Thing 17 - ELM Productivity Tools

Our library makes extensive use of the ELM databases. Other than our electronic encyclopedia, they are our main source of electronic information. However, I went ahead and did all of the exercises anyway. There is always something new to be learned; sometimes just a change in interface causes glitches in my brain.

I went to the Star Tribune and did a search for pets and foreclosures and then established a search alert for those keywords. The process was simple and one that would be good for students to do, especially when they research current issues.

I also did a search for Second Life and libraries in Academic Search Premier and created an RSS search alert for that as well.

I created a test Web page using Page Composer and found it very easy to do although I don't know that I'll ever use it. I added a background, some text, a web link, and a horizontal rule, and moved some things around. I also added a link to an article on using digital video in the classroom from my results folder. 

I couldn't manage to save the Web page. It may have been because I was working in Safari. If I have time, I'll move to another computer and try it on Explorer.

I went to ProQuest Newsstand Complete and completed that research exercise, includin e-mailing the results to myself as a Web page. I also completed the NetLibrary exercise, although the book that I was searching disappeared when I logged in to my Pioneerland account so I had to choose a different book.

I am pleased to say that the English department and I have shown our junior and senior English students all of these tools with the exception of Page Composer, especially those that are taking college bound courses. Sometimes they even use them! I have also used them in my own research, especially when I was taking the coursework for the media program, but also since then.