Hello to my favorite mentoree!!  Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you.

I am going to reply in a very generic way, because this is a public blog.  If you are missing specifics – why don’t you give me a call some time and we’ll chat.  Or call the School Library Systems to check out the agreements that have been made with the individual vendors.

QUESTION:

If a middle school and a high school share the same building, can the databases be shared?

ANSWER

This is a gray area.   You should  check this out carefully with the SLS office.   What she tells you may change what you do this year – and might inform your decisions for next school year.

Some databases charge per pupil.  Some charge one amount for middle schools and another (higher)  amount for high schools.  It can also depend on the contract worked out with a particular vendor.  If the subscriptions were purchased via School Library System – calling the director is the best way to sort this out.

Back when our district secondary school was grades 7-12, we were able to purchase our databases and provide access to everyone if the pricing were per pupil.  If the vendor pricing depended upon whether it was a middle school or a high school, the vendors I used allowed us to subscribe at the middle school rate and make it available to all.  This was a bargain, because the middle school vs. high school rate is usually MUCH lower.  They allowed this because we were ONE library, serving both levels, and they were looking to get schools to purchase their products.  That said, I think it is most unlikely that they would allow this if there were 2 separate libraries, even if those libraries are in the same building.

Practically speaking, I think most vendors have gone to a per pupil charge.

Basically a per pupil charge means that the middle school and high school can use the databases as long as the district has paid for ALL the students in each school.  It makes no difference if the schools are attached or not.

HOWEVER, each school is given a different url and/or user name and password combination.  Using each other’s access would not be permitted according to their user agreements.

QUESTION:

Should I password protect the database page?

ANSWER:

The page itself on your web page does not need to be password protected – unless the web page lists the user names and passwords.  It is not legal to provide that info to anyone outside of the patrons you serve.  Obviously, posting log-in info would violate that – hence the need to password a page that posts such info.

I do know there is a way that a district page can be set up so that students have to put in their school id and password.  In that case, the database url can be set up so that no further user names and passwords are necessary.  This makes it much easier than having to use the array of log-in information we now use – different for each vendor.  I do NOT know how to do this.  I believe the Eric Bateman might be doing a workshop that will be about that at Library Leadership day.  I am not certain about that.

QUESTION:

I noticed you have your databases arranged by Books, Periodicals and Encyclopedias.  How would you define each one of these?  For instance Britannica is an encyclopedia.  I’m hoping that by categorizing them according to what they contain I can avoid some of the confusion about how to cite these resources.

ANSWER: This answer refers to our library database page .

I have made a big point lately of teaching resources by type of resource – not whether it is print or online.  Everything is available both ways now.  I feel that it is still important for kids to understand that not everything that comes to them via a computer screen is the same kind of information.  Periodical information tends to be popular or academic – and sometimes the information is more “synthesized”  than web pages where the information  can be more “raw”(less fact-checked).   Chapters and whole books online tend to have the most detailed information and are based on a wider variety of sources than a periodical article or web page.

For these reasons,  I have listed the databases by whether they provide strictly online book/reference books, or whether they provide a combination of reference book articles and periodical articles, or if they are newspaper databases.  One of the reasons I really like Gale products is that they make this distinction quite clear when presenting their results.  So – I have Gale Virtual Reference Library button under “books and encyclopedias” because that source accesses ONLY the Gale online reference series that I purchase as e-books.  I put Gale Power Search and other Gale databases under the “periodicals & books category “, because they provide access to both kinds of materials.  One of the reasons I really like Gale products is that they use tabs which make it very clear where the information is coming from.

QUESTION:

We subscribe to two databases through EBSCO, Facts on File and GALE (such as GALE Discovering Collection and Lit Finder).  Do I need to list both databases if the access point is the same or do I need to list them separately on the database page?

ANSWER:

I have split mine up.  Also – don’t forget that through NOVEL you have access to several EBSCO databases.  For instance, our Library subscribes to EBSCO MAS Ultra via our district funds, but we also have access to Topic Search and Primary Search via NOVEL.  I have chosen to put a general link to all the EBSCO databases, PLUS a direct link to Primary Search.   My reasoning?  Primary Search provides lower reading level materials and is therefore a good source for struggling readers.  Also, because it searches a smaller database, it is less overwhelming to struggling students.

I have Gale PowerSearch which technically searches ALL my Gale databases – but there are many times when it works best to search Opposing Viewpoints by itself, or Biography Resource Center by itself.   For that reason, I separate them all.

QUESTION:

What  free databases do all libraries in this are have?

ANSWER:

All the newspaper databases listed on my page are free via NOVEL.  (New York Online Virtual Electronic Library).  Obviously, also the NOVEL databases listed there on the top are free.  That one is a “federated” search tool that allows a search of ALL the NOVEL databases.  It requires a driver’s license – so that would be a bit of a barrier for your kids 🙂

For a complete list of what comes to us free via NOVEL, you should go to the RRLC web page and click on “electronic databases”.  This will give you information and access that does not require a driver’s license.  You should be able to get to all of them directly from school.  A password is needed at home.  If you do not know the password – shoot me an email and I will send it to you.

COMMENT:

Your page is looking great!