D ATABASE R ESOURCES : You got em, flaunt em Scott Millard

F IVE PRINCIPLES Electronic products are for use. Every reader his or her electronic database Every database its reader Save the time of the reader The library is a growing organism.

W HAT ARE YOUR GOALS Know the goals What is it you are trying to achieve?

C OMMUNICATE Communication is essential

K NOW YOUR PRODUCTS Staff awareness Training Play time

KNOW WHAT THE VENDORS HAVE

K NOW WHAT ELSE IS AVAILABLE

E ND USERS Who are they Go beyond the obvious

F OLLOWING DIRECTIONS

L EARNING ABOUT LOGICAL CHOICE

LITERACY

F ORMS OF LITERACY

S ERVICE RECALLS AS LITERACY

S CHEMATICS AS LITERACY

L EVELLING / DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

U SE PRODUCTS IN DIFFERENT WAYS

L EVELLING

I NFORMATION Knowledge is key Inform staff as well as end users/clients

B LOG IT TO DEATH

W IKIS AS MEANS OF PROMOTING

P UBLICITY

G OALS To raise awareness of the online resources available at school and public libraries To clarify the differences between resources by identifying their content strengths and weaknesses Communicate basic search skills Promote remote access to assist with research

The Rules: 1.Only ballots with a name and contact information will be considered eligible. 2.Participants are eligible to receive prizes at the local contest entry location as well as regional prizes. 3.Only one entry per person per location. 4.Winners will be contacted to arrange for prize pick-ups. 5.The contest is open to residents of Halton region, students who attend a Halton school or Halton public library users. 6.Staff working in school or public libraries are not eligible. 7.Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received at each partner location. 8.Each partner will have prizes to award.

The Rules: 8.Prizes vary according to local library system or school board. 9.Ballots are available at participating locations that are part of Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Burlington Public Library, Halton Hills Public Library, Milton Public Library and Oakville Public Library. 10.Hand-drawn facsimiles of ballots will not be eligible. 11.Answers to Treasure Hunt questions must be correct to be eligible for the prize draws. 12.Winners agree to have their names and photos publicized in local media and online. 13.Prize draws will occur on a commonly determined date.

Only ballots with a name and contact information will be considered eligible. Participants are eligible to receive prizes at the local contest entry location as well as regional prizes. Only one entry per person per location Winners will be contacted to arrange for prize pick-ups. The contest is open to residents of Halton region, students who attend a Halton school or Halton public library users. Staff who work in school or public libraries are not eligible. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received at each partner location. Each partner will have prizes to award: iPods and/or MP3 players. Prizes vary according to local library system or school board. Regional prizes include a laptop, digital camera and DVD player. Each will be awarded separately. Ballots are available at participating locations that are part of Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Burlington Public Library, Halton Hills Public Library, Milton Public Library and Oakville Public Library. Hand-drawn facsimiles of ballots will not be eligible. Answers to Treasure Hunt questions must be correct to be eligible for the prize draws. Winners agree to have their names and photos publicized in local media and online. Local prize draws for the iPods and MP3 players will occur on Friday November 2, All correct ballots will then be entered into the regional prize draw on Friday November 9, Virtual Treasure Hunt Rules Only ballots with a name and contact information will be considered eligible. Participants are eligible to receive prizes at the local contest entry location as well as regional prizes. Only one entry per person per location Winners will be contacted to arrange for prize pick-ups. The contest is open to residents of Halton region, students who attend a Halton school or Halton public library users. Staff who work in school or public libraries are not eligible. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received at each partner location. Each partner will have prizes to award: iPods and/or MP3 players. Prizes vary according to local library system or school board. Regional prizes include a laptop, digital camera and DVD player. Each will be awarded separately. Ballots are available at participating locations that are part of Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Burlington Public Library, Halton Hills Public Library, Milton Public Library and Oakville Public Library. Hand-drawn facsimiles of ballots will not be eligible. Answers to Treasure Hunt questions must be correct to be eligible for the prize draws. Winners agree to have their names and photos publicized in local media and online. Local prize draws for the iPods and MP3 players will occur on Friday November 2, All correct ballots will then be entered into the regional prize draw on Friday November 9, Virtual Treasure Hunt Rules

Ages 5-12 QuestionsHints Can you find all the Redwall books and what order to read them in? Use Novelist K to 8 Can you name the first and third Lemony Snicket books?Use Novelist What is the title of the article that you find on Canadian Magazine Index when you search for Sir Wilfrid Laurier? Use the Subject guide search. According to the magazine Ranger Rick, how long is the bill of a white pelican? Use Primary Search. The name of the resource you can use to find out about jobs is Career _______? Using Canadian Literary Centre, tell me how many articles you can find about the book Anne of Green Gables? Search Anne of Green Gables as a Subject. How long is a hadrosaurus?Use Searchasaurus. Q UESTIONS FOR 5 – 12 YEAR OLDS

S AMPLE ENTRY FORM

Ballots completed 2005 Ballots completed 2006 Ballots completed 2007 Ballots completed 2008 Burlington Public Library Halton Catholic Halton District Halton Hills Milton Oakville R ESULTS

How often used? Never, 1 st time Burlington56%23%5%21% Halton Catholic 58%18%22%13% Halton District 47%31%11%9% Halton Hills47%28%6%18% Milton46%54% Oakville57%21%7%15% Overall52%24%10%15% F IRST TIME USING DATABASES ?

Comments: The databases are extremely useful for many of my assignments. This is fun, man! These are exciting. I am hoping to win a prize. Its fun to search. It is a good resource and I love to search it. I cannot wait until I show my mother. These are cool. Excellent resource centres! Very good, especially for English.

C HANGE IS ESSENTIAL Based on feedback every year, things would change. One big change was to ensure staff training/awareness.

S TAFF FLYER

S TAFF BALLOT

M AKING IT WORK So what? Make is as easy as possible for you clients to participate. We made the mistake of trying to make it too difficult and we suffered. We now have it easy and it works. Create generic posters and ballots that can be reused. We spent hours on our own at the beginning. Then, we spent hours on devising a generic poster and ballot. But now that it is done, I can quickly go in and edit the ballot or poster in a few minutes. Worth the time. Share, share, share… We had phenomenal experience and expertise in the group. One could use this file, another could do something else. In my experience, I have never worked with such a team before. They all are superb. And they share.

M AKING IT WORK Be willing to alter it as you need. We did alter it many times. Prizes are nice and sexy. But that is not always possible. How about waiving fines? Try whatever works. Ask others to work on the ballots. A team working group – get them to create the teen questions. Why not? Involve everyone. Have students or colleagues to the art and devise a poster. HAVE FUN. It did not work until we laughed.

G ROWTH IN PRODUCT USAGE AT HCDSB

Y OUR CHALLENGE What can you adapt for your system? Promote Resources Ontario and Knowledge Ontario every chance you get.

M OST IMPORTANT Have fun! We only got better when we all laughed.

C ONTACT Contact me any time for further information