Task #12 NoveList Plus

I've always enjoyed using NoveList Plus from the first day we acquired the service. I have found the "plot description" feature to be especially useful when working with patrons - boy are they impressed - when you can clue them into an author they read eons ago and can't remember their name. Recommended Reads and Author Read-Alikes are also fantastic. How exciting to have so much information about books and reading at you fingertips! I use all of these features almost constantly.

Task #11 Book Report Network & Biographical Resource Center

I have found the Book Report Network to be a splendid site with unending information! I particularly like the Author Yellow Pages. I have in the past used Google to connect to author web sites - they are an excellent source of information and useful in answering reader's questions. This site is a wonderful awareness tool of new authors and their works. I felt the Reading Group Guides were also fantastic - the provided question can aid readers who are not in official reading groups but who desire to get "the most" out of what they are reading. Since this site covers books for all ages of readers there is something for everyone.

I have used the Biographical Resource Center with patrons and found it extremely useful. It has offered concise and well-rounded information. Students are able to easily follow its brevity without being overwhelmed - it is similar to the World Book in this regard. I researched Edward Kennedy and found the capsule information to be to the point and very helpful. In addition to personal information coverage included his awards and writings. The list of writings help the reader explore his beliefs and political views in greater detail.

Task #10 Master File Premier& Biographical Resource Center

I have always found Master File Premier to be extremely useful in finding consumer information of all kinds - especially in Consumer Reports. It allows you to easily specify full text and specify acceptable time ranges for your results. The graphics that show up under citations are very useful in quickly assessing the presence of comparative product charts - which are a major request of library users. Information on proper article and image citations (using different styles) and the ability to e-mail the article are also helpful - as is save to file, export, and add to folder. Searching under cereal with the time range specification of one year, I found 6 entries. I was surprised to find an index to images, a feature that I was unaware of. Images are a common patron request and can be tricky and time consuming to find.


I searched and obtained eight hits for actor Robert Redford in Biography Resource Center. Although the same information was repeated in more than one entry, the entries were clearly written and included a good outline of his career. A recent update noted his August 3, 2009 marriage to Sibylle Szaggers. Although there was a scarcity of information on his personal life, his desire for personal privacy was highlighted more than once. I found that database to be a great potential source for students.

Task #9 Weebly.com

Creating a website turned out to be fun and easier than I thought it would be. I can see why it is so useful to people. Many genealogical websites are created by individuals wishing to publish their family information to the world at large. Weebly turned out to be user friendly with help information readily available. My URL is http://greatbluemarble.weebly.com