More Reference USA

Learn how to search Reference USA's Business database with this movie developed by the University of Texas at Austin. Check out another video on how to evaluate business competitor's on Reference USA's website.

Lisa Kudrow found her Ancestors; find yours!

I watched Who Do You Think You Are last night and nearly cried through half of it. Lisa's ancestor's came from Eastern Europe as Russian Jew's in the early 1920s. But her great grandmother stayed and was massacred by the Germans some 20 years later.

The most familiar part of the show was where she was looking up ship manifests for her father's cousin. She was using Ancestry.com! And then she actually went to Poland and he was there, 60 years after her father saw him.

So if you haven't used Ancestry: Library edition, please consider it. While it can only be used in the library, it is simply the single most powerful database of genealogy information. Matthew Broderick is going to be on the show next week, searching for his Civil War roots. This is going to be a great show!

Resource Spotlight: Reference USA revisited

We talked about how great Reference USA is last December and now there are three more reasons to get to know this resource:

U.S. New Movers

Updated weekly, this database is a great way to reach out to new members of your community. Search by housing type, geography, move type, moving distance, and more. This is a valuable resource for service providers looking to drum up new business. It is also helpful for organizations looking for new members.

U.S. New Businesses

This databse contains over 4 million new business with approximately 50,000 new businesses added each week. Use this resource, and be the first to offer your goods and services to these new startups. Search by business type/filing type, contact information, and more.

U.S. Lifestyle

Save money by targeting consumers who might actually have an interest in your goods or services! Find potential customers by searching by lifestyles, hobbies and interests. Many categories (broken into sub-categories) are available. NOTE: Sorting search results will occasionally cause an error. We've notified RefUSA and they are working on a solution to the issue.

You can find Reference USA on our database page in the "Business and Legal" category.

Resource Spotlight: Mango Languages

Learn a Language with your Library Card!

Did you know you can learn a new language from the Arlington Public Library’s website? The Library offers a free online service called Mango Languages that is accessible from the Library’s website.

Mango Languages uses real-life situations and conversations to teach a new language. The user listens and repeats material designed from native conversations to learn how words and phrases are used in practical situations. Currently, the Arlington Public Library offers the following languages through Mango:

• English for Spanish Speakers
• French
• German
• Spanish
• Russian
• Mandarin Chinese

There are two levels of learning. Mango Basic courses quickly teach basic words and phrases, helpful to travelers going on business trips and short vacations. Mango Complete courses are aimed at students who want to move beyond basic language skills.

To access this service, all you need is an internet connection and an Arlington Public Library card. Try it today!

New Ancestry Images

Ancestry now has enhanced census records. In a blog post on their main website, Ancestry announced that they went through over 200 million records and enhanced records, removing tape residue from the images and adding clarity. As you can see from their example, this is amazing and has put something on my to-do list: go back over old census records and see if I can read the names now!

Resource Spotlight: Reference USA

As we all know, the Arlington Public Library subscribes to some excellent online databases that can be accessed at the library, as well as at home. Do you know much about these databases? The library provides descriptions of each database, but these little blurbs can't even come close to describing all the cool things these resources can do for you. Sometimes, it is often best to just dive right in, play around, and see what these resources are all about.

One database that I think truly needs to be explored to be appreciated is Reference USA. It is often described as a "business" database, which it is, but it is useful for so much else that you wouldn't necessarily think were of a "business" nature.

Several times, I have used this database to find contact information. Reference USA is useful to find the contact information of a manager from such and such business. But the other day, I had a gentleman tell me he would like to contact the owners of such and such house so that he could make them an offer to buy their home. We were able to use the residential database to find this information.

Reference USA can really help take the stress out of event planning. A custom business type keyword search for "reception"provided a code for "Halls and Auditoriums" which I limited to the Dallas metro area. In less than 15 seconds I had a list of names , addresses and phone numbers of 109 potential places to throw a party.

Last minute holiday shopping? Your kid wants a Zhu Zhu pet (or whatever) and you can't find it at the last three toy stores you visited. Well, a custom business type keyword search for "toy store" brings a code for "Toys-Retail." Limit it to the however far you are willing to drive for the silly thing, and you've got a list of stores that you can frantically call.

I use this database often. I'll probably use it today. Where do I want to eat for lunch? I am to indecisive to think of a place without help. A custom business type search for "restaurants" with a mile radius from my zip code gives me a list of 30 choices. Fantastic!

I encourage you to play around with Reference USA and see what it can do for you!

Resource Spotlight: Overdrive downloadable audiobooks

Recently, an unexpected eye ailment caused me to miss a day of work. Generally, if I am not feeling well, I might spend the day on the couch catching up on my favorite television shows on DVD. However, previously mentioned eye ailment did not allow this type of activity to help pass the time until my afternoon eye appointment (p.s. it is very hard to get an eye appointment on a fall day when kids are out of school). Reading my much anticipated celebrity biography was also pretty much out of the question. I was certain I was doomed to a day of complete boredom. Luckily, I realized Arlington Public Library offers downloadable audiobooks! First, I downloaded the Overdrive media console to my computer. That was pretty easy. The hardest part was selecting which book I wanted. I ended up with Middlesex, a book that I have been meaning to read because I have seen it on so many of my friends' bookshelves (it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction!). I easily added it to my cart and checked it out with my library barcode number. I had a little bit of trouble downloading my title to the console. It turns out that I needed an update to my Windows media player, but Overdrive gave me directions on how to get that update directly from the console (if you have problems downloading titles, check out the guided tour). After that, I was able to download the entire book at once and play it right from my console. I think this weekend I am going to transfer the title to an MP3 player so I can listen to it while I run errands. Few selected titles (signified with a CD and a flame) allow you to burn the book to a CD. This is great for me, because I mostly listen to audiobooks in my car. With this option, I don't have to worry about skipping and such from overuse (unfortunately, many of my favorite titles also the favorites of others...those disks can get warn out fast). Another great thing about downloadable audiobooks is that you don't physically check in an item- your loan will just expire. This means you can't forget to turn in a material, so you can't get a fine! So a potentially lame day was rescued by this awesome resource provided by my library. Now I'm hooked on downloadable audiobooks!

Resource Spotlight: Ancestry, Library Edition

Available only in the library, Ancestry (Library Edition) is an invaluable resource to beginning genealogists and a starting point for more advanced genealogists. According to their website:

The Ancestry Library Edition collection has approximately 4,000 databases including key collections such as U.S. Federal Census images and indexes from 1790 to 1930; the Map Center containing more than 1,000 historical maps; American Genealogical Biographical Index (over 200 volumes); Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage (over 150 volumes); The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1630; Social Security Death Index (updated monthly); WWI Draft Registration Cards; Federal Slave Narratives; and a strong Civil War collection. Ancestry Library Edition updates continually, with more indexes and original images added all the time.

My favorite part of Ancestry is the print outs you can get of the census records--no more flipping through microfilm for me! If you would like a "behind the scenes" pdf that they give to librarians to show us how to search check out Proquest's Product tour sheet.

Resource Spotlight: Foundation Center

Are you looking to start a new business but need some help with start-up funds? Maybe you're involved in a non-profit organization that needs money for a project. Or, you might be a student looking for help to finance a college education. You're in luck! Arlington Public Library (Central branch) is now a Cooperating Collection Network member of the Foundation Center! The Foundation Center provides access to the most up to date grant information through print resources and databases. The Central branch has two computers upstairs dedicated to the use of Foundation Center databases. Foundation Directory Online allows users to search for grants and grant makers. Foundation Grants to Individuals Online allows individuals to search for funding resources for purposes such as scholarships, internships, research, student loans, and general welfare. Much of this information is also available in print. Staff members can help you get started using databases to help ensure you get good results. Come check out this great resource (but remember, right now it is only available at the Central branch)!

Resource Spotlight: Literature Resource Center

Literature Resource Center is a great source for literary criticism, reviews, background information on individual authors and literary movements, and much more! There are over 140,000 biographies of authors taken from noted reference sources, 750,000 articles from literary and academic journals, and more than 5,000 interviews with contemporary writers. Literature Resource Center has the depth of information you need to achieve a fuller understanding of the literary world and where individual works and authors are located within it.

The Literature Resource Center has recently been updated with a sleek new look and helpful new features. With the click of a button you can generate citations for individual articles according to MLA or APA format. Articles can be translated from English to Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese or Korean. You can even listen to an MP3 version of articles with the built-in audio player.

Literature Resource Center is available from any library computer, and from outside the library with your library card number. For a guided tour of this database and many of its features, take a look at these short videos:

Literature Resource Center: Searching for Specific Authors or Works
Literature Resource Center Basic Search Guided Tour
Literature Resource Center Advanced Search Guided Tour
Literature Resource Center Article Options Guided Tour

Resource Spotlight: National Audiobook Month

Those of you who prefer to let your eyes relax and do your reading with your ears will be glad to know that June is National Audiobook Month! Whether you listen to books in your car, or while doing housework, going for a walk, or lounging poolside, the library has you covered with a wide variety of novels and non-fiction books recorded in several different formats. We've had books on CD or cassette tape for years, and our newest physical format is MP3 CD, which can hold up to 16 hours on a single disc! Take a look at this list of some of our most recent acquisitions to get you started. We even have a collection of audiobooks that you can browse and use at any time without having to leave the comfort of your air conditioned home or office! Our downloadable audiobooks, which can be accessed through the library's website, may be listened to on any computer, on most MP3 players, or in some cases be burned to CD. Best of all, the books you listen to can be counted towards participation in the Summer Reading Club and can help qualify you for the prize drawing held at the end of the summer! Prizes include gift certificates to local bookstores and restaurants, passes to the Fort Worth Zoo, symphony tickets, special packages for grilling or gardening, and much more. A chance to enjoy literature and win prizes all while avoiding undue eye strain? Sounds to me like summer is off to a great start.

Can't find what you're looking for? No Problem!

If you can't find the book, movie, music CD, or article you want at the Arlington Public Library, there is still hope! Try using our Interlibrary Loan service by searching WorldCat for what you need. WorldCat pulls together items from over 10,000 libraries across the country. You are bound to find what you need in this extensive catalogue.

You can access WorldCat by going to ArlingtonLibrary.org and clicking on Research Tools on the menu to the left. There, you will find WorldCat in the first box called Database Quick Links. When you click on WorldCat, this is what you'll see:



Searching is pretty easy and, once you've found an item, you can click on the title to get a wealth of information about it. You can also see which libraries have the item by clicking "Libraries worldwide that own item." Pretty simple, really.

There is a fee of $2.00 for each item you order through the Interlibrary Loan service, but that's a much better deal than what you might end up spending at the bookstore for an item you don't necessarily want to own. For more information on our Interlibrary Loan policy, please click here.

Resource Spotlight: Tell Me More

Whether you're a native speaker of English who wants to learn a second language or you come from another linguistic background and want to improve your English skills, you should take a look at the library's Tell Me More resource. Tell Me More is a complete language learning solution featuring more than 2,000 hours of learning per language, including American English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Dutch. Tell Me More allows you to set your own learning objectives, lets you focus on either business or everyday language use and select specific skills to work on. Tell Me More covers all the skills to learn a language: reading and writing, listening and speaking, grammar, and vocabulary.

Resource Spotlight: Gale Legal Forms

Our good friends at Gale recently gave the adult reference librarians in Arlington a virtual tour of our newest database: Gale Legal Forms. We were able to learn just how many extra features that Gale Legal Forms have.

Gale has the most extensive free forms site available to library patrons. Thousands of legal forms are available with more forms being added daily. They have official, state specific, federal, business, personal, real estate and general forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues, from real estate leases to plea agreements in criminal cases. Other subjects include adoption, divorce, business agreements, and wills and estate planning. Each form has different download options and some even have different versions that allow the user to choose the version that suits their needs.

Other services that Gale Legal Forms provide are a legal terms dictionary, the ability to locate all 50 states tax forms, some useful links to Texas state resources, and an attorney directory where you can ask a questions to attorneys that offer legal services online, and also contact the law firms for possible representation.

Resource Spotlight: Learning Express Library

Do you suffer from test anxiety? Are you looking for work or trying to get established in a new career field? If you're looking for study materials to help prepare for a test, any test, take a look at the Learning Express Library. Learning Express provides in-depth test preparation and learning materials for everyone from 4th graders to college students and beyond. With an account you set up using your library card number, you will have full access to practice materials and sample examinations for whatever tests are lurking in your future. Featured sections include:

• Elementary, Middle and High School Resources


• GED preparation courses and practice exams in English and Spanish


• College preparation exams including SAT, ACT, TOEFL, THEA and more


• Graduate School entrance exams


• Job search and workplace skills including resumes, interviewing, business communication and networking


• Materials for specific career fields including nursing and allied health, civil service and postal exams, cosmetology, real estate, law enforcement, firefighters and more


• ASVAB practice materials


• US Citizenship test materials


• Math, reading and writing skills for adults

Learning Express Library has recently upgraded to version 2.0, so even if you've used the service before, there are new features to discover and use. Check out this demonstration to see the latest additions and improvements.

Resource Spotlight: NoveList

Have you read all the books your favorite authors have written? Are you waiting impatiently for them to publish a new title? Consult the NoveList Author Read-alikes for something to read in the meantime. You might just discover a “new” favorite author this way.

Or you could use the Search function on the NoveList homepage to look up a favorite title. After you click on the title from the results list that comes up, one of the options you’ll see in the Topics area is Find Similar Books. Clicking on this will bring up an interactive list of subjects for the title, that you can select or de-select as you like, then use to search for other titles.

These are just two of the features of the NoveList database. Spend some time exploring it and you are sure to come away with a list of books you’ll enjoy – books you wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

NoveList can be accessed from the library’s webpage by clicking on Research Tools, then Library Databases, then Fiction & Literary Criticism, and finally, NoveList. It can be accessed from outside the library in the same way by entering your library card number when prompted to do so.

prepared by Mary Harris

Resource Spotlight: Auto Repair Reference Center

Are you interested in performing routine maintenance on your car yourself, but aren't really sure where to start?

Are you an accomplished home mechanic, but need to track down a specific wiring diagram to finish up a tricky repair job?

Do you want to check to see if there have been any manufacturer's service bulletins on a used car you're considering purchasing?

Then take a look at the Auto Repair Reference Center, available from any internet-enabled computer with your Arlington Public Library Card!

Content includes:
• Approximately 31,660 vehicles, from 1945 to present
• Over 205,000 drawings and step-by-step photographs
• Approximately 75,000 technical service bulletins & recalls
• Over 130,000 enhanced wiring diagrams for easy viewing and printing
• Specifications & maintenance schedules
• Labor Time Guide & Estimator
• AutoIQ – Detailed content, full-motion video and animated technical diagrams
• Quick Tips – a complete guide to vehicle ownership & maintenance

Resource Spotlight: EBSCOhost

EBSCOhost is a powerful online collection of databases accessible at home using your library card. It offers 35 databases with some being in full text. The databases range from MasterFILE which has such popular magazines as Real Simple and Fortune in full text, to Academic Search Complete for use during those school projects when you need peer-reviewed journals. Other databases include health, history, legal, military, science and technology databases.
Included with the EBSCOhost database is a collection of photos for use with papers and school projects including flags, maps, historical places and more! It even has recent photos taken for newspapers available for your non-commercial use.

EBSCOhost recently revamped their look making magazines and journals easier to find as well as a visual search that helps you visually narrow your topic down from the generic to specific, making sure you find the right article for you to look at. EBSCOhost 2.0 also has the following new features:

• A new simpler basic searching screen
• The ability to preview an article or image by mouseover
• New result list
• New detail display
• New search history capability
• Enhanced personalization features
• New organization of limiters and expanders
• New search modes including SmartText
• URLs that can be bookmarked