GREENR is a one-stop site for news, analysis, background information, video, primary source documents and statistics, covering relevant categories like energy systems, healthcare, food, climate change, population, international relations and economic development.
One of the things that makes GREENR so user-friendly is that it does not look like a database product.  Using GREENR, researchers can view content in a way that resembles Web sites, allowing them to browse to find answers as well as entering search terms.

Learn more www.gale.com/greenr

PowerSearch 2.0 simplifies browsing through Gale’s more than 20,000 publications, providing the ability to search across more than 150 million documents. 

More customization options for the user, allowing them to create their own custom profile.  Users can modify the home page so that the topics and publications are fed through RSS feeds directly to the page at login. 

Web 2.0 sharing tools including Del.icio.us, MySpace, Reddit, Digg, Facebook, Newsvine, Twitter and others to connect users with their community.  These tools allow users to push interesting articles out to the Web to share with others.

ReadSpeaker (text-to-speech technology), allowing users to have all articles available from within the platform read aloud.  All articles are fully downloadable in MP3 file format and can be played on an iPod or other audio devices.

Addition of “named user” functionality, allowing researchers to create custom profiles, name and save any search and modify RSS feed on the product’s homepage, thus facilitating ongoing research and supporting user’s interests.

Search results that incorporate portals of context sensitive multimedia (images, video and podcasts).

On-demand translation of documents into 11 different languages, helping institutions support a global community of users.

To our valued library partners:
In a recent letter from Gale President Pat Sommers, you read about Gale's Value Promise. It's our commitment to you that we will work to deliver maximum value for every dollar you spend with us. The library community has already responded favorably to our pledge, and librarians tell us it is saving them money in this challenging economic environment.

But our commitment goes beyond dollars and cents. We are also committed to expanding access to library users, a position reflected in our motto: Power to the User! This also means we take a firm stand against those who seek to restrict access.

Debate about exclusive content agreements

As you may have heard, another information provider has recently negotiated an agreement to be the only provider to libraries of Consumer Reports in electronic format. This is not the first incidence of "exclusive" content agreements in the industry, but we believe it is particularly ill-timed.

We agree with many library leaders that "locking up" content with exclusive, restrictive licensing agreements is not in libraries' best interests—particularly during a time when library budgets are under more pressure than ever.

Libraries currently in long-term contracts with other providers will either need to duplicate periodical databases to gain access to Consumer Reports, or they will have to purchase an expensive direct subscription which is offered through a proprietary platform by the exclusive provider.

Unless the library can afford to purchase additional (and typically duplicate) resources, content is removed from resources, and patrons lose access to information they need and value.

In many cases, such exclusive contracts also diminish the value of state-wide subscriptions. Rather than empowering users, we believe such arrangements cost libraries money, and do not serve the interests of users.

Gale is maintaining its promise to expand access to information

We are doing this in three major ways:

We eschew the practice of seeking exclusive agreements that restrict access to information. We work closely with publishers to encourage them to offer their content through multiple information providers so access is not restricted and the cost of acquiring information resources does not increase.
Gale is adding more full-text publications—without embargoes—to our databases than ever before. More than 2,000 new, high-quality full-text titles were added in the last year alone. And we will continue to add content that users and libraries need.
In addition, while other providers are restricting access to information by enforcing tough guidelines for remote access, Gale is working with libraries to remove authentication—opening up libraries' investments to entire communities. We believe that this approach provides greater value to our library partners.
What do you think?

We invite you to weigh in on issues of "equity of access."  Post your views here on The Sizzle or tweet using #Gale and let us know your opinion. You'll find this letter as a blog posting that you can comment on. We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Find us on Twitter: @GaleCengage    Join the discussion: #Gale

Meanwhile, we're always available to respond to your questions. Call us at 1-800-877-GALE.

Yours in partnership,
John Barnes
Executive Vice President
Strategic Marketing and Business Development

Due to an exclusive licensing agreement between the publisher and another information provider, Gale will stop adding new issues of Consumer Reports to its InfoTrac suite effective June 30, 2009. All back issues (from January 1999) will remain in the Gale product in full text.

To ensure ongoing access to consumer rating information, Gale is negotiating agreements with consumer information publishers that will result in a very robust collection of content, which Gale will make available via a widget. The new content will be available to InfoTrac customers at no additional cost, of course.

Register for a free trial

http://www.gale.cengage.com/servlet/FreeTrialServlet?region=9&imprint=000&title=Career+Transitions

Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health: A Guide for Seniors and Their Care Givers

http://www.gale.cengage.com/servlet/ItemDetailServlet?region=9&imprint=000&titleCode=GESHE&cf=e&type=4&id=242263

Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development

http://www.gale.cengage.com/servlet/ItemDetailServlet?region=9&imprint=000&titleCode=M363E&cf=e&type=4&id=242723

Global Issues in Context now features a swine flu portal that includes perspectives from Africa News Service, Chicago Tribune, and The Independent (London, England), podcasts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and reference material detailing the swine flu outbreak of 1976. Global Issues in Context also includes CDC, WHO, pandemic preparedness and influenza portals.

Science Resource Center users will find a new “spotlight on” the swine flu, which addresses the origin of the illness and potential for a pandemic, as well as the latest information from the CDC.

Attached here are sample articles.  Check with your local library to access more information through Global Issues in Context and Science Resource Center.

MP3 Swine Flu article from Global Issues in Context

PDF Swine Flu article from Global Issues in Context

The Web site ( www.galeschools.com/k12funding ) specifically addresses ARRA guidelines and how information resources align with them, and is designed to help educators, administrators and others inside and outside the school system understand the requirements of ARRA and their purchase decisions.

Drop-down tabs provide details on the requirements of the four funding areas of ARRA and specific products that support them.  Many Gale resources support multiple areas, including Educator’s Reference Complete, Gale Virtual Reference Library and Global Issues in Context.

(http://access.gale.com/widgets)

Also released this week was the Business & Company Resource Center widget (http://access.gale.com/widgets/ticker), which features four different search options (financial, company, industry, and articles)

It’s not too late to celebrate National Library Week, as the free widget is still available through May 15 (http://www.gale.com/libraryweek), which features links to some of Gale’s most highly praised online resources.

Interested in future updates on Gale widgets?  Follow us at Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/galeWidgets) or contact us at galesupport@cengage.com.

Browse the activities page http://www.galeschools.com/environment/activities.htm to learn more about endangered species, biomes, tips on “going green,” lesson plans and more, or download a free  bookmark, poster or screensaver.
 
Tools and resources are available at http://www.galeschools.com/environment/tools.htm and include a parent’s and teacher’s guide for “experiment central,” details on environmental ethics and words to know.

You can also get a glimpse at Gale's greatly anticipated new online resource GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources) due to release in June, and see how other Gale resources like Global Issues in Context can guide you to the latest information on hot topics like climate change, nuclear and renewable energy and recycling.

For complete details and contest rules go to www.gale.com/librareo.

The winning entry will be awarded $2,500 and an additional $2,500 for the winner’s favorite library. Results will be announced at this year’s American Library Association's Annual Conference in Chicago.