is organized geographically. Topics of special interest including,  World Statistics, World Geography, City Maps and World Maps are listed in the table on contents. The next 160 entries are numbered maps arranged by geographical area. They may be accessed by using the table of contents, if the general geographic location is know, or by using the comprehensive index, if the exact name of a location is known.

Currency/Accuracy: Published in 2009 the 16^th edition is available. This resource is considered an authoritative source of geographical data.

Authority: Oxford press is a reputable publisher. With each edition editors collaborate with geologists with different fields of concentration.

Legibility: The maps are clear with lots on contrast and are easy to read.

Scale: Scales for each map vary, but are clearly marked on the top of each page.

Projections: The map projection class used for each map is noted on each page.  It is the publications policy to select projections that involve the least distortion of size and distance. Most maps use a conic, azimuthal or cylindrical projection types. The difference between these three types of projections classes are explained in the introductory text.

Color: All maps are in full color with side bar guide to indicate the distance from sea level represented by the different colors.  Shades of blue are used for bodies of water. The colors for land masses vary depending on altitude above sea level with gray being at sea level and white being over 18,000 ft above sea level.

Symbols: Different symbols are used for different type of maps. A key for the symbols used for each of the different types of maps is provided on the stating page of a given section.

Index: The City Map section has its own index. The alphabetical index located at the back of the atlas lists the number map where the feature or place will be found. This is usually the largest scale at which the place appears. The map number is followed by the grid locations. The latitude and longitude of each place is also provided. Index entries are marked with symbols to indicate if they are rivers, countries or administrative area.

Price: $50.40

Gazetteers / Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary, 3^rd ed. (2007) Springfield Mass.:Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Coverage/Organization: With 54,000 detailed entries on everything from towns to continents, this source provides geographical and historical information about places around the globe. It includes 250 detailed maps and more than 130 tables. It also contains world population figures. The objective of this resource is to provide information on spelling, pronunciation, location, population, size, economy, and history where appropriate. In general, maps of regions, countries, or continents are in a smaller scale. For instance the map of the United States is drawn to a scale of 400 miles per 1.5 inches, and the map of Connecticut is drawn to a scale of 12 miles per inch. The United States of America, Canada and other English speaking parts of the world are covered in more detail than other areas of the world.

Currency/Accuracy: Last major revision in 1997. This is a good resource for historical data or for data about countries that have been stable for the past 13 years.

Authority: Merriam-Webster is a reputable publisher and this resource is considered a leading source of geographical data. Maps in this book are provided by the Cartography Department of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Legibility: This dictionary is presented in an easy to use format. All entries are alphabetical with entry titles in bold print, and guide words printed on the top of each page for easy access.

Scale: The scale varies by map, but is noted for each map.

Projections: This resource offers a comprehensive overview on the classes of projections. It also includes a table the most common map projections with their common uses. It does not however note on the maps what projection style is used.

Color: Black and white throughout, with good contrast for easy reading.

Symbols: Symbols are clear and easy to distinguish. A table of all symbols used is provided.

Index: All entries are alphabetical, with cross reference entries listed within the body of the text.

Price: $34.95

Introduction

This paper provides evaluations of geographical source including atlases, gazetteers and dictionaries. At the conclusion a comparison is made about these different sources for geographical data. This is a group assignment and each student evaluated one atlas and one gazetteer or dictionary. Holly Duffy evaluated Hammond World Atlas and The Columbia gazetteer of the world, the first item in each section. Denise Butwill evaluated Atlas of the World and Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary, the second item in each section. Anna Cierocki evaluated The Comprehensive Times Atlas of the World and Cambridge World Gazetteer: A Geographical Dictionary, the third item in each section. Leah Gray evaluated Atlas of the Universe. Rev. ed and Guide to Places of the World, the fourth item in each section.

1.0 Atlases

1.1 Hammond World Atlas Corporation. (2008). Hammond world atlas. Union, N.J.: Hammond World Atlas Corporation.

Coverage/Organization: This atlas contains extensive information about our world in a variety of formats. It is organized into four main sections: Thematic Section, Satellite Section, Map Section, and Statistics and Index. The Thematic Section contains detailed information and photographs about general topics, such as the solar system, tsunamis, and human migration. Information is presented in the form of essays, captions, and short factual blurbs. The Satellite Section consists of satellite images of subjects such as the Earth’s surface and coastal formations. Information is presented through images and captions. The Map Section, which constitutes the majority of the reference resource, is made up of maps. There is a Table of Contents at the beginning of each section, which are organized by continent. The maps of the overall continents are followed by maps of smaller regions within those continents. The final section, the Statistics and Index section, includes statistics about countries, such as population data, languages spoken, capitals, and money systems; population of major global cities; a glossary of foreign terms; and an index of the entire resource totaling over 110,000 entries.

Currency/Accuracy: While the preface did not provide information about the frequency of updates, this revised edition includes updated information about population increases and recent world events, such as the recent tsunamis in Asia and Hurricane Katrina.

Authority: A wide variety of professionals have collaborated on this atlas, including cartographers, scientists, and artists. The Hammond World Atlas Corporation is also well-known for its accurate, detailed resources.

Color and Symbols: This resource contains vivid digital images that seem to leap off the page. The photographs in the thematic section are clear, while the satellite images were created using current advancements in technology. The maps are also very detailed and exhibit various physical and geographical characteristics of the areas they depict.

Index: The index located at the end of the resource is organized by subject and contains over 110,000 entries.

Price: The list price on the Hammond World Atlas Corporation’s website is $ 59.95, which is a reasonable price for a hard-cover resource that contains such detailed information and beautiful images.

1.2 Atlas of the World. 5^th ed (1997) New York: Oxford

Coverage/Organization: This atlas is organized geographically. Topics of special interest including,  World Statistics, World Geography, City Maps and World Maps are listed in the table on contents. The next 160 entries are numbered maps arranged by geographical area. They may be accessed by using the table of contents, if the general geographic location is know, or by using the comprehensive index, if the exact name of a location is known.

Currency/Accuracy: Published in 2009 the 16^th edition is available. This resource is considered an authoritative source of geographical data.

Authority: Oxford press is a reputable publisher. With each edition editors collaborate with geologists with different fields of concentration.

Legibility: The maps are clear with lots on contrast and are easy to read.

Scale: Scales for each map vary, but are clearly marked on the top of each page.

Projections: The map projection class used for each map is noted on each page.  It is the publications policy to select projections that involve the least distortion of size and distance. Most maps use a conic, azimuthal or cylindrical projection types. The difference between these three types of projections classes are explained in the introductory text.

Color: All maps are in full color with side bar guide to indicate the distance from sea level represented by the different colors.  Shades of blue are used for bodies of water. The colors for land masses vary depending on altitude above sea level with gray being at sea level and white being over 18,000 ft above sea level.

Symbols: Different symbols are used for different type of maps. A key for the symbols used for each of the different types of maps is provided on the stating page of a given section.

Index: The City Map section has its own index. The alphabetical index located at the back of the atlas lists the number map where the feature or place will be found. This is usually the largest scale at which the place appears. The map number is followed by the grid locations. The latitude and longitude of each place is also provided. Index entries are marked with symbols to indicate if they are rivers, countries or administrative area.

Price: $50.40

1.3 The Comprehensive Times Atlas of the World. 11^th ed. (2005) New York: Times Books.

Coverage/Organization: This atlas is broken into two parts: The Earth of Today and Atlas of the World. The Earth of Today includes “Images of Earth,” “Stars and Planets,” “The World of Today” which includes, informational paragraphs about earthquakes and volcanoes, climate, land cover, and other geographical features. This section also discusses the evolution of map and geographic information about continents, islands, mountains, oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, states and territories of the world. (p. 6.) The atlas includes a glossary of geographical terms.

Currency/Accuracy: This edition was published in 2003, with changes for the 2005 reprinting. Unlike the first 9 editions, the 10^th and 11^th editions include digitally rendered maps, which allow for greater accuracy than previous materials. A 12^th edition was published in 2008, and will therefore feature more current information.

Authority: This atlas is the 11^th in a long publication line, spanning since 1895. The series has a reputation for authority in the field of atlases. According to Bopp and Smith, this atlas is “regarded as the highest quality English-language world atlas” (p 469). Maps were derived from the collection of Collins Bartholomew, a respected firm of map data providers.

Color and Symbols: The maps feature a lot of information, without appearing cluttered. The atlas provides a detailed explanation of the symbols and projections used to mark the maps. This is useful as symbols vary by the scale of the map (p ii). Color is used effectively in the atlas portion to indicate boundaries, regions, and topography.  Color is used more artistically in the digitally rendered images in the Earth of Today portion of the text, and is useful in illustrating changes of vegetation (p 13).

Index: The name index contains over 200,000 location names and coordinates. Alternate names are cross-referenced for ease of use.

Price: A copy of the 12^th edition costs approximately $192.37 USD.

1.4 Moore, Patrick. Atlas of the Universe. Rev. ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005

Coverage/Organization: This atlas is written in such a way as to be easily understood by almost any reader at any astronomer level. The structure of the atlas is broken down into a multitude of subdivisions, so that there is no need to flip though countless pages to find one piece of information. The first section, Exploring the Universe, gives a brief history lesson, a technical lesson on telescopes, rockets, satellites, and the missions that man has undertaken. Moore covers just about every topic related to man’s interest and knowledge thus far of space. Moore devotes an entire chapter to the Sun, and then another chapter on stars, and another on the structure of the universe. Apart from the informative chapters, there is a section for the practical astronomer, and a number of star charts.

Currency/Accuracy: This atlas is updated with semi-regularity. Sir Moore revised the latest edition to include new scientific discoveries and technological developments.

Authority: A fully revised new edition by Sir Patrick Moore, revised several times since 1970, this atlas is view as a comprehensive and easily accessed guide to the universe. The cover states that it is “The Best Introduction to Astronomy” voted such by The Journal of the British Astronomical Association.

Color and Symbols: This atlas contains a numerous amount of photographs of the universe from powerful telescopes and satellites. There are also helpful simplified technical drawings in full color to explain and diagram the workings of telescopes and other observation tools. There are also many beautiful photos of facilities and technology all over the world, constructed to view the universe from Earth’s surface. There are photos, maps or diagrams on almost every page, making this atlas colorful and stimulating, while never detracting from the information contained within.

Index: The index is located at the end of the source and is organized alphabetically.

Price: $49.95

2.0 Gazetteers / Dictionaries

2.1 Cohen, Saul B. (Ed.). (2008). The Columbia gazetteer of the world. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press, 2008.

Coverage/Organization: This gazetteer is an extensive geographical resource. The print version consists of three volumes, divided alphabetically. Volume one contains a detailed preface and information about locations beginning with the letters A through G. Volume two includes locations beginning with H through O, and volume three consists of locations beginning with P through Z. According to the preface, the goal of this resource is to provide maximum coverage of places and features. Criteria for inclusion include elements such as population thresholds, differing national environments, and political frameworks. Its coverage includes information on the political world, including features such as geographic regions, countries, and provinces; the physical world, including continents, oceans, lakes, and peninsulas; and special places, including parks, reserves, airports, nuclear plants, and mythic places. The volumes contain approximately 170,000 entries.

Currency/Accuracy: According to the preface, this edition is an update of the 1998 version, which contained 163,000 entries. This version includes 7,000 new entries as well as revised versions of entries previously published. This resource is continually updated in the online version, and these updates are integrated into the print version at the time of publication.

Authority: According to the preface, a “board of 150 leading scholars” assisted in the revision of this edition (Cohen, 2008, p. v).

Entries: The amount of information varies from entry to entry, depending upon the size of the area described and the information available. Some entries are shorter annotations while others are longer essays. Entries include information such as demographics, physical geography, political boundaries, industry, historical and archaeological characteristics, longitude and latitude lines, and pronunciations. Every entry is in written form; there are no images (i.e. maps, photographs, etc.).

Index: There is neither an index nor a table of contents included in this resource.

Price: The price for the print edition of these volumes can be at least $450.00. The online version of the gazetteer is available through subscription.

2.2 Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary, 3^rd ed. (2007) Springfield Mass.:Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Coverage/Organization: With 54,000 detailed entries on everything from towns to continents, this source provides geographical and historical information about places around the globe. It includes 250 detailed maps and more than 130 tables. It also contains world population figures. The objective of this resource is to provide information on spelling, pronunciation, location, population, size, economy, and history where appropriate. In general, maps of regions, countries, or continents are in a smaller scale. For instance the map of the United States is drawn to a scale of 400 miles per 1.5 inches, and the map of Connecticut is drawn to a scale of 12 miles per inch. The United States of America, Canada and other English speaking parts of the world are covered in more detail than other areas of the world.

Currency/Accuracy: Last major revision in 1997. This is a good resource for historical data or for data about countries that have been stable for the past 13 years.

Authority: Merriam-Webster is a reputable publisher and this resource is considered a leading source of geographical data. Maps in this book are provided by the Cartography Department of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Legibility: This dictionary is presented in an easy to use format. All entries are alphabetical with entry titles in bold print, and guide words printed on the top of each page for easy access.

Scale: The scale varies by map, but is noted for each map.

Projections: This resource offers a comprehensive overview on the classes of projections. It also includes a table the most common map projections with their common uses. It does not however note on the maps what projection style is used.

Color: Black and white throughout, with good contrast for easy reading.

Symbols: Symbols are clear and easy to distinguish. A table of all symbols used is provided.

Index: All entries are alphabetical, with cross reference entries listed within the body of the text.

Price: $34.95

2.3 Munro, David. (Ed.). (1988). Cambridge World Gazetteer: A Geographical Dictionary. (5th ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press.
(Formerly titled Chambers World Gazetteer).

Coverage/Organization: As implied by the title, The Cambridge World Gazetteer covers all of the globe, although the preface acknowledges that there are gaps in the coverage. The Gazetteer includes information on cities, regions, countries, physical features, national parks, and international economic and culture regions (Munro, vi).

Currency/Accuracy: This edition was published in 1988. Because geography is a volatile subject, a resource that is 22 years old is neither the most accurate nor the most current source. For example, this volume was published before the fall of the Berlin Wall; East and West Germany are still divided in this gazetteer.

Authority: This edition was compiled in conjunction with the Department of Geography at the University of Edinburgh. Statistical data has also been collected from a wide variety of sources, including universities, chambers of commerce, statistical yearbooks, and country governments (Munro, vii).

Entries: Entries may include any of the following pieces of information, where applicable: location pronunciation, time zone(s), language, official name, population, religion, currency, international organization membership (e.g. UNICEF), physical description, climate, rainfall, government and constitution, industry, economy, agriculture, and administrative divisions. Maps included within the atlas section are in color.

Index: There is a table of contents that list items such as the preface, abbreviations of international organizations, gazetteer, and world atlas. Entries are listed in alphabetical order. In the case of identically named locations in different countries, they are arranged first by location name, then by country. Entries are also cross-referenced in the event of locations with alternative names (Munro, viii-ix).

Price: Copies of the Cambridge World Gazetteer 5^th edition can be found online for around $40 USD.

2.4 Guide to Places of the World. 2d ed. New York : Reader’s Digest Association,1995.

Coverage/Organization: This guide has over 47,000 entries from around the world, and includes maps of countries, towns and cities. They are alphabetically arranged by location.

Currency/Accuracy: There has not been any record of a new edition that I could locate past the 1995 edition. So the accuracy of this guide can be questioned as to currency.

Authority: Reader’s Digest is a respected publisher, known to release well written, and well structured guides and books.

Entries: The entries seem to vary depending on the location. Some entries can be several paragraphs for smaller places with less attractions. But there are many entries that can be up to several pages.

Price: As this guide has not been updated recently, it can be found for as little as $1 plus shipping.

3.0 Comparison

According to Cassell (2009), an atlas is “a collection of maps with some unifying theme (Cassell, 2009. p. 215). A gazetteer or dictionary, however, is “an alphabetical list of place names with information that can be used to locate the areas that the names are associated with” (Johnson as cited in Cassell, 2009, p. 215). The geographical sources evaluated here are accurate examples of these definitions. Hammond World Atlas does contain a large section of maps of areas around the world, in addition to the statistical index, thematic section, and satellite images. Much of the information in this resource is presented through images and photographs. Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary contains very few black and white maps. It is a listing of the names of geographical locations along with facts about those geographical locations, such as populations, governmental structures, and physical features.

Bibliography

Bopp, R. E., & Smith, L. C. (2001). Reference and Information Services. Englewood,        CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Cassell, K. A., and Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and Information Services in the 21^st Century:An Introduction. New York/London: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

The Library of Congress catalog is used to organize “the largest library in the word, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.” (Library of Congress, 2010, About the Library) The catalog is vital in having the library fulfill its’ mission of making “resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.” (Library of Congress, 2010, About the Library)

What is a national union catalog?
A national union catalog is a catalog of bibliographical data from the holding in libraries and institution across a nation.

In the United States

“ The National Union Catalog (NUC) is a record of publications held in more than eleven hundred libraries in the United States and Canada, including the Library of Congress. Major portions of the NUC are published in two principal series: one covering post-1955 publications and the other pre-1956 imprints. Since 1983, the NUC has been issued on microfiche. The NUC, an author catalog, contains some entries for works in the Library’s collections that are not listed in its own general catalogs; consequently, it should be consulted in any thorough examination of the Library’s resources” (Library of Congress, 2010, National Union Catalog).

Although most of the information from the NUC can be found in WorldCat, some bibliographic information is only available in the NUC (Cassell & Hiremath, 2009, p. 60).

What is a union catalog?

Any catalog that list records from several libraries is a union catalog. (Cassell & Hiremath, 2009, p.60) In the state of Connecticut many public and academic libraries participate in ICONN, the state request system. For example, using ICONN students can request text books, held in the circulating collection of an academic library, be delivered to a local library.

What is WorldCat?

WorldCat is the online union catalog of Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). The huge shared resource combined with the extensive retrospective conversion projects make this shared catalog the first bibliographic source of choice for materials from all time periods (Bopp & Smith, 2001, p. 487). Listings from the Library of Congress Online Catalog can also be found on WorldCat.

The Library of Congress utilizes OCLC WorldCat as a user gateway for free searching for the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) program. The mission of NUCMC is to “provide and promote bibliographic access to the nation’s documentary heritage. This mission is realized by NUCMC production of cataloging describing archival and manuscript collections held by eligible repositories located throughout the United States and its territories. (Library of Congress, 2010,NUCMC)

Is there a difference between the Library of Congress catalog and the British Catalog? The Library of Congress is not a national library, although it does function much in the same way. In the United States there is no legal requirement to file published works with the Library of Congress. However, since 1978 all copyrighted works must be filed with the Copyright Office at the Library of Congress. From there the Library of Congress has access to any copyrighted works it would like to include in the Library of Congress Catalog. In the United Kingdom, all U.K. and Irish publishers are required by law to submit a copy of all new published works to the British Library (Cassell & Hiremath, 2009, p. 59).

The British Catalog is a more complete record of its countries published works because of the mandatory filing of all published works.  The Library of Congress Subject headings are used in the British Catalog (Bopp & Smith, 2001, p. 490).

Why is the Library of Congress catalog important in the bibliographic control?

The Library of Congress catalog is considered the authoritative source regarding bibliographical data.  Any questions on author spelling or titles defer to the Library of Congress catalog.  The Library of Congress is a central cataloging clearinghouse. This insures standardized records and limits the amount cataloging required by local librarians (Katz, 2002, p.103).

The Library of Congress has convened a Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control to examine the future of bibliographic description in the 21st century. Based on the work groups final report the Library of Congress recognizes its role in providing high quality bibliographic data to many libraries around the world and plans to continue that legacy into the 21^st century (Marcum, D. B., 2008).

Bibliography

American Library Association, Library Champions (2003) Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/alonlinecontent/alonlinehomepage/cha   mpion053003.pdf

Bopp, R. E., and Smith, L. C. (2001). Reference and Information Services: An Introducation. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited

Cassell, K. A., and Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and Information Services in the 21^st Century:  An Introduction. New York/London: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Katz, W. A. (2002). Introduction to Reference Work: Reference Services and Reference  Processes, Volume I. Boston: McGraw Hill

Library of Congress (2010). About the Library. Retrieved form http://www.loc.gov/about/

Library of Congress (2010) NUCMC, National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections,  Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/about.html

Marcum, D. B. (2008) Response toOn the Record: Report of the Library of  Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/news/LCWGResponse-Marcum-Final- 061008.pdf

This paper documents the observations and personal experiences noted after first monitoring and then soliciting help from the reference librarians at two libraries. One library is the public library in a small city. The second is the academic library of a state university. In both cases the observations are made before the reference librarian is asked for personal assistance. During both phases of the project the reference librarians behaviors where compared to model behaviors defined as industry standards by Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers (2004) published by Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA);  Bopp and Smith’s Reference and Information Services: An Introduction; and Cassell and Hiremath’s  Reference and Information Services in the 21^st Century: An Introduction.

Keywords: Reference Librarian, Model Behavior, Library Visits

A successful encounter with a reference librarian is one where the user comes away having received the information sought and where the user feels they is treated well.  From the libraries standpoint, the encounter is successful if the librarian is able to provide the information that the user requests and is able to establish a relationship that encourages the user to return with future inquires. The successful transaction requires a balance between verbal and non verbal communication, but before the reference librarian can have a successful encounter the user must find the librarian.

Getting to the Librarian

The library’s non-verbal communication starts when the user sets out to locate the library and it’s reference desk. This sets the tone for how welcomed the patron feels and how comfortable the user will be in the new environment. For these reasons the importance of signage and entranceways should not be overlooked. They are gateways to the reference interview.

The academic library has a large banner clearly making the entrance to the library building. This is a welcomed sign for first time users. Once in the building, a user is greeted by security personal. Although the reference and circulation desks are not in site, there are maps to orient users. When approaching the reference desk from the main entrance, the user is greeted by the back of the reference librarian. If the librarian rotates her position 45 degrees the librarian would then face the stacks and the work tables. Also, her back would then be to a wall and not to new users entering the building, perhaps for the first time.

The public library is a stately stone building across the street from the green.  It appears that the entrance is the main doors facing the green, but when circling the building to find the municipal lot, it becomes clear that the entrance is a smaller street level door on the side of the building. The door is well marked and surrounded by book drops. As a user enters a sign on the door notes that this library participates in ConnectiCard; all Connecticut library card holders are invited to use its services (ConnectiCard, 2010). After negotiating a few steps the user is presented with large clear signage marking the circulation desk, the information desk and the children’s room.

Approachability of the Librarian

Once the reference desk in each of the libraries was located, each was staffed by a friendly, approachable librarian. The librarians at both locations used techniques defined by Cassell and Hiremath for establishing rapport with the user, including nonverbal signals such as “eye contact, body orientation and movement toward the user” (2009, p.17).  Cassell and Hiremath also note that these same nonverbal forms of communication can also signal availability to users (2009, p. 17).

The librarian at the academic library sits on a stool at making her at eye level with standing patrons. Although she is busy working she is quick to break away and smile at anyone passing or approaching. When users approach her desk she leans forward to show her availability.

In the public library there are two librarians working at the “Information Desk”. These ladies spent much time standing  to speak with users at eye level because their desk is low. Usually users are waiting for one transaction to end before the next user gets the librarian’s attention.  In most cases the librarians acknowledged users waiting in line with a form on nonverbal communication such as: a smile, raising the eyebrows, or a finger in the air to indicate one moment. It is clear that one librarian is the lead; she handled most of the users. The second worker at the reference desk is not very approachable and unless the lead librarian is busy and a user approaches her directly she does not assist users.  The observations and personal experiences documented in the remained of this paper refer to the lead librarian.

My personal experience did not differ from my observations. At both locations when I approached the reference desk the librarian looked up, made and maintained eye contact, and leaned forward to express interest. In both cases the librarians appeared eager to assist patrons.

Assessment of the Information Need by the Librarian

How well the eager librarians are assessing the user’s needs is hard to determine by observation. One exception is a transaction at the public library where the librarian is unfamiliar with Adobe reader. The patron wants to open and to print an Adobe document stored on a flash drive. The librarian sends the user to the computer to find out for himself if the functionality is available. The software is available, and the user is able to print his document. However, the librarian missed a learning opportunity for herself by not following up with the patron.

For the personal experience, I told each reference librarian that I am a student taking a reference class and would appreciate it they could give me an overview of their reference collection. I specified that I would appreciate it if they could highlight materials that they often refer patrons to. In both environments the librarian began the reference interview by assessing what materials I am familiar with and what formats I am interested in learning about. Bopp and Smith defines the first step in negotiating the question as ascertaining the scope of the question (2001, p.54-55). Specifically, both librarians inquire if I am familiar with the online catalog and databases.  In both cases I am familiar with the online materials and requested that they concentrate on the printed materials in their collections.

In both cases the librarians respond to the request for information with a closed question “are you familiar with our online catalog and databases?” The librarian at the public library followed up with an open ended question “what types of printed references materials are you looking to become familiar with?” This open question led to my referring to a list of prototype tools. The librarian followed up with closed questions such as “would you be interested in reference materials in the circulating collection?”

Communication patters, search behavior, and user education

After the initial question the librarian’s styles differ dramatically. The librarian from the public library escorted me to the print reference collection and pointed out two other sub collections stored in different areas of the library. She also verbally told me how to look up reference materials by prototype tool using the webpac. For instance by using the word “almanac” in a key word search I would be able to see all almanacs owned by the library, those in the reference and circulating collection. She also gave instruction on what types of users and questions would require which reference tools. For instance she noted that new authors often consult the Gale directory of publications and broadcast media.

At the academic library, once the librarian determines that my interest is in printed reference material, she uses the map on her desk to point out the different sections of the large reference collection. When asked which tools she most frequently uses, she mentions that ready reference books she keeps behind her desk. She does not take out any of the ready reference books for examination nor does she mention the books by title. After speaking with the reference librarian, I spent over and hour browsing the reference collection. During that time no one follows up with me or asks if I need assistance. The librarian at the academic library does not leave her chair once during my observations.

Attentiveness to user

During my observations period, librarians at both libraries were attentive to their users. In both environments the librarians put down their work and greeted the user with a warm smile. Usually asking “may I help you?” if the user did not immediately state their needs. At the pubic library the librarian also stands to address the user. Due to the different desk configuration at the academic library this action was not necessary or appropriate. At the public library there are two instances where the users are inappropriately treated. The first instance is when another staff member interrupts the reference librarian while she is engaged with a patron. Another instance is when the reference librarian is having a personal conversation with a patron and allows another user to wait without acknowledging that user. More than one of the exchanges at the public library requires the librarian to direct the user to another area of the reference section. In those cases she accompanies the user to the area in question.

When I initially approach the reference librarian at the public library she asks if I could wait a few minutes before she shows me around. She takes care of waiting patrons and then asks her co-worker to be attentive to the reference desk as she steps away for a few minutes.  This allows her to give me her full attention. As a user there is a sense that she is taking my request seriously. At the academic library the librarian does not seem interested in the request once it is established that the request could not be fulfilled using the online databases.

Accuracy of the Search

My request for information was not satisfactorily met by the librarian at the academic library. There could be a few reasons for this. It may be that she was unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the print collection. Perhaps she was uncomfortable leaving her station, or finally perhaps she assumed that referring to a collection as ready reference was sufficient; that the user would have a complete understanding of the books that would be in a ready reference collection. Whatever the reason she leaves the user with a sense that she is unfamiliar with the print collection and glad to be done with the transaction.

The librarian at the public library was going beyond basic service with almost every transaction. She showed a clear understanding of the print reference materials and easily describes the volumes that she finds most helpful. Using the list of prototype tools she gave at least one helpful example from each category. She also pointed out materials that are considered essentials in any print reference collection including Holiday, festivals, and celebrations of the world dictionary.

Follow-Up Behaviors

The Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers states that during the follow-up the librarian “asks patrons if their questions have been completely answered”, uses roving as a “technique for follow-up” and “takes care not to end the reference interview prematurely” (2004). All of those techniques were employed by the reference librarian in the public library. She completed most transactions with “may I help you find anything else?” The librarian at the academic library receives a failing grade when it comes to follow-up behaviors. She did not ask any questions other than “are you familiar with the online catalog and databases?” She did not ask if I had any other questions, she did not rove the stacks, and she ended the reference interview prematurely.

Patron Satisfaction

Based on my personal experience I would go back to the librarian at the public library without hesitation. She showed interest in my request, took it seriously, made time to help me and showed me more than I thought to ask about. As described by Cassell and Hiremath “the value added answer goes a step beyond merely providing the right resources” (2009, p.41).  By showing me which resources she finds most valuable and by revealing what members of the community use which resources she conveys exactly the information I wanted; Although, not exactly what I asked for.  Also, by using my class assigned list of prototype tools, she touched on parts of the collection that I would not have thought to ask about including: local building codes for government documents and the America’s top rated cities: A statistical handbook for handbooks.

I would hesitate to use the librarian from the academic library again. Although she is pleasant and engaging, she does not add any value to my search. The only information gain from our exchange is that there is a collection of ready reference books behind her desk. If I was in need of help with an electronic database I would give her a second change to make a first impression.

Overall Impression/Evaluation

The act of accompanying the user to the stacks opens the door for user education in the public library. By not accompanying the user to the stacks the reference librarian at the academic library in essence prematurely ends the reference interview. Cassell and Hiremath note that “as the exchange proceeds, including the user will give the librarian the opportunity to other information about how to use the library that may be helpful to the user in the future (2009, p.20). This is exactly what the reference librarian in the public library did and why her transaction is rated as a value-added transaction.

All three sources referred to for model behaviors regarding the reference interview emphasis the need to ask open questions. This technique was not used by the librarian at the academic library. She took my request at face value and although she did answer the question she did not get at the heart of the information sought.

The public library did a better job of following item 1.1 in Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers regarding approachability. Item 1.1 stresses the importance of “having Reference Services in a highly visible location and using proper signage. (2004)  Finding the entrance to the academic library was easier; however, once the door was located the public library did a better job of greeting and orienting new users. The public library could improve its signage by defining what being a member of ConnectiCard means, and by putting signage on the front doors advising pedestrians to use the door around the corner. 

At the public library the librarian educated the user about even what one might assume to be obvious resources. For instance she took time to point out the dictionary collection, whereas the academic librarian left the exploration and searching up to the user. Based on this study and supported by Bopp and Smith it is important that librarians give users information at a level that they can understand (2001, p58). It is better to error on the side of too simple such as touring the dictionaries, than breezing over key information like what books are kept in the ready reference collection.

Bibliography

Bopp, R. E., and Smith, L. C. (2001). Reference and Information Services: An Introducation.Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited

Cassell, K. A., and Hiremath, U. (2009). Reference and Information Services in the 21^st Century: An Introduction. New York/London: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.

ConnectiCard Retrieved from http://ccard.ctlibraryassociation.org/index.html on June 12, 2010.

Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers (2004).  Retrieved from             http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidelinesbehavioral.cfm on   June 12, 2010

In this assignment articles are found using the EBSCO databases. Using the save to folder and export feature the bibliographic data is send to EndNote Web. Using EndNote Web the following bibliography is created.

Bibliography for Reference 2.0

Drew, W. B. (2008). Reference 2.0 or Just Good Reference? One-Person Library, 24(9),   10-10.

Hellyer, P. (2009). Reference 2.0: The future of shrinking print reference collections seems destined for the Web. (cover story). AALL Spectrum, 13(5), 24-27.

Mon, L., & Randeree, E. (2009). On the Boundaries of Reference Services: Questioning  and Library 2.0. Journal of Education for Library & Information Science, 50(3), 164-175.

Steiner, H. (2009). Reference utility of social networking sites: options and functionality.

Library Hi Tech News, 26(5/6), 4-6.

Bibliography for Training Public Services Librarians

Blowers, H., & Reed, L. (2007). The C’s of Our Sea Change: Plans for Training Staff, from Core Competencies to LEARNING 2.0. Computers in Libraries, 27(2), 10-        15.

Flaherty, M. G., & Roberts, L. E. S. (2009). Rural Outreach Training Efforts to Clinicians and Public Library Staff: NLM Resource Promotion. Journal of Consumer Health        on the Internet, 13(1), 14-30.

Ludditt, L., & Atkinson, S. (2008). Training staff to support the Skills for Life agenda. Library & Information Update, 7(7/8), 35-37.

Reed, L. (2010). When the Going Gets Tough, the Staff Needs More Training. Computers in Libraries, 30(3), 6-11.

Bibliography for Training for Adult Services Librarians

Ishihara, M. (2009). Career development of librarians. Training and career development of librarians: focusing on public libraries. Journal of Information Science &     Technology Association/Joho no Kagaku to Gijutsu, 59(2), 74-79.

Klinck, C. (2005). 10 STEPS Toward Better Training In Your Library. Ohio Libraries, 18(3), 8-12.

Mallinger, S. M. (1992). The training of librarians to work with adult unemployed: the Pennsylvania model (pp. 41-50).

Westbrook, L. (2006). Virtual Reference Training: The Second Generation. College & Research Libraries, 67(3), 249-259.

Bibliography for Poor People and Libraries

Are Public Libraries Criminalizing Poor People? (2005). Public Libraries, 44(3), 175-175.

Gehner, J. (2010). Libraries, Low-Income People, and Social Exclusion. Public Library Quarterly, 29(1), 39-47.

Holley, B. (2010). Random Ramblings — The Digital Divide. Against the Grain, 22(1), 52-54.

Stewart, B. (2010). Using Libraries to Help the Poor. Computers in Libraries, 30(4), 40- 40.

Bibliography for Life Long Learners in Public Libraries

Butcher, W., & Street, P.-A. (2009). LIFELONG LEARNING WITH OLDER ADULTS.  APLIS, 22(2), 64-70.

Petruzzi, T., & Burns, M. F. (2006). A Literacy Center Where? A Public Library Finds Space to Promote and Provide Family Learning Activities. Public Library   Quarterly, 25(1/2), 191-197.

Pinkston, J. (2009). Wanted: A Revolution in Library Continuing Education. Public Library Quarterly, 28(4), 295-311.

Van der Walt, F. (2008). THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY in teaching information literacy skills to children. Cape Librarian, 52(1), 14-16.

• Academic Library  – Hilton C. Buley Library, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515, www.library.southernct.edu/
• Public Library – Oliver Wolcott Library, 160 South Street, Litchfield, CT 06759, www.owlibrary.org

Both libraries have reference sections that contain items from each of the 10 course defined prototype tools. Both libraries subscribe to ICONN, which includes access to online periodicals and to the statewide library catalog. They both used shared catalogs that allow patrons to borrow materials from other participating libraries.  Buley uses conulus, the catalog of the Connecticut State University Libraries and the State Library. OWL uses Bibliomation a consortium of nearly 50 public libraries. Through ICONN these two libraries share the materials on their shelves, but membership in each library is required to gain access to their subscription databases outside of ICONN.  Buley has a large selection of academic and research databases to serve its student and professor population, while OWL subscribes to databases such as Consumer Reports and Novelist to serve its community of learners outside the classroom. While the print resources at Buley are much more extensive there were some similarities in the basic holding at each library. While OWL would have one set of books on Contemporary American Artists, Buley has an extensive section on Artists. Both libraries contained Literary Markey Place (LMP), the Rhyming dictionary, The New York Public Library Desk Reference and Who’s Who series among other shared titles. OWL also refers patrons to two other special libraries in town, the Law Library at the Litchfield Superior Court and the Litchfield Historical Society Library. According to the reference librarians at OWL and Buley the most frequently used print resource are “The code of borough of Litchfield” and “The Statistical Abstract of the United States” respectively.  While the majority of the materials in the printed reference section do not circulate there are exceptions.  At Buley there is a collection of computer technology that circulate, and at OWL there is a collection of government pamphlets published by the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Superior Court that circulate.   Buley offers a materials to support the research of students in its many undergraduate and graduate programs.  Buley also offers a dedicated intermediary.  Owl offers material to support the day to day operations of individuals in the community and contains many materials that are specific to Litchfield, its government and its history.  At OWL there is no separate dedicated reference desk.  Both libraries have collections that meet the needs of their communities.

Biography.com. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.biography.com

This biographical resource contains both current and retrospective biographical data. The scope is international, covering authors, politicians and celebrities. Famous and notorious figures from around the world and throughout recorded history have complete biographies. Each entry contains cited information. Entries are lengthy, often several pages long. The entries on this site are suitable for an adult audience. This source does provide both print and online suggestions for further reading. It also provides a list of related people. Updates are not done regularly for current international data as the president of Russia since 2008, Dmitry Medvedev is not listed, although his predecessor Vladimir Putin does have an entry. Many entries contain a photo, and some also have video clips. This resource is appropriate for users that want a comprehensive overview of a person’s life. Entries contain both person and profession information. This resource is free to users with internet access.

Biography Dictionary. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.s9.com.

This site contains both current and retrospective biographical data. The scope is international. Covering authors, politicians and celebrities. Entries may be edited by users who sign up for a free account. Famous and notorious figures from around the world and throughout recorded history have brief biographical entries. This source does not provide suggestions for further reading. Like Biography.com updates are not done regularly for all international figures as the president of Russia since 2008, Dmitry Medvedev is listed, but not as president of Russia. According to this source Vladimir Putin is still president. Some entries contain a photo. The entries on this site are suitable for anyone seeking brief biographical data, such as birth / death date and significant milestone(s). This resource is free to users with internet access.

Obituaries.com. (2010) Retrieved from http://www.obituaries.com

This resource is a good source of finding biographical data about people who have died. It varies greatly what time periods are covered as each newspaper has records going back different lengths of time. Most newspapers charge a small fee to read the entire obituary, but many offer a few sentences including birth and death date for free.  Users may search all newspapers at once, or may choose a specific paper to search. Search criteria allow for a general search by last name and first name, or an advanced search where last name, first name, obituary source, state, date range and/or keyword may be entered. Newspapers that are affiliated with Legacy.com are searched. The home page lists participating newspapers alphabetically by state. This is a particularly good source for information about the less famous, like local politicians and community leaders.

Biography Center. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.biography-center.com/

This resource is an index to biographies currently listed on the web. While there are four different search criteria listed, all involve scanning down long list of names to find the person of interest. Entries list only the persons name and then links to biographical web pages. The links are not annotated, but the site does allow for users to rank the site and uses a five star method for conveying the ranking. Many links are dead. The site relies on users to submit links and corrections to the site managers, who review the requested updates before applying the changes they find appropriate. They do not accept payment for the postings of any links.