Need Information? Your Local Library and 24/7 Website is the Answer!

By Michelle Devins, Birmingham Public Library, Regional Library Computer Center

What are you looking for? A picture of Ben Franklin? The Alabama state flag? Or maybe you need to know how cloning works. You can find all of this and more at the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL). The AVL is an online collection of databases that can give you access to all the information you need for business, personal or school research. It is also a helpful place to explore and satisfy curiosity.  You can access the AVL by visiting www.jclc.org/resources

Be sure to have your Jefferson County library card when visiting www.jclc.org from home. Examples of our databases follow:

Kids InfoBits - Browse through a variety of topics on this database such as: animals, geography, transportation, stories and literature. Each topic is represented by a picture. You can also search through the database by typing in a search term and clicking “search.” Try looking for “butterflies.” Click “view” and you will be given all the search results. Notice the tabs at the top. If you want to find pictures of butterflies, click the “images” tab.

AccessScience - All of the branches of science are broken down into a searchable topic list on this database. Some of the topics include: anthropology, earth science and medicine. Click on the branch of science that you are interested in and this will lead you to a list of subtopics. Try clicking on “Astronomy and Space Science” then choose “Stars, The Galaxy.” This will give you a long list of articles on various parts of the galaxy. Many of these articles have fascinating pictures of space. Try clicking the “Milky Way Galaxy” encyclopedia article to see images of your galaxy. If you are looking for something in particular, try searching the database. Just go to “search encyclopedia,” type in what you’re looking for and click “go.”

LitFinder - If you are looking for poetry, short stories, essays, plays, or speeches this is the place. Browse through the collection by clicking on any of the various topics listed on the main page. To search the collection, type your search terms into the basic search field and choose a category. The results with full text will have a small yellow “T” next to the title. Try searching for a poem about a mouse. Type “mouse” into the search field and click the checkbox next to “poems.”

Now that you have mastered these databases, why not test your skills with a scavenger hunt? Use the previous databases to answer the following questions. The first five people who call the Regional Library Computer Center at (205) 226-3799 with the correct answers will win a prize!

1. In Kids InfoBits , find out who created the first self-propelled automobile in 1769.

2. In AccessScience, find an article about a green mouse. What is the title of the article? *Hint: Video

3. In LitFinder, find a poem by Maya Angelou entitled Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. What are the first six lines?