Vol. 17, No. 38	Aug. 6, 1998

State support helps library serve public schools

Since the fall of 1997, UDLib/ SEARCH has provided all Delaware public high schools with access to an electronic library of online magazine and encyclopedia articles. Beginning in the fall of 1998, the service will expand to provide similar digital resources to all Delaware public middle schools and junior high schools.

UDLib/SEARCH builds on the computer infrastructure that was created when the state provided Internet connections to public schools in Delaware. The system adds content to this educational network, allowing students, teachers and administrators to read and search magazine and journal articles in online databases.

Since July 1997, Delaware public high school students have read more than 300,000 magazine and journal articles online and searched through many more.

UDLib/SEARCH also prepares teachers for the information age. During 1997/98, UD library staff provided training sessions in public schools to more than 700 public school teachers and school librarians.

UDLib/SEARCH databases are unique because they contain the full text of magazine and journal articles, dramatically expanding the research collections of public school libraries. The system increases the average number of periodicals in a public high school library from 75 to more than 500. Full text databases meet a critical need as Delaware public schools work toward achieving new state educational content standards.

To support UDLib/SEARCH, the UD library works closely with the public schools, the state Department of Education, the state Office of Information Services and a statewide advisory group of public school librarians who provide advice on selection of databases and training needs.

Databases available to all public high schools in Delaware during the 1997/98 year included "SuperTOM" and "Expanded Academic ASAP." Access to "SIRS Researcher" was added during the spring of 1998. Public high schools also have access to "Britannica Online" which contains the full 44-million-word text of the Encyclopedia Britannica, more than 1,000 additional articles not found in the printed set, thousands of complementary illustrations and graphics and online links from articles to thousands of related Internet resources. More databases will be added in 1998/99.

All Delaware public middle schools and junior high schools will have access to full text online periodical databases appropriate for students in those grade levels beginning in September 1998.

"High school students find access to the full text of so many journals highly useful and instructive. The journals are up to date and contain the same illustrations and text as in the print counterpart," Susan Brynteson, director of libraries at UD, said.

"The schools, school librarians and teachers have been extremely pleased with the databases, training and coordination activities over the past year and we plan to increase our activities in the coming year both in high schools and middle schools. It will be an exciting year," Sandra Millard, program director of UDLib/SEARCH and assistant director for Library Public Services at UD, said.

In addition to Bryntenson and Millard, UD library staff involved with UDLib/SEARCH include Erin Daix, UDLib/SEARCH database training coordinator for high schools and assistant librarian; Melba Kurman, UDLib/SEARCH database coordinator, who provides training at the middle and junior high schools in 1998/99; Gregg Silvis, assistant director for library computing systems; and Shirley Branden, head, reference department, library public services.

For more information about UDLib/SEARCH, check the UDLib/SEARCH home page on the web at: <http://www2.lib.udel. edu/udlib-srch/>.

To schedule high school training sessions contact Daix via e-mail at daix@udel.edu or by phone at 831-6943.

To schedule training for middle schools and junior high schools, contact Kurman via e-mail at mkurman@udel.edu or by phone at 831-6964; or Nora Bonsall, senior secretary, via e-mail at norabons@udel.edu or by phone at 831-2231.

For additional questions on the UDLib/SEARCH program contact Millard via E-mail: skm@udel.edu or by phone at 831-2231.