Homework Help: Using Databases to Meet Your Young Patrons

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Homework HelpUsing Databases to Meet Your Young
Patrons Needs

• Presented by Sarah OShea
• Youth Services Librarian
• Tompkins County Public Library
• "Provided by the New York State Library, NOVEL is
  an online virtual library connecting New Yorkers
  to 21st century information via local libraries
  statewide. NOVEL is currently supported with
  temporary federal Library Services and Technology
  Act funds. New Century Libraries is an important
  statewide funding initiative currently before the
  Legislature that proposes permanent state funding
  for NOVEL."

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What Well Discuss Today

• How can you access the databases available
  through FLLS?
• Which databases are best for which homework
  subjects?
• How do you use some of the kid-friendly
  databases?
• How do you present your own Homework Help
  workshops?

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Helping Kids Gather the Information They Will Need

• What resources are needed?
• Are there any restrictions/ requirements given by
  the teacher?

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Accessing the Databases

• At the library
• www.flls.org
• Other libraries own web pages
• At home!
• One of the great aspects of databases!
• Let your students know!

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The Databases

• EBSCOhost and Novelist
• Searchasaurus
• TOPICsearch
• Gale InfoTrac General Reference Center
• Gale InfoTrac Junior Edition

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The Databases (Cont)

• Gale Literature Resource Center
• Grolier Online
• Encyclopedia Americana
• Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia
• Lands and Peoples
• The New Book of Popular Science
• The New Book of Popular Knowledge

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Lands and Peoples What is It?

• Online encyclopedia of countries, cultures, and
  current events
• Geared towards student readers
• Includes 330 articles each linked to a Facts and
  Figures box, map, and flag

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Lands and Peoples Why Would I Use It?

• Subjects Geography, Social Studies
• Grades Upper Elementary and Above
• Resources Encyclopedia articles, images, maps,
  flags, recipes

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Lands and Peoples How Would I Use It?

• My teacher wants me to find out what products are
  grown in Trinidad. Can you help me?
• We are studying France in class and we are
  supposed to bring in a recipe. Where can I find
  one?

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Lands and Peoples Now Its Your Turn!

• I am working on a group project on Grenada and I
  am in charge of finding out information on
  Grenadas weather, including the average
  temperature. Its due in one hour. You need to
  help me!!!

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Lands and Peoples For More Help

• Printing and Emailing
• How to cite
• Help link in upper right corner of screen or at
  bottom of screen

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Searchasaurus Ive never heard of that dinosaur!

• Full-text articles from over 50 of the most
  popular K-12 magazines
• Encyclopedia of Animals full-text over 2200
  entries including dinosaurs

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Searchasaurus Why Would I Use It?

• Subjects All (with an emphasis on animals)
• Grades Elementary
• Resources Magazines, pamphlets, almanacs,
  charts, graphs, images, encyclopedia images

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SearchasaurusHow Would I Use It?

• I am doing a report on gorillas for my 3rd grade
  class. I need to find out all the basic facts I
  can. Where should I look? Oh, and I need a
  picture.

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SearchasaurusNow Its Your Turn!

• My teacher wants me to find a magazine article on
  endangered species for class tomorrow. I dont
  know what magazine to start looking in. Can you
  help me???

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SearchasaurusFor More Help

• Printing and Emailing
• How to cite
• Need Help? on the island on the right of the
  screen
• Tutorial on the island on the right of the
  screen

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New Book of Popular ScienceWhat is It?

• Database providing users with the entire scope
  of science

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NB of Popular ScienceWhy Would I Use It?

• Subjects Science!
• GREAT for Science Fair projects!!
• Grades Middle school and Above
• Resources encyclopedia articles, images, science
  projects, and science biographies

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NB of Popular ScienceHow Would I Use It?

• I need to have an excellent experiment for
  science class on Magnets for our Science Fair
  this weekend or Ill flunk! Ive checked the
  shelves and all of your books on magnets are
  checked out! Please help me!!!

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NB of Popular ScienceNow Its Your Turn!

• I missed class today because I have the flu.
  (Child then sneezes on you.) My class watched a
  movie on Jane Goodall. I need to find out what
  she studies so that I can do my homework tonight.
  I think she is some kind of scientist. Do you
  know anything about her?

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NB of Popular ScienceFor More Help

• Printing and Emailing
• How to cite
• Help link on blue bar at bottom of screen

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Gale InfoTRAC Junior Edition K12 What is It?

• Periodical database for students in junior high
  and middle school
• Includes magazines, newspapers, and reference
  books (most are full-text)

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Junior Edition K12Why Would I Use It?

• Subjects All
• Grades Junior High and Middle School
• Resources magazines, newspapers, reference books

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Junior Edition K12How Would I Use It?

• Im doing a paper on Ralph Nader in the 2004
  election. I need at least 5 sources from various
  media. I started to skim through all our
  magazines at home, but I cant find anything
  can you help?

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Junior Edition K12Now Its Your Turn!

• I am doing a sixth grade paper on the war in Iraq
  including information on Saddam Hussein. Ive
  used several books, but they all have old
  information. Where should I look now?

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Junior Edition K12For More Help

• Printing/Emailing
• How to cite
• Help link on the left-hand side of screen
• Tool Box link on the left-hand side of screen

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Presenting your own Homework Help program

• Preparing
• Consider time length and age level
• Advertise well especially with schools
• Encourage parents to attend with child
• During Program
• Equipment
• Handouts Pre-surveys and Scavenger Hunts
• Canned Searches
• Stick to the basics, at first

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Now You Should Be Able to

• Access the databases through www.flls.org
• Identify which database to use for specific
  homework subjects
• Astound your young patrons with your searching
  skills and knowledge of several kid-friendly
  databases
• Present your own Homework Help program

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Contact Information

• Sarah OShea
• soshea_at_tcpl.org
• [phone] Ext. 272