February 24th, 2008 The Virtual Collection

It'‘s hard to write a captivating introduction to the Virtual Collection. The topic sounds dry, but is really isn’t. If you're an adult you might think the Virtual Collection on our webpage is just for students, but it’s not. There are so many great databases it's hard to know where to begin, so keep reading, you just might be surprised. To access the collection from the comfort of your own home, you need only to enter your library card number and your telephone number, complete with area code (i.e.) 807-555-1212. Here are some of my favourite databases and they’re available 24 hours a day.

Health And Wellness Resource Center

If you're looking for information on prescription drugs, visit the Health And Wellness Resource Center. Choose Find Drugs and Herbal Remedies on the toolbar and enter the name of the medication. You'll find current information from sources such as the PDR Family Guide To Prescription Drugs. It provides information such as why it’'s prescribed, how to take it, side effects, interactions with other medications and any warnings. If you have questions about your medications, remember you can always talk to your pharmacist. This database also contains a medical encyclopedia and the latest news in the world of health. There's also a video library, where you can view videos on everything from hypertension to acid reflux. The Health Assessment section lets you check your risk factors for heart disease, diabetes etc. You can even find your Waist-Hip Ratio to determine if you're an apple or a pear. A good mirror can also tell you that. A general search on a topic such as cancer, will lead you to reference books, magazines, pamphlets, etc. It's like having a medical library right in your own home.

Auto Repair Reference Center

If you like doing basic repairs to your vehicle, check out the Auto Repair Reference Center. It's easy to use, just select the year of your vehicle, then the make and model. It has wiring diagrams for things like exterior lights and cooling fans. The repair procedures section covers topics such as the removal and installation of disc brake pads. This section has written instructions, diagrams and some actual photographs. There's also a section on service bulletins and recalls that might apply to your vehicle. If you're still in need of help and it's noon on a Saturday, you might be in luck. Tune in to Car Talk with Click and Clack the Tappet brothers, live on National Public Radio. With luck you'll be able to access 91.1 F.M. on your radio. They're informative and just plain fun to listen to. They also have a website you can visit at http://www.cartalk.com

What Do I Read Next?

You've just finished reading At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon and like me, you fell in love with the small town of Mitford and it's host of memorable characters. If you'd like to know what else is available, you can do a title search in What Do I Read Next? This will lead you to a list of all the books in the Mitford series. There's also the search feature called Who? What? Where? When? You can search by a place, a time period, a subject or a character, such as a chicken (although I'm not sure why anyone would want to read a book about a chicken). Now I could understand reading about a character such as a chipmunk. You can do genre searches such as fantasy, horror, romance. The Help Me Find A Book section will lead you to books similar to one you've enjoyed. Just enter a title and then pick what you liked about the book, such as the setting, the character, the time period etc.

Career Cruising

Do you need help finding a job? Thinking of changing careers? Career Cruising is a great resource for both students and adults. The Portfolio section allows you to set up a portfolio for yourself. It contains schools and careers that interest you, as well as your education and career plans. It has a built in resume builder that's easy to use. If you don’t know what you'd like to do after you finish school or are looking for a career change, be sure to take the
Matchmaker quiz. The results may help point you down the path to a new career. If you already have one it's fun to see if your profession comes up in the list.

Small Engine Repair Reference Center

Now that you have your vehicle in working order, what else is in need of repair? We have a database for maintaining and repairing small engines. It covers snowthrowers, motorcycles, snowmobiles, chain saws, personal water craft and more. Now there’s no excuse for not having things in working order. All you need is some free time.

I hope you found something in this column that interested you. There’'s a lot more than I touched on. The next time you decide to repair your car or lawn mower on a Sunday morning, maybe you'll think of us. We can't send someone over to help you, but the Virtual Collection is always there to lend a hand, just think of it as a virtual hand.

Karen Craib Library Technician www.tbpl.ca