Research Skillz

This has been fun! I've always been a fan of scavenger hunts and this one introduced me to some library resources I've never used before. I've used plenty of the databases more age-appropriate for children and teens like CultureGrams, Searchasaurus, CQ Researcher, etc. I used databases like Academic Search Premiere a lot when I was in school and still use it mostly to reference articles in Consumer Reports for my own personal use. I think many people (kids especially) find databases somewhat intimidating. They don't understand the terminology, how a database works, and/or what their password is to access it from home. So, there definitely are barriers, but that's our job as informational professionals to model the ease of use and how great the results can be. If LFPL could keep only one database, I would vote for CultureGrams.

Answers to the scavenger hunt:

10a) Emailed to #23 Things

10b) I found the obituary for Ms. Betty Jean by searching ProQuest's Courier-Journal database. I limited the date range from 3/16/2008 - 3/30/2008. I got one return which was what I was looking for. The obituary was published on March 18, 2008 and indicated that she had 4 sons (and seven daughters!)

10c) I found each of these journals by doing a publications search in Academic Search Premiere (ASP). Here are my findings:

Telos: There are references available for this journal (3/1/90 - present), but it is not available in full-text and LFPL does not have holdings of the journal. I did a search on WorldCat and found that UofL has the journal available from 1983 - present.

British Journal for the History of Philosophy: ASP has full-text holdings for this journal from 3/1/98 - present.

Clinical Medicine and Research: ASP has full-text holdings for this journal from 2/1/04 - present.

11a) Vanguard Target Retirement 2020:

Manager: Duane F. Kelly

Stewardship Grade: overall B

Morningstar rating: 4 stars

**Now, if I can get a database to tell me what those things actually mean, that would be nice.**

11b) Yes. "LCD & plasma TVs. (Cover story)." Consumer Reports 73.12 (2008): 28-33. Academic Search Premiere. EBSCO. Web. 4 Apr. 2011.

11c) This is a cool database - never knew what it did (thanks 23 Things!). Yes, I was able to pull up a list of the coffee shops in the 402- zip code area (thanks for the helpful hint). Looks like in the 40202 area, Starbuck's will be the major competitor.