World Book Online for Students

     

World Book Encyclopedia was designed to meet the curriculum needs of students in elementary through high school. It was first published in 1917 and revised annually starting in 1925. The title was later shortened to World Book. The information contained in the books filled 22 volumes. By 1995, World Book had become available on two (2) CD-ROM versions and by 1999 it was available online. 

    Welcome to World Book Online provided by CMRLS Digital Resources. To access World Book go to the CMRLS website at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/. Click on the Digital Library link above the banner, next click on the Virtual Reference collection, then scroll down to the World Book Online link. Be sure to have your library card handy, you will be directed to enter the barcode number on the back of your card. 

Once you have logged in you will see a "Your Resources" page with six different tabs:

• Kids - Grade K+ Image driven content for curious kids to explore
• Discover - Grades 5+ Foundational content presented for differentiation
• Student - Grades 5+ Foundational research tool for curriculum reinforcement
• Advanced - Grades 9+ Expanded topics and world resources for advanced understanding
• Timelines - Grades 5+ A highly visual representation of history
• Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgose - Grades 5+ Spanish-lanuage resources for kids

Each tab offers something different for the student based on your school level. 

• The Kid's tab has brightly colored tabs which include pictures & videos, games, puzzles, science projects, etc...
• The Discover tabs offer a search tab, reference tools, life skills, etc...
• The Student tab offers a search tab, quick links, current events, biography center, etc...
• The Advanced tab offers a search tab, featured article, in the headlines, etc...
• The Timelines tab offers a featured timeline, world book timelines, My timelines, Create a timeline
• The Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgose is just like the others but for those students in a Spanish-speaking household.

 Some highlights about World Book Online are the fun activities on the Kids tab such as the craft room, crack the code, doodle & design, and many more. My research under the Student tabs is also a get tool. It allows you to save articles related to your research for future use. Cite builder shows you how to cite the article you are using in either MLA, APA, or Harvard formats. There is a tab you can click on the listen to the article while you read along. There are even tabs for Educators.

    There are so many great advantages to having World Book online. Next time you are working on your research paper or a lesson for class, don't google it, World Book it!!

     

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Would You Rather? and What If?

     My 17-year-old son has always loved "Would You Rather" and "What If" questions ever since he started school (probably before that). He would just randomly hit me with the weirdest questions. It would be related to a video he just watched, something he just read, or something he overheard. You never knew where he was going with the question or when he would hit you with the question. So I thought I would ask you a "Would You Rather" and "What If" question, library edition.

    I'm going to answer each question and hope that if you are reading this post, you too will answer my "Would You Rather" and "What If" questions.

 Question 1: Would you rather read only e-books or read-only physical books?

 Question 2: What if you had to chose to live in the storyline for your favorite book, where would you be going?

  Now for my answers:

    Question 1: I want to say both but that's not how this works so, my answer is...e-Books. I know, I know, but Mrs. Kathie you are the Librarian, you work in a library surrounded by books all day. I hear you, but let me defend my answer. Think about this, we are always in a hurry, constantly moving about, always on the go. Carrying a book bag full of stories with you everywhere you go is going to get tiring and it's going to get heavy and you are just going to give up on it, but if you have your cell phone you can download an app and have an endless supply of stories. Imagine the worlds you could visit, the people you could meet, or the things you could learn. You could just pull out your cell phone while you're riding in the car on a long trip and visit a far-off land. While settling down on your lunch break, you could rediscover an old friend. I love to be able to pull out my device on my lunch break or on a long road trip and read a few chapters in my book. The library has a great app for e-Book (and e-Audio books) called Axis360. Stop by or call your local library to get more information about this app.

    Question 2: Now this question is a little harder for me to answer. I have read so many books throughout my life that I have truly enjoyed, that I'm not sure I could pick just one book. As I sit here and write this post, I have been thinking about this. Where would I like to go if I had to choose just one storyline? Would it be on a deserted island in a treehouse, like the characters from Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss, OR would it be in Yukon, Canada during the Klondike Gold Rush like the characters in The Call of the Wild by Jack London? Although I love both of these childhood classics, I would choose the foothills of the Ozark Mountains based on the book by Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows. It's a story about a young boy who wants nothing more than some coon hunting dogs of his own. After seeing an ad in a magazine, he spends the next two years doing odd jobs to earn the $50 that he needs to purchase two Redbone Coonhounds, Little Ann and Old Dan. It's a heartwarming story and I have read it several times throughout my life and enjoyed it each and every time. It reminds me of childhood memories when things were not so busy and life moved at a slower pace.

    I didn't think I would be able to choose just one book because there are so many places that I have traveled while reading. Some of them were far off in the future, some way back in the past, and some that I hope never become a reality. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my post and I look forward to reading your answers.

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When the Librarians are Alone

 Covid-19 has changed a lot of things. Even at the library. Masks, social distancing, smaller capacity requirements, and fewer patrons. That is definitely the hardest one for us at the library. We see fewer people day-to-day. That means we spend more time alone at the library. Ever wonder what librarians do when no one is around? I'm so glad you asked.

We sing at the top of our lungs. We talk LOUD to each other just because we can. We hide in the stacks and scare each other. We listen to music LOUD. We make laps around the library, sometimes walking and sometimes running. We play games. We laugh out LOUD at videos. We dance!

Now, most of that probably does not come as too big of a surprise. But, what if I told you that there is a library that has Nerf Gun Wars when nobody is around? It's true. I have seen it. Librarians gone wild! Bullets flying! Battle plans being executed. It is crazy. 

I know, the librarians are always so calm and nice when you walk in. Surely, they were not just dancing or running or singing or shooting a nerf gun? Maybe they were or maybe they weren't. 

Maybe next time you are in your local library, you should look around for nerf bullets. If you find one, ask the librarians what it is. Just be ready to duck and cover. You might be the next target.  

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