Great Resource Sites

At the library resource desk (AKA Diane's computer/desk/mess) I have several favorite sites bookmarked for quick help when someone comes in with a question. My favorite is www.fantasticfiction.co.uk. This is one that many librarians use. (I love the site for those times when someone asks, "So, what book is next in the series?"  I use it MANY times a day.)

So here are some of my OTHER favorites:

Great resources for book clubs:

http://www.litlovers.com/
http://readinggroupguides.com/content/index.asp
http://www.bookmovement.com/

   (Different local book clubs come in for quick sources for discussion questions just before it is their turn to lead the group.  You can usually find something at one of these sources.)

For questions for juvenile books: 

http://www.multcolib.org/talk/guides-abundance.html 

   (This was very helpful in forming questions for the Reading Olympics contest held in our area this spring.)

For local weather:

http://www.wunderground.com/
    (I usually have this bookmarked on the desktop and set to Gregory so when someone comes in and asks, I can pull up the answer to "Do I need to cover my plants tonight?" or whatever local weather question is asked.)

For classifying books for juveniles and young adults:

http://www.lexile.com/search/filters/results/
    (I use this to help me when I can't decide if a book belongs in the J or YA section.  Sometimes it gives me a better idea when I know at what levels some of the regular patrons are reading.)

For finding "alike" books for juveniles:

http://www.scholastic.com/bookwizard/
    (I use this to find books that are similar to ones that are being checked out frequently so that I can encourage kids to try new authors that they may enjoy, especially if they are waiting for their favorite author to write a new book and it is taking FOREVER!)

For story time or field trip class ideas for the library:

http://breitlinks.com/libraryskillstv/
    (This is an interesting site with lots of videos made by the administrator of the site on library skills, stories, and teaching "library" at different specific levels.  Some of the links do not connect, but many of them do and this has helped when I have to quickly pull something together for a quick lesson for a class coming to visit the library.)
http://missmaryliberry.wordpress.com/
    (This is a blog that I just enjoy reading because this librarian has so much positive energy about motivating kids to love books.  And she shares some great ideas as well.)

For summer, when we have lots of questions about how to care for a turtle or frog that someone caught!

http://www.petcaregt.com/



I have many more and some are geared just for local information, such as our chamber of commerce site and the local funeral home, but the ones listed above are used most often beyond the local ones.

So, if you have a question, or are looking for something special, come down to the Gregory Library!  We love hunting for online resources and can probably point you in the right direction so that you can find your answer quickly!

(Another skill learned....putting links within a blog....cool.)