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News from South Carolina's Virtual Library
 
Special Issue: Resource Enhancements, Spring 2014
scdiscus.org 
Man and woman with laptop
May Trial, July Launch
New Kids InfoBits!

 
In partnership with Gale, Cengage Learning, Discus and the State Library are pleased to provide the new and improved Kids InfoBits!
 
This exciting upgrade follows extensive user testing and research with the kindergarten through 5th grade age group and with librarians and educators. The new Kids InfoBits boasts: 
  • An improved navigation experience on many platforms (including mobile devices);
  • Text translation to 12 languages; 
  • Lexile levels; 
  • ReadSpeaker technology that reads the text to the user; and
  • Improved citations. 

New content has been added and much of the existing content has been updated, including the Kids InfoBits Presents series and the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia content through 2013; 2014 updates are coming over the summer, ready for fall semester.

 

TRIAL
A trial of the new Kids InfoBits is available during the month of May 2014. Please use the trial to become familiar with the enhancements. You may also allow end users to use the new enhanced version of the product via the trial.  Website links to the trial page should not be created, however, because it is only temporary. The trial page also gives access to helpful training resources and FAQs. 

Full information about the trial, including the access link, has been sent to all Discus-participating institutions.  If you have not received the trial link, please contact the Discus Office.

TRAINING SESSIONS
Two online trainings to showcase the new Kids InfoBits for Discus institutions are scheduled on Thursday, May 1 and Monday, June 16. Please select your session and register soon

LAUNCH OF NEW KIDS INFOBITS
The current and familiar version of Kids InfoBits will continue to be available on the Discus website until July 1, 2014. On that day the switch will be made to the new Kids InfoBits. No action is required of institutions that link directly to Kids InfoBits (as opposed to using the Discus website as their point-of-access). The URL for the resource will remain the same. 
  
NoveList Plus

  

NoveList Plus, the amazing readers' advisory product of both fiction and nonfiction works, now has a new look and some exciting new features.  The new features include:

  • Audiobook information and recommendations that expand the ability to offer listeners' advisory;
  • An enhanced menu bar at the top of every screen that allows for easier access to content; and
  • Improved autocomplete search functionality that makes searching faster and more accurate.
More information is available in the NoveList news article.

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Auto Repair Reference Center   

  

Vehicle coverage in this resource is being expanded. The enhanced Auto Repair Reference Center is expected to launch soon and will include more than 800 later-model vehicles with repair information.
 
PowerSearch

 

There is a new tool in the PowerSearch interface that allows users to visually organize search results!   

 


Term Clusters help focus broad topics into more manageable subtopics, create connections between topics, and enable discoveries that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.  Term Clusters are available when searching these three databases via the PowerSearch interface:  Biography In Context, Nursing and Allied Health Collection, and Opposing Viewpoints In Context. 

Feel free to download and print the Term Clusters Tip Sheet to introduce this helpful tool to end users and colleagues.

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In This Issue
New Kids InfoBits
NoveList Plus
Auto Repair Reference Center
PowerSearch


Join Our Mailing List
Discus will be represented at these upcoming events!

 
SC Midlands Summit in Blythewood


Upstate Technology Conference in Greenville


Education & Business Summit in Greenville


ETV Technology Conference in Columbia

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Dear Discus... 

 

We're always happy to hear from you, so please contact us any time.  Access issues, database content questions, program recommendations, training concerns, and more are welcomed via phone or email. 


Discus is a service of the South Carolina State Library.