Go Librarying: AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
These days people are in information overload. There are so many ways to get information and some of it is sketchy. Just the way book reviews and book recommendations help people choose books, the library can help people navigate the flood of information on the internet by identifying reliable information.
This is part of a series highlighting databases available through the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library website. The library subscribes to the databases and the public can use their library card to access the information 24/7 -- that means even when the library is closed!
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL (Part of Grolier Online): Begin your homework research by using the J-MRL databases. Just use your library card to access the information. And since September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, this is a good time to be sure you have a library card.
America the Beautiful is organized around state articles, with each state and major territory covered in depth through a series of essays on their history, geography, economics, government, culture, and major cities. Hundreds of Fast Facts , and dozens of Timelines, Games, and Almanac entries are included. Find out some of the places in the United States you would like to visit by looking at U.S. Topics. This has information divided into three groupings: cities, spots of remarkable natural beauty (natural wonders), and sites where historic events occurred (places and events).
Have you heard of 'Badlands National Park?' This database tells you where it is (Southwestern South Dakota), gives you the history, and shows your remarkable photographs. Where is the 'Baseball Hall of Fame?' -- again this database gives you the place (Cooperstown, NY) and the history. Homework assignments often require pictures of maps of the various states or timelines. This database provides both and the pictures are easily printed out. There are also wonderful maps of the territorial expansion in the U.S.
Use the database to answer this question: Where did the Anasazi people began building elaborate cliff houses set into the canyon walls of a huge plateau.
So when you think of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, think bigger than "books and information" -- think electronic resources and use your library card to access all of this information 24/7. If you need help using the databases, please contact the Reference Desk at the Central Library (979-7151 ext 4) or Ask a J-MRL Librarian.
