Hit: Contemporary authors series

[tammyd <tammyd@lomira.k12.wi.us>]

Hi Group,

Here it is!  Suggestions for author information.  Not too many replies,
and the ones that were are basically saying the same thing.  I think
Gale has cornered the market here!  Thanks to all who responded.

We bought all of Contemporary Authors on a CD for about $800.  I was
able
to IASA Title VI money for it.  It is fabulous - fits very well into our
program where two teachers have an assignment that calls for reading a
current or contemporary novel and providing a critical review of the
author.  We would be totally stuck if we could not use the "Sidelights"
portion of this database.  Some of the essays run 7 and 9 pages!  It is
pricey, and we will NOT renew our subscription in the near future
because
this provides what we need probably for the next 5-10 years.  If you
can,
get yourself a preview copy.  HOWEVER - note that Gale is notoriously
bad
about acknowledging receipt of returned items, and you may also get two
of something - and they will make a renewal sound mandatory.  Just
alerts.
But the program is terrific IF you need critical information about
contemporary writers on a regular and intensive basis.

We stopped the print volumes years ago because of cost.  We have missed
it
a little, but the CD is so far superior that I would NEVER go the print
route.  And all the information - and then some - is included.


        I know what you mean about having difficulty keeping up with the
CA
series yet alone their revisions!  I stopped several years ago.  In
recent years I did purchase two of Gale's CD-ROM's (single user vers.)
that cover authors.(I believe network vers. is available, but very
costly.) The info. is much more extensive than CA, giving detailed bios,
lists of writings, criticism, etc.  And they are obviously quite
expensive.  But at least they don't have to be replaced or updated as
frequently.  These, along with the CA books I already own, have sufficed
for most students doing book reports or novel critiques.  For some
hard-to-find authors, I send students to the local public library.  I am
thinking of seeing if I can up-date that paper index (if it is still
available) so I can at least see if the author I'm searching for is in
CA before I send the student to the public library. And sometimes I do
search the Internet with various search engines. I don't use any
particular site.  Surprisingly, I do sometimes find just enough info.
for the student.  Hope this helps.


 There's nothing like it on the Internet (at least I haven't found
anything except children's authors information).  We did purchase Gale's
CD-ROM DISCovering Authors.  The first disk they produced was on the 300
most studied authors in schools.  I then purchased the Multicultural and
Popular Fiction additions, which covers some of the people in
Contemporary Authors.

I just got a mailing from our county REMC (Michigan).  They
are getting bid prices from all the on-line data base - CD ROM index
companies for the School Districts in our county.  Gale is included
(along with SIRS, UMI, Wilson, Ebsco, IAC, Scholastic, etc).


Gale Net is available for CA/CLC/DLB for $3250.
In addition, CD ROM's are also available for:
        American Decades ($200/year); Discovering Authors ($233/year),
Discovering Biography ($200/year).  Perhaps you have some group purchase
bids in your county or state.  Hope this helps....


I'm in the same boat, unfortunately. However,  I did purchase
Gale's DISCovering Authors CD. We've been very pleased with it despite
the four digit price tag...
--
Tammy Dineen,Library Media Specialist
Lomira High School, Lomira, WI
tammyd@lomira.k12.wi.us
"The coward dies a thousand deaths, the leader only one"

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