Trial Database with Environmental Compnent

The WMU Libraries has a trial subscription to the Global Issues in Context database (password: "trial"). This database is produced by the same company as the GREENR, another trial database I wrote about yesterday.

Both databases have a similar format -- a focus on news, background information, primary source documents, commentaries, statistics, and and videos -- although different subject emphasis.

Since Global Issues in Context has an environmental component (the image and links circled on the screen shot to the right), I would like to know how students, staff, and faculty in the WMU natural sciences departments think these two databases compare.

Do you think that...

(1) subscribing to both GREENR and Global Issues in Context would be redundant
(2) we should subscribe to GREENR -- subscribing to only Global Issues in Context would *not* provide enough environmental resources
(3) Both databases are wonderful and needed
(4) Neither stands out - we already subscribe to all of the environmental article databases you need
(5) Other: _____________________________________

Please let me know what you think.

The trial ends Friday, October 23.


*** View my parallel blog at on the WMU Libraries site ***

Try Out Environmental Database

The WMU Libraries are trying out GREENR, an online database that includes materials -- news, background information, primary source documents, commentaries, statistics, and and videos covering renergy systems, healthcare, food, climate change, population, and economic development -- about environmental issues.

The database's content and organization is quite different than a typical article database, and we in the libraries are trying to decide if it's worth subscribing to. Please take a look at it and let me know what you think.

Faculty, is this a resource that you would for your research? Students, is this a database that you would use for assignments? Instructors, is this a resource you would suggest your students use for projects? Let me know.

The trial subscription ends Wednesday, September 30 Friday, October 23.

*** View my parallel blog at on the WMU Libraries site ***

Trial Database: National Technical Reports Library

The WMU Libraries is trying out a new electronic database, the National Technical Reports Library, or NTRL, which contains technical reports produced by federally-funded organizations. The trial subscription for this database will go on through March 31. We'd appreciate your feedback about the database.

The NTRL contains technical reports produced by a variety of organizations, such as the Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency, and covers a wide range topics, including biology, medicine, chemistry, natural resources, earth sciences, and environmental pollution.

The database has a search interface like most other electronic databases -- the "advanced search" page allows you to search for a word or phrase within the title, abstract, and author name, product number, or accession (i.e., report) number.

But it has another valuable search feature. You can search for reports by the agency that generated the report, by subject, and by year -- simply chose an agency, subject, or range of years from lists on the advanced search page. You can also select a specific year to search within.

Most reports in the database have an abstract and, especially recent reports, are available as a full text PDF file.

In addition, NTRL allows you to subscribe to an RSS feed of technical reports in a particular subject area. (For more information about RSS feeds, see my Jan. 21 posting.)

Please take a look and the database and give us your feedback by filing out an online evaluation.

*** View my parallel blog at on the WMU Libraries site ***

CSA Illustrata: Natural Sciences Abstracts

WMU Library users will have access to a trial subscription of CSA Illustrata: Natural Science Abstracts until Nov 30, 2008. Users can search this database for tables, figures, charts, and other illustrations within scholarly articles. Subject coverage: 2000+ journals in Agriculture, Biology, Education, Geography, Medicine and more.

Students and faculty, let me know if you think this database would be useful for your research.