Getting the Most Out of Google

This will be the first in a series of weekly posts that will help you squeeze just a bit more out of your Google searches. This week we'll start wil some basics - how about getting a quick dictionary definition and/or finding synonyms.

To see a definition for a word or phrase, simply type the word "define" then a space, then the word(s) you want defined. To see a list of different definitions from various online sources, you can type "define:" followed by a word or phrase. Note that the results will define the entire phrase.

If you want to search not only for your search term but also for its synonyms, place the tilde sign (~) immediately in front of your search term. This part sounds more useful than it really is - I find it easiest to grab the synonym from the Dictionary.com search result.

Burgert Brothers Cirkut Photographs Released!

The Burgert Brothers photographs are precious gems and our collection of approximately 15,000 8 by10 inch prints and negatives are a prized possession of the library system. As engaging as they are, imagine if one could take a print and stretch it to 3, 4 or maybe even 5 times its current length. Imagine being able to open up the view of the image to see more of the subject.

Well, the newly released Cirkut photographs provide just that opportunity for our community!

Four hundred and thirty-two Burgert Brothers panoramic photographs have recently been added to our library catalog. These images are available to be searched and viewed using the same general steps as the original 8 by 10 inch prints of the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection.

Though there are far fewer of the Cirkut images in our collection than that of the 8 by 10 prints, their uniqueness makes them endlessly interesting. Consider the source, the Cirkut camera: a bizarre contraption that was designed to move the large negative from one cylinder to another so that it passed through the camera at the exact same speed as that of the motion of the lens (though in the opposite direction).

Although the 1927 New York Yankees baseball team photograph is probably the most well-known, there’s a plethora of interesting Cirkuts available to discover. Some example images in the collection include the following: carnival performers at the Florida State Fair of 1930, swimmers at Clearwater Beach, an aerial skyline of downtown Tampa, and Davis Island undeveloped just to name a few.

The actual Cirkut prints are housed in the History and Genealogy Department of the John F. Germany Library. Library staff is available to assist the public with viewing these items, as well as with online searching. It’s a great pleasure to finally include these photographic wonders to the library’s public catalog.

NewsBank Adds Video News

In response to the rising demand in libraries, NewsBank is adding video news content to their online news resource at no additional charge to their customers. The complete package from respected media distributor Voxant includes the following sources:

The Associated Press

Reuters

The Wall Street Journal

The New York Times

Local affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, as well as coverage from Canadian Broadcasting, Agence France-Presse and more.

We will have access to video clips from all or a select group of these sources beginning on Monday, October 20 and the videos clips will be added to NewsBank resources.

Users will be able to:
Play news videos within the NewsBank interface, in the same space used to display text articles.

You can access these video clips off the main page of NewsBank Access World News and clicking on the Source Types tab in the center of the page. A screen shot is included with that tab highlighted.

Solinet and Palinet Merging

Press Release from the Board Chair of Solinet:

We are pleased to announce that the Boards of PALINET and SOLINET have approved a recommendation to merge the two organizations. Both Boards completed due diligence and as a result developed the vision and strategy for the new organization.
The combined strength each network brings to the new organization will significantly enhance the education, leadership development, advocacy, technology, and savings on information products and services that our members want, while still providing the high level of service and local connection you currently value.
The combined resources, shared expertise, and improved operating efficiencies will result in:
>Rapid implementation of new programs
>Greater consortial savings opportunities
>Extended networking and collaboration among members
>Innovative technology solutions in areas including open source, digitization, and collection management
>An expanded curriculum covering the latest topics with industry experts from both networks.
Your vote is the most important step in this process. By December 1, Voting Members will receive specific information regarding the merger plan and necessary legal documentation. The vote is expected to take place in early 2009.
We know you are also eager to hear about several key areas concerning the new organization including the board and membership structures, governance, new name, and locations. Both Boards are completing work on these specific details and will provide this information soon.
We look forward to working together to build a stronger library community. For more information: http://www.solinet.net/Merger%20Talks.aspx

St.Pete Times Online Via Google

St. Petersburg Times Archives

Going Back 100 Years

Now Available in Digital Format

St. Petersburg, FL –

A treasure trove of history is now open to the public.
The St. Petersburg Times has teamed up with Google to make its historical archives
freely available online. The new database includes millions of Times articles dating back
more than 100 years.

Google and the Times signed an agreement late last year allowing the California-based
technology company to digitize the newspaper’s microfilm archive. Google covers the
cost of digitizing this material, and the Times will share in revenue from ads that are
displayed next to the historical pages.

“For the people of Tampa Bay, this new database is a key that unlocks over 100 years of
local history,” said Tim Rozgonyi, research editor at the Times. “It will be of great value
to historians, genealogists, and the general public.”

Effective immediately, the Times archives are searchable online through Google News.
Readers will see the actual image of the printed page with the search term highlighted in
yellow. Readers will be able to browse the pages exactly as they were printed –
photographs, headlines, articles, advertisements, and all.

Viewers can search for this material at http://news.google.com/archivesearch. Users
should type source: “St. Petersburg Times” before entering their search query.

Otherwise, readers can go to the main Google site, click on “News,” and then click on
“News Archive Search.” The same access will also soon be available through the
newspaper’s own web site www.tampabay.com.

The electronic database includes Times articles dating from May 1901 to August 2007.
(Though the Times was founded in 1884, the earliest edition available on microfilm dates
from 1901). Google has also digitized the St. Petersburg Evening Independent from 1907
to its last edition in 1986.

The St. Petersburg Times is one of the largest newspapers included in the initial launch of
this project. Google says it is working with a number of other publishers, with more to
be added in the near future.

“For more than 200 years, matters of local and national significance have been conveyed
in newsprint – from revolutions and politics to fashion to local weather or high school
football scores,” Google wrote in announcing the archive program on its official blog
site. “Around the globe, we estimate that there are billions of news pages containing
every story ever written. And it’s our goal to help readers find all of them, from the
smallest local weekly paper up to the largest national daily.”

The Times will continue to microfilm its pages every day to preserve the historical
record. One year after publication, the pages will be submitted for inclusion in Google
News Archive.
* * *

LearningExpressLibrary & "PSAT/SAT" Tests

Have you had a hard time finding the PSAT/SAT tests on this site? Did you think they had been removed? Well fear not, they are still here and located in several places. If you are looking for PSAT and SAT practise tests go to the subject heading "College Entrance Exams" and you will find the majority of the tests here. If you are looking for writing PSAT/SAT tests they can be found under the subject heading "Writing Improvement Program".

In addition to these areas LearningExpress also offers E-BOOKS for these tests. LearningExpress provides study guides and test-preparation books to help people prepare for high-stakes tests—to advance in school, or pass licensing, certification, or competitive entry-level exams.

To find a book on a particular subject, click on the E-BOOKS subject tab and enter a topic (e.g., "SAT") in the search field. All E-BOOKS on that subject will appear. Don't forget to reccomend this site to your customers when they need SAT help!

Medical Examiner's Office Moves

On October 1st the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's office moved from its long time home on South Morgan Street, downtown to their new location on 46th street. New address and telephone numbers can be found off their web page at:

http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/medexam/