Monday, April 27, 2009

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is a site that offers free access to e-books. Mostly classic texts, they offer users the chance to read a Jane Austen novel or a Sherlock Holmes short story direct from the computer. You can print out the books if you wish.

As an added bonus, some of the books have an accompanying audio version, meaning that you can read and listen at the same time, which is great for anyone reading in a second language.

Gutenberg is free, and available by clicking the link above, or the listing on the side of the page.

Saturday Morning Opening

Good news! The library will now be open on Saturday mornings from 8am until 12noon. Students, parents, teachers and other Harrow affiliates are welcome to use the library during this time, when Mrs Soriano will be on deck.

You can borrow books, read the newspaper, bring the family, do some study, or just sit down and read the latest novel!

Britannica Online and Other Electronic Resources

The Library subscribes to a number of electronic resources. These include Britannica Online, EBSCO and Issues Online, all of which are accessible both in school or at home.

Britannica Online is basically what is suggested in the title: an online version of Encyclopaedia Britannica. The online version is arranged into class levels, meaning that students will find information appropriate for their age. This is an advantage over Wikipedia, which isn't organized according to age group.

EBSCO is a database that makes available articles from academic and popular magazines. At the top end, it is useful for Secondary students preparing for university, where they will be required to use similar databases. But it is also offers a more organized and authoritative alternative to regular search engines for younger students. It is also arranged into year levels.

Issues Online provides online access to articles about topical issues, such as internet use, bullying and racism. The articles provide points of view on both sides of the issue. This is a useful resource for students doing work on projects that require deeper insight.

Britannica Online can be accessed through the school intranet. Links to EBSCO and Issues Online are available on the links at the side of the page - they do however require passwords, which are available by contacting the librarian.