Ebscohost and Gale Database Tips

Research papers are upon us - people are working on them in droves.  Many of you are told by your teachers to use the research databases like Ebscohost and Gale Powersearch.  If you're stuck, here's some tips I put together for one of the English classes.  I hope they help.

1)      To find the databases, click “Research” on the menu of the Library Media Center website. 

2)      There are two main research databases available to you (not including encyclopedias)

a.       Ebscohost - Use the Search box in the middle of the page to search some of the preselected Ebsco Databases or click on the Ebsco logo on the right to choose your own.

                                                               i.      Ask Mr. B. or Mrs. Webb for the password.

                                                             ii.      Ebsco citations are found by clicking on the article title and the clicking “Cite” on the tools menu to the right.  You will get the bibliographic citation for several different style manuals.

b.       Gale – Click on the link that reads “Gale Powersearch” in the table below the search boxes.

                                                               i.      Ask Mr. B. or Mrs. Webb for the password.

                                                             ii.      Gale citations are found at the bottom of any full text article or by clicking “Citation tools” on the menu to the right.

3)      Research databases contain articles written by academic professionals.  Do not expect

Destiny Quest Mobile App

Keep up with your library media center account on your smartphone!  With the new Destiny Quest app, you can renew your books, hold titles that you want to read, check your due dates, organize personal bookshelves, recommend books to others and submit book reviews.  In addition to these great features, you can also search the catalog to find library media center books and resources that you need. 

To get the app just search "Destiny Quest" in the app store of your iOS or Android device.  You'll need to input our catalog url: http://lisd-lib.lorenaisd.net/, choose your school, and then input your username and password (the same one you use for AR and computer logins). 

Coming soon, the app will allow you to check out and read our collection of ebooks on your device, though we are not sure when that will be available.  Until then, it's a pretty cool app by itself.  Check it out, and if you have any questions, ask Mr. B. or Mrs. Webb.

Dean Koontz - Author of the Month

Click to visit
DeanKoontz.com

Dean Koontz has written more than 50 novels and is touted as one of the greatest suspense authors of our time.  In spite of the chilling nature of many of his stories, Koontz has a great sense of humor that adds an element of fun to his otherwise frightening tales.

According to his website, Koontz won a fiction writing competition while in college and has pursued a career as an author ever since.  After working several jobs, his wife volunteered to support him for five years while he focused solely on writing.  By the end of that time, she had quit her job to work as his business manager.  Koontz has had 13 books reach #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Scan to download the
Dean Koontz App for iPhone.

Koontz does not have a Facebook or Twitter account (though he does have his own app for iPhone and iPod touch).  The best way to get to know about him is to check out his website and read the "Author Q&A" page.  He approaches these questions from fans with his signature humor, and you get a pretty good insight into who he is and why he writes.  Here's an excerpt:

Are you right or left-handed. I've heard that people who are left-handed (as I am) think differently from those that are right-handed.

Julia, I am right-handed, which would be all right except that I am one of those rare right-handed people who suffers from solodexterous ignoratio, a condition in which the right hand never knows what the left hand is doing. My right hand can be penning a love letter while my left hand is strangling an innocent passerby.My right hand can be sincerely waving bye-bye, while my left hand is making the most viciously obscene gestures, and my right hand remains blissfully clueless of what is transpiring only five fingers away. While engaged in a friendly shake with a new acquaintance, my right hand proceeds utterly unaware that my left hand is trying to gouge out this person’s eyes, thus the right hand is surprised and its feelings are hurt when the new acquaintance, for no reason apparent to the right hand, tries to crush its bones. Conversely, my left hand always knows what my right is doing, but that is another story.

We have several Koontz novels on display this month in fiction section.  Check one out today!