best database products for middle school (long)

[Melba Kurman <mkurman@UDEL.EDU>]

Thank you all for your responses.  Since responses were so informative,
I am posting the replies as they were sent to me.

Database products mentioned in this post:
Wilson Mega
IAC's Tom Jr.
Newsbank Jr.
SIRS Discover
EBSCO's Middle School
UMI ProQuest
Electric Library

Encyclopedias mentioned:
WorldBook
Grollier's

Here is the re-post:
_________________

Sandy Norfolk wrote:

Susan,

        We have used Electric Library this year at my high school and have
found i= t to be a wonderful resource.  The students get lots of hits, the
informati= on is very current, and the program is easy to use.  In fact,
after having = major problems with support from EBSCO MAS FullText Elite,
we've dumped the= m entirely to go solely with Electric Library.

Sandy Norfolk, Librarian
West Delaware High School
___________________
Sally Lantz wrote:

Melba- In our middle school media center, we had CD data bases of Tom Jr.
(we have to have the JR variety because we only have one CD drive
available; there is also the Super Tom Jr.but it takes 2 drives), SIRS,
and SIRS Discoverer.  Our central office subscribes to SearchBank online
for all middle and high schools.

Although our students use all 4 of these programs, I'd like to express how
much we rely on SIRS Discoverer for our students with lower abilities.
This program is designed for students in elementary and middle school and
is wonderful for these kids that cannot use the other databases
effectively.  The articles included are color coded by level (I think
there are 4 levels) so that helps us zero in information suitable to
specific students.  Of course, *all* of our students also use this program
but it is especially good for those lower kids.  We subscribe to this
program for 1/2 price because we also subscribe to SIRS. It is great!!
(You can also preview it for 30 or 60 days which I did before purchasing.)
-- Sally Lantz mailto:sarahl@ccpl.carr.lib.md.us Media Specialist West
Frederick Middle School Frederick, MD 21701
_________________
Trish Feld wrote:

Melba--I would love you to post a hit because I am a middle school
librarian in a new library; we have been using Sirs Discoverer this year
and I am finding that it is *okay*, not great.  I am definitely looking to
see what else is out there and since I do not have a lot of money to spend,
can only get one.  SIRS Discoverer is fine for 5 and 6 but in some cases is
too young for the 8th graders and does not cover all the subjects.  So,
definitely, a hit would be wonderful--
thanks
Trish Feld
Crossett Brook MIddle School
Waterbury, Vermont
tfeld@waterbury.k12.vt.us
____________________

Mary Ann Bell wrote:

I am currently using SIRS Researcher and SIRS Discoverer both.  Also
have NewsBank JR.  Will have Electric Library Next year.  Plus all Texas
librarians who joing Texas Library Connection have ProQuest.  I really
like SIRS products.  Discoverer is excellent for the younger student.  I
may drop NewsBank next year because all our district will have EL--have
been using EL at local junior college where I work adjunct...it is so
easy it is addictive.  Very popular.  Customer support for SIRS has been
fine, also NewsBank.  Cannot say for EL until next year.  I think you
get a lot of junk on ProQuest unless really narrow search.  Hope this
helps!--Mary Ann
--
*****???*****???*****???*****???*****
Mary Ann Bell, Librarian
York Junior High School

______________

M Glatt wrote:

I am very impressed with SIRS Discoverer.  The menu is a great one for
kids--and it covers categories like Drugs and Alcohol and Personal
Growth, as well as the traditional Science, History, etc.  It is also
has a keyword search that is *perfect* for teaching Boolean
searching--it even tallies the number of times the keywords appear,
"forcing" kids to see how AND, OR, and NOT work.  I used this method
in my orientation to keyword searching, and it worked like a charm.

==
Michelle Glatt
Librarian
Chiddix Junior High School
Normal, IL
_________________

Linda Miltner wrote:

At our junior high we have had Wilson Mega (full-text)for two years.
The cost this year is going up to $1,795.  I am going to drop it.  We
are a Mac school and I don't think their tech support is as good with
Mac.  What bothers me most is that the "full text" appears for so few
articles!  If Newsweek, for example, is advertised by them as being
full-text, then why are hundreds of Newsweek articles only offered as an
abstract?
        Another thing I dislike is that when the browse screen pops up, the
user must erase the default entry (which is the very first subject of
the whole data base) and type in what he is looking for.  This is not an
intuitive thing.  The box should appear with a blinking cursor and be
blank, not filled with words!
        Finally, I don't like the fact that double windows automatically appear
in the search which encourage kids to limit searches in ways that
actually inhibit, rather than help, their search.  There are too many
options.
        I'm considering supertom jr.  Post a hit.
--
Linda Miltner
Library Media Specialist
Bridgetown Junior High School
____________________

Patricia Jones wrote:

Have  been using UMI's ProQuest for about 5 years and love it.  Have had few
problems--mostly my inability to read instructions--and have had good
technical support.  There was one guy whose command of the English language
was comparable to my understanding of computers who conflicted, but have not
heard from him again and we did finally work things out...so, all in all,
very good service.  They should send you a demo free--1-800-964-7108.  They
sent us a computer and demo for three months to try it out.  Don't know if
they still do it that way.

Patricia Jones
Baldwin County H.S. Library
Bay Minette, AL  36507
bchslib@gulftel.com
________________

Kate Brown wrote:

Dear Melba,
     If I understand your question, you are asking for what magazine databases
we middle school media people use, like, don't like, etc.  Correct?
     I auditioned several and my hands down favorite was and is EBSCO's Middle
Search.  My sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are equally at ease using it
and all are successful finding (and reading) information for no-matter-what
curriculum area.  The journals indexed meet their curricular requirements as
well as their interests, and all are readable.  The annotations are well
written enough to whet their appetites for more if the full text is not on the
disc (though in many cases, what they want is right there).  If not, we do a
search on the Massachusetts Library system's website or call the public
library for help locating the article, especially if it has graphics the
student wants since these are not on the disc.
     The technical support has been wonderful -- on the very, very few
occasions I've even needed it!
     In addition to the magazine index, the disc also features an animal
encyclopedia and Collier's Encyclopedia.  So ... there is rarely a student who
leaves empty-handed, no matter what their question.
     Hope that helps.
===========
Kate Brown, Media Director
Westport (MA) Middle School
LaBookWorm@aol.com
_______

Maureen Irwin wrote:

I have used Infotrac and Proquest CD-ROM products, and while the latter is
very expensive,
it is exceedingly easy to use and allows for a variety of searching
techniques.  You can search using one or more keywords using regular
Boolean strategies, and for phrases without worrying about " "'s or pre/2
type configurations, which is what is currently required on ProQuest
direct on-line.  Sixth graders master the CD-ROM version easily, and
it's 6-8's favorite spot for contemporary articles, with the possible
exception of SIRS for some topics. One can also search ProQuest CDROM by
publication, so they can scan last month's Seventeen, for instance.  Each
month we get an updated index CD (which overlaps the last update) and
between 10-12 new data discs.  Storage is beginning to be a problem, so we
have just put 1988-89 discs in the workroom and have a sign saying we
still have them.
        For encyclopedias, I still prefer World Book CD-ROM.  It's clean,
simple, and direct but doesn't get bogged down in keyword mode, as some of
the on-lines do. I have yet to complete a successful search for
myself(!)on Britannica online. I don't think the bugs have really been
worked out of "natural language searching" and it's more frustrating than
it's worth. Groliers/Americana is OK online, but I haven't
had much chance to really put it to a test.  The on-line sources are nice
because they provide weblinks which have been specifically chosen, but so
far I haven't found their search capabilities as pleasant to use as the
CDROM's.
        Early in 6th grade, I have the kids do the same assignment in a
print format and in an electronic encyclopedia, and ask them to decide
which
they prefer for various types of assignments (e.g., quick facts vs.
detailed reports), and to explain why.  Each year I get about half who
prefer the print!

Maureen S. Irwin          **Any book you have not read is a new book ;)**
Middle School Librarian
Roland Park Country School
Baltimore, MD  21010
irwinm@rpcs.pvt.k12.md.us      or  msirwin@umd5.umd.edu (for listserv)
__________

Elizabeth Davenport wrote:

I used EBSCO Middle School Search.  It includes magazine index,
magazines in full text and at least two encyclopedias.  It does not
include graphics.

I had 7 computers that were not networked.  Since EBSCO updated 9 times
a year, I could have it running on all 7 computers by the year's end.
This made it easier to handle the requests of a full class of students.
--
Elizabeth Davenport
Roseville High School LMC
ed1mrvl@moa.net
____________________

Joan Marstiller wrote:

Melba - For the past few years, I have used Infotrac in our jr. library and
was very pleased with it.  However, I'm thinking of going over to Electric
Library, an online magazine, book, etc. database.  We used it for a trial
period and the kids really loved it.  Also, in my opinion, the best electronic
encyclopedia is World Book.  Hope this helps.  Joan Marstiller

_______________


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Melba Kurman                        *                     mkurman@udel.edu
Reference Department                *
University of Delaware Library      *                       (302) 831-6964
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