About the Author

Did you ever need to find information about a certain author but have no idea where to look? Start with the Literature Resource Center, which contains material on over 120,000 authors, including biographies, bibliographies, critical essays, interviews, book reviews, journal articles and much more.

To get started, first go to Research from the library’s homepage.  Then, choose Literature and scroll down to find the Literature Resource Center.  There are several search options such as the author’s name, keyword or even title. The results of a search are broken down by content area, which is handy if you are specifically looking for a biography, book review or a primary source.  

When I need a comparison of the works of Emily and Charlotte Brontë from an academic journal or just a listing of titles by Stephen King (including those written under a pseudonym), Literature Resource Center is my starting point.

--Stacey L., Reference

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe

Doing research on different countries, for school, travel or just want to know more? We have a couple of great databases for you. Global Road Warrior and Culturegrams are great sources of information about countries and their cultures.

Global Road Warrior takes an in-depth look at countries around the world. It includes a wide range of topics like education, music, currency, culture and food; along with hot topics like human rights and religion. This is a great database for research and reports on the culture and lifestyles of different countries. 

Culturegrams provides a basic overview of each country including population, history, and cultural information. They also have fun resources like recipes, famous people and pictures. You can even hear the national anthems and the official name of the country. 

So, next time you are doing a report or preparing for a trip use Global Road Warrior and Culturegrams. www.slcl.org > Research > Geography and Travel 

If you have additional questions please call 314-994-3300 ext 2050.

--Tiffany D., Reference

Tax Help

With April 15 drawing near, can St. Louis County Library customers use the library's research tools for tax help?  The answer is yes.  The library has a button on its home page, www.slcl.org, for "tax help."  The site provides a list of the participating library branches where tax preparation help will be available.  

For those looking for more, go to www.slcl.org, then click on the Research tab and scroll down to the subject guide topic Tax Forms. Among the useful sites under the Tax Forms topic is AARP Tax-Aide, which has a list of frequently asked tax questions and answers by category and an online form to submit tax questions.  The Tax Forms research topic also provides links to current and past federal and state tax forms and publications.

The library has provided one-stop tax help for time-pressed filers.

--Harry C., Reference

Did you know?

Americans BBQ more than they bake.  In 2009, ten times more British citizens visited the United States than Canadians.  People are more likely to read each week than participate in any other leisure activity.  

All these facts were found in Proquest’s Statistical Abstract of the United States.  What is a Statistical Abstract?  It’s a compilation of social and economic statistics that allows you to get a snapshot of American life, see how American behavior has evolved over time, or find interesting facts for research papers.  

To find the Abstract, go to Quick Reference under Research (you will be asked to provide your library card number and pin if you access the database outside the library).  Once in the Abstract, you can browse for information by topics, like Population and Price or search for a specific term by typing it in the search box.  You can also download and print tables out.

So, now that you've discovered the Statistical Abstract of the United States, try this out:   

True or false:  More people are injured on toilets than skiing and snowboarding*?  
*Hint: type “toilet” in the search box and click on Table 219.  

--Susie B., Reference

eCourses changes

Our eCourses provider has implemented a couple changes so that students get the most out of their courses.

• Students are limited to 6 passcodes per email address per 4-week time period. 
• Students must remain current and active to maintain access to their course(s). If a student hasn't logged in and viewed lessons one and two by the Tuesday two weeks after the start date, they will be automatically dropped from the course. (Example: A student who enrolls in a course with a January 16th start date will be dropped if the student has not viewed lessons one and two by January 29th.) Students who are automatically dropped will be able to enroll in the course during a later session.

Call Reference at 314-994-3300 x2050 with any questions.  

Starting off the New Year right!

For many people the new year is a time to set goals and resolutions. If any of your New Year's Resolutions are to get your GED, to work on a career placement test, or to study for college prep, we have what you are looking for!

Learning Express Library offers a wide variety of preparation and practice tests:

• GED - Preparation test
• GED - Practice test in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies 
• College Prep Practice tests - SAT, ACT, CLEP
• Graduate Prep Practice tests - GRE, GMAT, LSAT MAT. MCAT
• Occupational practice tests - CDL, EMT basics, ASVAB and many more

To get started all you need is a SLCL card and PIN number. Go to www.slcl.org> Research > Education> Learning Express Library. You will need to create a username and password so you can keep track of test scores and what you have already done. Good Luck!!

If you have additional questions please call 314-994-3300 ext 2050

---Tiffany D., Reference

It’s the End of the Year as We Know It!

I’m always a bit nostalgic towards the end of the year, and what a year 2012 has been! We saw a lot of things that made us smile, broke our hearts, and made history. Here’s a highlight reel of all things 2012…

January: Hailey Yancy was the first baby born in St. Louis for 2012. Many new babies arrived at the St. Louis Zoo in the first few days of 2012 – Studebaker the Bangteng Calf, a King Penguin Chick, and Tundra the Mountain Bongo.

February: Giants beat Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.  Whitney Houston passes away, after her success as one of the greatest pop divas of all time.

March: “Hunger Games” comes out in theaters, making $155 million at the box office on its first weekend.

April: Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You” tops Billboard charts. Chen Guangcheng, a Chinese government dissident, seeks asylum in the US after speaking out against his government.

May: Mitt Romney of Massachusetts captures the Republican nomination.

June: Wildfires in Colorado and New Mexico burn through 200,000 acres and cause thousands to flee their homes.

July: A gunman opens fire in a movie theater for “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 and injuring 58. Stars of the movie visit victims in the hospital.  

August: The Summer Olympics kick off in London, and the US brings home the gold for gymnastics. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, passes away at the age of 82.

September: An attack at the US Consulate in Libya kills 4 people. This becomes a major issue for the Presidential election.

October: Hurricane Sandy devastates the Northeast with over $50 billion in damages. Jerry Sandusky is sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for his part in the scandal at Pennsylvania State University.

November: Obama wins Presidential election against Mitt Romney. Later in the month he pardons turkeys Cobbler and Gobbler.

December: “The Hobbit” makes $84 million on its first weekend. A tragic school shooting in Newton, CT claims 26 lives.

To find out more about what happened in 2012 and any year, check out “Year by Year” or “World News Digest.” Happy New Year!

---Anna H., Jamestown Bluffs