Issue 28

Schools Catalogue Information Service Standards for Cataloguing and Data Entry

Curriculum Corporation has published a new edition of this book, which is used by the cataloguers in the SCIS Cataloguing agencies around Australia to ensure consistency when adding bibliographic records to the SCIS database. Accurate cataloguing of the resources not only provides an orderly structure for the collection but also enables users to locate the materials they need. These standards are based on international cataloguing and classification standards and have been applied in appropriate ways to meet the needs of Australian students. Consistency of standards is essential for the maintenance of any cataloguing service and these standards are decided after consideration by the cataloguing agencies. The standards are kept under review and are revised as the information itself and the needs of schools change.

(Publication not yet available for purchase.)

Computers, Research and Students: A Survival Kit for Teachers and Parents

This is a professional development package written by Karen Visser and Jill Johnson and published by Australian School Library Association, ACT, which assists Teacher Librarians in presenting workshops to teachers and parents. This 'train the trainer' kit focuses on strategies for carrying out research projects in an electronic information environment, in such a way that student projects exemplify not 'cut and paste' or plagiarism, but authentic and meaningful learning experiences. This product was awarded the International Association of School Librarianship SIRS Commendation Award for 1998.

Cost: $30.00 plus $5.00 postage and handling
Available from: Australian School Library Association
Australian Capital Territory
PO Box 25
Griffith ACT 2603
For further details please email [email protected]

Research Service for Children's Literature

The Children's Literature Collection at the State Library of Victoria offers a free research service for all inquiries about historic and contemporary children's books. Using the full resources of the State Library of Victoria they are able to consult indexes on electronic and traditional book format to pursue inquiries in any genre of children's literature. The service is free. If copies of articles are requested in association with a research inquiry, then photocopying charges apply. Exhibitions are regularly mounted using the items from the collection. They are available in full text on the Internet at: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/slv/ children/

If you would like to be included on the mailing list for notification of forthcoming events, call 03 9669 9719, or email [email protected].

Online Reference Database

Electric Library Australasia is a specially targeted education edition of the US Electric Library. Promoted as a complete online reference database, the user simply logs onto the Electric Library Australasia site then has access to a vast amount of data. The data available is gathered from newspapers and newswires, journals and magazines, books, TV, radio and government transcripts and maps and pictures. Over 4.6 million full text articles are currently available, with data archived for up to 12 years.

Students can stay within this vetted, proprietary database if the school administrator desires. Searching is quite simple, using either natural language or Boolean searching, and is at an appropriate level for most students. The site provides extensive guides for effective searching and selecting appropriate source types.

Daily satellite and electronic links to the USA maintain currency of material. Because the source material has only a small amount of Australian content, the results of searches regarding Australian topics, such as state politicians, or bushrangers, yields correspondingly few results. Apparently, steps are in motion to add local newspapers and news services, magazines and books early this year. Log on to Electric Library Australasia and assess the database for yourself, using the free 30-day trial being offered.

Cost: Primary schools from $349 Secondary schools from $750
Available from: lnfosentials
405 Riversdale Rd
Camberwell Vic 3124
Tel: 1800 039098
http://www.elibrary.com.au