Cows

At COMO, Carmen Agra Deedy talked about (and read aloud) her new book 14 Cows for America. It's the true story of the response to 9/11 of a Maasai warrior who was in NYC on Sept 11, 2001. The pictures are magnificent. The story is touching. I bought several copies and asked her to sign them for my children who were in NYC on that fateful day.

You know how I like to search in GALILEO for news stories and articles to confirm what I hear. I did a search for Kimeli Naiyomah (the Maasai warrior) in Academic Search Complete, Research Library (ProQuest), and Newspaper Source. I limited the search to 2001-2003. In both Newspaper Source and Academic Search Complete there was the abstract for the New York Times story "Where 9/11 News Is Late, but Aid Is Swift" [Jun 3, 2002].

I wondered if I could find the story full text some where else. You're already thinking- she's going to Lexis Nexis. Yes, that's where I went. I limited my search to News, entered the headline exactly, limited the search to The New York Times, and the past ten years. The complete story is available!

Now some folks think Lexis Nexis is difficult to use so I went to a resource provided by Chattahoochee Tech, NewsBank. This database is "complete full-text content of local and regional news, including community events, schools, politics, government policies, cultural activities, local companies, state industries, and people in the community."

I admit, it is a bit easier to use. I selected United States, typed in the entire headline and selected headline, limited the years to 2001-2003. The entire story is available. I noticed the e-mail link on the right in NewsBank allows me to send the citation to myself. I received the entire article but not a citation. I looked again and noticed a bibliography export link. In the center of that screen there is a box that tells me I can choose either citation format (MLA or APA). That citation help is very, very useful.

Maybe I'll go straight to NewsBank the next time I'm looking for a news story.

You may get the current password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.

-kls

What do I see?

Have you ever looked at something and not really seen it? I use GALILEO almost daily. I write about GALILEO resources regularly. I think I'm fairly conversant with GALILEO.

Last week as I stood in front of a class demonstrating Browse by Subject. I selected a subject, clicked on it and began to do my spiel on how to fill in the search boxes, select full text, peer reviewed, limit by date, pick extra databases to search, when I noticed the rest of the gray bar running to the right from the blue Search button. I saw Books & more and thought- what is that? I clicked on it and it took me to the Chattahoochee Tech catalog! Well, really it took me to a search box that went to the catalog.

I was amazed! I said- this must be new. Isn't this a great addition to GALILEO. Look at the Articles & databases, Journals & magazines, Other tools buttons - it's a complete library for this particular subject.

I need to thank the GALILEO folks for continuing to improve this resource.

At COMO, I stopped by the GALILEO booth to thank them and tell them how useful those extra tabs were....I watched them all turn slightly pale as I was exclaiming about this 'new' resource....when one said very quietly- oh my, if she didn't see the bar..... it had been on the page for a very long time.....I was embarrassed. What else have I not noticed in GALILEO's great bag of tricks?

Let's go exploring for other tools that are available to Georgians in GALILEO. You may get the password to use GALILEO at home from your Georgia librarian.

-kls