Managing+Online+Resources

=Managing Online Resources (Reference Databases and the Internet) = media type="custom" key="5421893" width="60" height="60" align="right" ====As a new teacher-librarian, one of the most daunting tasks in managing access to information is navigating our students through the enormous sea of information available online in the 21st century! Information today is accessible to students through a plethora of outlets on the World Wide Web; from e-mail to Twitter, Wikipedia to World Book online and from Google to Metacrawler. ====

How does a new Teacher-Librarian begin to help their students access the most //reliable, accurate, relevant and useful// information online?

One of the ways to do this is to provide** online research databases **. Online research databases that are designed for students and school libraries are an excellent way to help your students find the information they need, with the assurance of knowing it is coming from a reliable, notable and authentic source. However in most cases, this requires making a significant purchase for your library. Fortunately, many school divisions purchase subscriptions for these databases for several of its schools at one time, thus reducing the cost for the school **__or__** they are able to use their school division budget to purchase a division-wide license for the database.

(It goes without saying, that with making such a big purchase, it is important to do YOUR research and ensure that the database you invest in for your students is providing the type of information they will be seeking and at the appropriate age or reading level.) [|EBSCOhost K-12 Schools] [|Nettrekker] [|World Book Online] (Scholastic Canada) [|Grolier online Kids] [|Gale - Infobits] [|SIRS Discoverer] (Proquest K-12) [|Discovery Streaming]
 * __Here are some examples of online databases that you may find helpful in your school library:__**

***This is just a sampling of the databases available to school libraries...check out the link to databases available through Joyce Valenza's school library in Springfield Township High School on her virtual library webpage. It's amazing!

That is not to say that ALL research databases require a subscription. There are many research databases that are free, but like all things that are available on the internet, some are more reliable than others. A teacher-librarian can create PATHFINDERS on their virtual library websites to help guide students through these free databases, web links and of course... search engines! Along with managing the access to these information sources come the //absolutely necessary lessons// surrounding website evaluation and critiquing sources for credibility.

(Please follow the link on the sidebar to learn more about virtual libraries and creating pathfinders.)