Volume 4, Issue 1
January 2005
Search Tip of the Month
This Month's Features
Spreading the News
Happy New Year!
"Out with the old; in with the new!" It's time to clear out the clutter. We all know there are outdated books on your shelves. With the appearance of so many "best books of the year" lists, now is the perfect time to make your collection current. These lists are included in the Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) making it easy for you to find them fast and even compare lists for duplicate titles--books you do not want to be without. Science books can become outdated very quickly. With the CLCD you can check "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children," a list from the National Science Teachers Association, the "American Institute of Physics Children's Science--Writing Award" and the reviews from Science Books and Films. If you are unsure whether a title should be tossed, you can check Children's Catalog or the Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog or the Senior High School Library Catalog which are also in the CLCD.
The American Library Association will be announcing its children's and young adult book awards at its Midwinter Conference. Keep in mind that you can go directly from the CLCD to the B&N Bookstore to order a title you need immediately. Speaking of ALA Midwinter, CLCD will be at the exhibit hall. Please stop by and say hello to the newest member of our team, Sheilah Egan. We love to hear the creative ways you are using the CLCD, the most comprehensive children's literature database available.
The CLCD Company is pleased to announce that our library and education advisor, Sharon Salluzzo, is a nominee for the 2006 Newbery Committee ballot. Members of ALA's Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) will vote for the committee members in March 2005. Not only does Sharon review for Children's Literature, she also has written articles about the database, given demonstrations to librarians and teachers, and she will be speaking at the upcoming Michigan Reading Association Conference in two sessions. CLCD is proud to sponsor such a knowledgeable and articulate children's literature specialist at this event. If you are an ALSC member, we urge you to vote for Sharon.
All of us at CLCD express our wish that you find peace and joy throughout the new year.
Browse is probably one of the most powerful yet underused features in the CLCD database. The following excerpted from the online tutorial offers some examples of the procedures for using the Browse page to retrieve and display indexing information from the database.
Begin by clicking on the Go to Browse link in the upper-left-hand corner of the CATSearch screen.
Result: The Browse screen is displayed.
Next, enter Dragon in the browse word field, choose the Subject Terms as the browse option, and click on the BROWSE button to initiate the search.
Result: A list of subject terms from the database is displayed beginning with the word dragon.
Next, use the BACK button (as many times as required) to return again to the Browse page. Leave Dragon in the browse word field, but this time choose Text as the browse option, and click on the BROWSE button to initiate the search.
Result: A list of the words that have been indexed in the database is displayed, beginning with the word dragon.
Finally select a subject term or word and then click the associated box and then click SELECT.
Result: The check boxes (or hypertext links) on this display will allow you to retrieve items that have been assigned specific subject terms on this list. You can scroll up and down this list to see how many books appear with the term dragon as fictional stories or in folklore and much more.
Winter is upon us, and for many of us that means cold and snowy days. Our list of winter books include those that present the beauty of softly falling snow as well as the fury of a blizzard. Also, be sure to look at our list of books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to make sure you have the best for your students. Our featured authors for this month are Lois Ehlert, Nancy Farmer and David Kirk.
Our monthly newsletter is now available to everyone within an organization, not just the primary contact. A feature at www.childrenslit.com will provide you with a form allowing you to sign up for just the electronic newsletter. Discover for yourself what Karla Schmit, Professor, Library Department, Librarian Laboratory School, Shippensburg University says about the CLCD, -"Every author, every title, every time."
About the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database
The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database is your most complete source of information about children's books, audio recordings, and films. Indeed, it is the next best thing to having the item in hand, and the best tool for leading you to the best materials. All at a most affordable price. To subscribe to the CLCD, go to www.childrenslit.com.