1. Ask?Away Best Practices 6/21/07 Free Web Sites to Help Library Staff Provide Excellent Reference Service Presented by: Loretta Broomfield Information Services Consultant Shawnee Library System Carterville, IL 618-985-3711 ext. 2014 lbroom@shawls.lib.il.us

2. Almanacs The Old Farmer’s Almanac http://almanac.com Find information about phases of the moon, tides, when to plant a garden and much more! The Old Farmer’s Almanac http://almanac.com Find information about phases of the moon, tides, when to plant a garden and much more! http://almanac.com Information Please Almanac http://www.infoplease.com/almanacs.html A wonderful free online resource for general reference information. Information Please Almanac http://www.infoplease.com/almanacs.html A wonderful free online resource for general reference information. http://www.infoplease.com/almanacs.html

3. Arts and Entertainment Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu A collection consisting of 29,000+ pieces of popular American sheet music from 1780-1960. Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu A collection consisting of 29,000+ pieces of popular American sheet music from 1780-1960. http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu Internet Broadway Database http://www.ibdb.com A “comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway.” Searchable by show, people, theatre, and character name. Internet Broadway Database http://www.ibdb.com A “comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway.” Searchable by show, people, theatre, and character name.http://www.ibdb.com Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com A wealth of information about movies, actors, characters, and plots. Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com A wealth of information about movies, actors, characters, and plots.http://www.imdb.com

4. Consumer Information Consumer Reports http://consumerreports.org Consumer information about a variety of products. Must subscribe for actual ratings. Consumer Reports http://consumerreports.org Consumer information about a variety of products. Must subscribe for actual ratings. http://consumerreports.org Kelley Blue Book http://www.kbb.com A standard resource for determining the value of vehicles. Kelley Blue Book http://www.kbb.com A standard resource for determining the value of vehicles.http://www.kbb.com National Automobile Dealers’ Association http://www.nada.com “Vehicle pricing and information for buyers, sellers and shoppers.” Includes RVs, motorcycles, boats and manufactured homes. National Automobile Dealers’ Association http://www.nada.com “Vehicle pricing and information for buyers, sellers and shoppers.” Includes RVs, motorcycles, boats and manufactured homes. http://www.nada.com

5. Finance and Business Currency Converter http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic Allows users to convert world currency. Updated daily with the latest exchange rates. Currency Converter http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic Allows users to convert world currency. Updated daily with the latest exchange rates. http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic Library Centers for Effective Nonprofits (CEN) http://nonprofitcenters.lcls.org Free web resources of particular interest to nonprofit organizations (how to form a nonprofit, prospecting, grant writing, etc.). Library Centers for Effective Nonprofits (CEN) http://nonprofitcenters.lcls.org Free web resources of particular interest to nonprofit organizations (how to form a nonprofit, prospecting, grant writing, etc.). http://nonprofitcenters.lcls.org Thomas Register http://www.thomasnet.com A “Comprehensive resource for industrial information, products, services, CAD drawings, and more.” Thomas Register http://www.thomasnet.com A “Comprehensive resource for industrial information, products, services, CAD drawings, and more.”http://www.thomasnet.com How Much is That? http://eh.net/hmit Access economic history calculators from way back! How Much is That? http://eh.net/hmit Access economic history calculators from way back!http://eh.net/hmit

6. Geography National Atlas http://nationalatlas.gov Tons of U.S. maps. Transportation, topographical, county, climate, population and many other types of maps--all free! National Atlas http://nationalatlas.gov Tons of U.S. maps. Transportation, topographical, county, climate, population and many other types of maps--all free!http://nationalatlas.gov CIA World Fact Book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/index.html Contains “national- level” information about the geography, people, government, economy, etc. of countries, territories and dependencies. CIA World Fact Book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/index.html Contains “national- level” information about the geography, people, government, economy, etc. of countries, territories and dependencies. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/index.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the- world-factbook/index.html

7. Government U.S. Government Printing Office http://www.gpoaccess.gov Find links to various government information and publications (Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, Congressional Record, Supreme Court website). U.S. Government Printing Office http://www.gpoaccess.gov Find links to various government information and publications (Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, Congressional Record, Supreme Court website). http://www.gpoaccess.gov Thomas http://thomas.loc.gov “In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, legislative information from the Library of Congress.” Thomas http://thomas.loc.gov “In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, legislative information from the Library of Congress.”http://thomas.loc.gov United States Census Bureau http://www.census.gov A variety of statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau http://www.census.gov A variety of statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov

8. History The History Channel http://history.com Find not only programming information for the History Channel, but also articles and videos and lots of other historical information. The History Channel http://history.com Find not only programming information for the History Channel, but also articles and videos and lots of other historical information.http://history.com Digital History http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ An extensive collection of multimedia materials of historic importance. Digital History http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ An extensive collection of multimedia materials of historic importance. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

9. Literature/Style Manuals Bartleby http://www.bartleby.com Free full text books, quotations, encyclopedias, thesauri, and more. Bartleby http://www.bartleby.com Free full text books, quotations, encyclopedias, thesauri, and more.http://www.bartleby.com Sparknotes http://sparknotes.com Free online study guides for a large variety of topics (literature, poetry, math, biology, test prep, and much more)! Sparknotes http://sparknotes.com Free online study guides for a large variety of topics (literature, poetry, math, biology, test prep, and much more)!http://sparknotes.com Citation Builder http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/citationbuilder/cit ationbuilder.php Online citation help. Citation Builder http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/citationbuilder/cit ationbuilder.php Online citation help. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/citationbuilder/cit ationbuilder.php http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/citationbuilder/cit ationbuilder.php

10. Literature/Style Manuals cont. Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/ Online citation help. Citation Machine http://citationmachine.net/ Online citation help.http://citationmachine.net/ Microsoft Office Online http://office.microsoft.com Lots of free clipart, citation help, and templates for cards, resumes, invitations, newsletters, etc. Also information from “Crabby Office Lady.” Microsoft Office Online http://office.microsoft.com Lots of free clipart, citation help, and templates for cards, resumes, invitations, newsletters, etc. Also information from “Crabby Office Lady.” http://office.microsoft.com A Research Guide for Students http://www.aresearchguide.com Everything a person needs to write an first class research paper. A Research Guide for Students http://www.aresearchguide.com Everything a person needs to write an first class research paper. http://www.aresearchguide.com

11. Medical DoctorFinder http://webapps.ama- assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html?03138022 “Provides…basic professional information on virtually every licensed physician in the United States. This includes more than 690,000 doctors.” DoctorFinder http://webapps.ama- assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html?03138022 “Provides…basic professional information on virtually every licensed physician in the United States. This includes more than 690,000 doctors.”http://webapps.ama- assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html?03138022http://webapps.ama- assn.org/doctorfinder/home.html?03138022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov “Your online source for credible health information.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov “Your online source for credible health information.” http://www.cdc.gov Household Products Database http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov From the National Library of Medicine. Over 4,000 products are represented including Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and a listing of ingredients in each product. Household Products Database http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov From the National Library of Medicine. Over 4,000 products are represented including Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and a listing of ingredients in each product. http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov

12. Medical cont. MEDLINE plus http://medlineplus.gov A government site featuring a medical encyclopedia, a medical dictionary, links to related news items, a directory of doctors and hospitals and a section containing over 165 interactive tutorials relating to medical tests and procedures. MEDLINE plus http://medlineplus.gov A government site featuring a medical encyclopedia, a medical dictionary, links to related news items, a directory of doctors and hospitals and a section containing over 165 interactive tutorials relating to medical tests and procedures.http://medlineplus.gov National Library of Medicine http://www.nlm.nih.gov Information on diseases and disorders as well as information about current medical research. National Library of Medicine http://www.nlm.nih.gov Information on diseases and disorders as well as information about current medical research. http://www.nlm.nih.gov

13. Google We all know that Google is a powerful search engine, but have you used… Google Web Alerts http://www.google.com/alerts Google Web Alerts http://www.google.com/alertshttp://www.google.com/alerts Google Books http://books.google.com/bkshp?tab=wp Google Books http://books.google.com/bkshp?tab=wphttp://books.google.com/bkshp?tab=wp Google Docs and Spreadsheets http://docs.google.com/?tab=wo Google Docs and Spreadsheets http://docs.google.com/?tab=wo http://docs.google.com/?tab=wo Google Glossary http://www.google.com/search?q=define+clew Google Glossary http://www.google.com/search?q=define+clew http://www.google.com/search?q=define+clew Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wlhttp://maps.google.com/maps?tab=wl Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com/schhp?tab=ws Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com/schhp?tab=ws http://scholar.google.com/schhp?tab=ws Google Suggest http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en Google Suggest http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en

14. Other Lists MARS/RUSA Best Free Websites http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/ rusasections/mars/marspubs/marsbestref2 006.htm MARS/RUSA Best Free Websites http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/ rusasections/mars/marspubs/marsbestref2 006.htm http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/ rusasections/mars/marspubs/marsbestref2 006.htm http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaourassoc/ rusasections/mars/marspubs/marsbestref2 006.htm Online Education Database: The Best Online Research Apps/Sites You've Never Heard Of http://oedb.org/library/features/best- online-research-sites Online Education Database: The Best Online Research Apps/Sites You've Never Heard Of http://oedb.org/library/features/best- online-research-sites http://oedb.org/library/features/best- online-research-sites http://oedb.org/library/features/best- online-research-sites

15. Wrap Up Questions? Questions? Comments? Comments? Discussion? Discussion?