Humans’ Impact on the Environment: Find Research on GreenFILE #WPLdeepdive

This is the fourth in a series of posts taking a #WPLdeepdive into some of the Library’s online research and e-learning resources – aka our databases.* In this series we share information about these collections and show you how you can access them from home using your valid Winnipeg Public Library card.

To get started you will want to visit our A-Z Databases page. Make sure to have your valid library card with you. Don’t have a Winnipeg Public Library membership?  Learn how to sign up.

If you’ve never before used a Library database, check out the first instalment in this series or find a tutorial on our YouTube channel:

But first…

Have you visited the Library’s Green Choices Info Guide? It is chocked full of librarian-selected resources to help make green choices, such as composting, green cleaning, using renewable energy, and more.

About GreenFILE

If you’re interested in human impacts on the environment or environmental health topics then GreenFILE is the research database for you.

“GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on the environmental effects of individuals, corporations and local/national governments, and what can be done at each level to minimize these effects.”

The information below describes using GreenFILE on a desktop or laptop computer. The layout will look a bit different on a mobile device.

What’s in GreenFILE?

To get an idea of the type of information sources listed in GreenFILE click on “Publications” near the upper left-hand corner of the screen. You’ll be taken to the alphabetical list seen below.  You can browse this list by clicking through the letters or, if you know the name of the publication you want to consult, you can search for it here.

Need it now?

While GreenFILE lets you search through a lot of information sources you’ll find that some results will only provide access to the abstract or summary. (If you want an article that doesn’t have its full text available in GreenFILE contact us and we can check to see if there is an open access copy available. Also, when our InterLibrary Loan service is available, we can try to source the article from another library.)

The good news is finding full-text articles is easy.  On the main search screen simply check off the “Full Text” box and then enter your search terms.

Once you’ve found an article you want you can either read it online, download and save it or email it to yourself or another person (if they have a valid Winnipeg Public Library card they’ll be able to access the article from the email you send).

Advanced Searching

There are many other ways of searching the GreenFILE database. Explore the options if you are looking for something every specific, or  contact us to how to best search.

If you have questions about using this or any other Winnipeg Public Library database please Ask Us! We look forward to serving you.

– Monique

*Winnipeg Public Library databases are made available to you through a subscription owned by Winnipeg Public Library. To access these databases outside the Library, you will be asked to enter a valid Winnipeg Public Library card number. Access to these databases from home is licensed for personal use only; institutions may not access these databases.

Before your next big (or small) purchase: Consumer Reports #WPLDeepDive

This is the third in a series of posts taking a #WPLdeepdive into some of the Library’s online research and e-learning resources – aka our databases.* In this series we share information about these collections and show you how you can access them from home using your valid Winnipeg Public Library card. Check out the first instalment about how to find and access the Library’s databases and other eResources, or find a tutorial on our YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/vrMlOw7zZRM

To get started you will want to visit our A-Z Databases page. Make sure to have your valid library card with you. Don’t have a Winnipeg Public Library membership?  Learn how to sign up.

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Consumer Reports (CR) has been around a long time – since 1936, in fact – and Winnipeg Public Library has made CR’s print materials available for many years. Winnipeggers use CR to help them make decisions about their next purchase – big or small. A U.S.-based organization, CR provides in-depth testing and reviews of thousands of household and other consumer products.  They are a membership-based non-profit organization that also does a lot of consumer advocacy work. You can learn more about what they do, from them, here.

Finding Product Reviews

CR provides a HUGE range of product reviews. Once you log in to their site using your valid library card have a look under the Product Review menu.

The default view is of links to their “Top Products” across a range of categories. If you hover over any of the other categories on the product review menu you’ll see links to the most popular products within that category, as well as a link to a list of all products in that particular category..

To search all products across any category go to “All Products A-Z” at the bottom of the product review menu. You’ll be taken to the page below where you can find a list of all types of products and also a search box that you can use to search for a particular product or brand name.

If you select, for example, air conditioners from the A-Z products list you’ll be taken to the main page for information about purchasing air conditioners. There you can head straight to lists of product reviews:

The main page for a type of product also shares a “Buying Guide.” CR buying guides can be a very useful resource whether or not use read product reviews. They explain how different products work and what you should look for as you decide what to purchase. Below you can see just part of the buying guide for air conditioners – lots of detailed information!

The CR site has a wealth of other information, including about “Issues That Matter” such as data privacy and food safety. Or if you’re someone who likes to keep up with the latest consumer-related news, their “News” section is a great resource. Want to read Consumer Reports magazine? You’ll the find the current issue and back issues too.

If you have questions about using this or any other Winnipeg Public Library database please Ask Us! We look forward to serving you.

-Monique

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*Winnipeg Public Library databases are made available to you through a subscription owned by Winnipeg Public Library. To access these databases outside the Library, you will be asked to enter a valid Winnipeg Public Library card number. Access to these databases from home is licensed for personal use only; institutions may not access these databases.

#WPLDeepDive Prescription Drug Information: The RxTx Database

This is the second in a series of posts taking a #WPLdeepdive into some of the Library’s online research and e-learning resources – aka our databases.* In this series we share information about these collections and show you how you can access them from home using your valid Winnipeg Public Library card. Check out the first instalment about how to find and access the Library’s databases and other eResources.

To get started you will want to visit our A-Z Databases page. Make sure to have your valid Library card with you. Don’t have a Winnipeg Public Library membership?  Learn how to sign up.

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Searching Smart for Health Information

My wife just got a new drug prescription. Where can I find some reliable information to learn more about it?

It’s not uncommon for Winnipeggers to ask us questions like the one above.** After all, when it comes to health, people understandably have a real desire to understand what is happening with themselves or people they care about.

It’s important to be able to read information with a critical eye and this is especially true of health information. You can learn more about how to evaluate the health information you find, including “Four Questions to Ask”, on our Health Info Guide. This Info Guide also shares many sources for reliable health information. It is a good place to start a search.

The Database: RxTx

Maintained by the Canadian Pharmacists Association, RxTx is the Canadian standard for information about prescription drugs, vaccines and a variety of natural health products. It shares information provided by manufacturers – and that has been approved by Health Canada. The database and its information is available in English and French.

RxTx offers a wide variety of information and tools. Examples include:

• Drug monographs (extensive information about prescription drugs – used by pharmacists)
• a tool for identifying prescription drug tablets and capsules
• CPS Notifications – announcements directly from prescription drug manufacturers
• links to related directions such as poison control centres and drug manufacturers
• a glossary of medical abbreviations
  and much more…

A common use of the database is to access information about prescription drugs written specifically for patients. Here’s how:

In the search box type either the brand name or the generic name of the drug (you can also search by manufacturer). Here are the search results for the brand name Zoloft. 

Notice that next to the first result it says “CPS Full Monograph”. Clicking on this result would take you to extensive information about the drug written for pharmacists.

Now look at the second search result. Notice that next to it it says “CPS-i Information for Patients”.  Click on that result.

This is the patient information page for the drug Zoloft. The menu on the left organizes the information.

Another useful feature is the ability to easily print this information. Find the printer icon in the upper right-hand corner. Click on the icon to open up a print-friendly format of the information.

Other highlights of RxTx are the directories it links to such as those for poison control centres and drug manufacturers.

Want to check current or past Health Canada advisories? You can do that in RxTx, too.

As you can see, there is a wide range of information on RxTx – all available to you with your valid Library card.

If you have questions about using this or any other Winnipeg Public Library database please Ask Us! We look forward to serving you.

-Monique

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*Winnipeg Public Library databases are made available to you through a subscription owned by Winnipeg Public Library. To access these databases outside the Library, you will be asked to enter a valid Winnipeg Public Library card number. Access to these databases from home is licensed for personal use only; institutions may not access these databases.

**Winnipeg Public Library staff are not healthcare professionals. Services and collections are provided for information purposes only.

#WPLdeepdive

This is the first in a series of posts taking a #WPLdeepdive into the Library’s online research and e-learning resources. In this series we’ll share information about these collections and show you how you can access them.

My wife just got a new drug prescription. Where can I find some reliable information to learn more about it?

My daughter’s turning 18. Can I get a print out of the Winnipeg Free Press front page from the day she was born?

My teacher says I need to have at least two “scholarly sources” for my project? I thought only university libraries have that stuff.

I don’t think GMO foods are safe but I’m not sure of the science and all the background.

People contact the Library with questions like these because it can be tough (or nearly impossible!) to find the answer when they search online. We help people find the answers to these and other questions by diving in to some of the many subscription-based e-resources in our collection*.  And guess what? You have access to them too. All you need is a valid Winnipeg Public Library membership – aka a Library card.

(Don’t have a Library card? No problem. While Library branches are closed due to COVID-19 you can sign-up online for a temporary membership.  It will allow you to access all of our e-content.)

Got that Library card? Good. Let’s dive in.

These directions are for accessing content via a web browser. You can also use the Winnipeg Public Library app. When you are on the app go to Search Smart and then tap on Databases. Don’t have the app yet? Visit our website for the links to download it to your mobile device.

Here’s where you want to go:

Visit winnipeg.ca/library and click on “DATABASES”.

You’ll be taken to the A-Z Databases List.

You can explore what we have in three ways.

Alphabetically. Browse the A-Z list as if it were a shelf of books, or, if you already know the name of the resource you want, you can look for it under its letter.

Browse by subject or topic. You’ll see subjects from Archives and Historical Documents to Science and Technology. This is the way to go if you’ve never accessed any of the resources or if have and you’re looking to see what else we offer about a certain topic.

Search for a term. The system searches the list of subjects and the descriptions of each resource. Here we’ve searched for the word “biology”.

When you find a resource you want to access just click on its name. You’ll be taken to a login page to enter your Library card number (no spaces) and your 4-digit Library membership PIN. And then you’re in!

Good to know

This A-Z list is not only for research and e-learning resources. It also shares direct links to the Library’s ebook and audiobook, emagazine and newspapers, and streaming music and movie, TV and film collections. We call those collections “eMedia” and we recommend that you head over to our eMedia Guide before using any of those collections for the first time. The eMedia Guide has everything you need to know to get started using those collections.

Have a question? Ask Us!

Our buildings may be temporarily closed but staff are ready to answer your questions online. If you have questions about these resources or any other Winnipeg Public Library collection or service please Ask Us!  We look forward to serving you.

… Oh, and those four questions up top? Answers could be found, in order, in: RxTx, the Winnipeg Free Press Archive, Academic Search Premier and Canadian Points of View.

Our next post in this series will #WPLdeepdive into RxTx  – the Canadian standard for information about drugs, vaccines and natural health products, maintained by the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Monique

* Access to these databases from home is licensed for personal use only; institutions may not access these databases.

Database – an overly complicated word for “great stuff”.

Database. I don’t like the word. It’s supposed to tell me something, but I’m not quite sure what, and it sounds too technical and inaccessible. I don’t know about you, but if I don’t like how something sounds I tend to avoid it…like databases. Yet, I can distinctly remember when databases became relevant in my life, and I quickly came to appreciate them – a lot!

My introduction to databases came during university. I had to write many papers and needed to back up my arguments with reliable sources. Post-university, they’re still relevant in my life, especially in a world of misinformation.

A database is a one-stop shop for tons of good and reliable information about a particular subject.

There are databases that focus on shopping, music, learning a new language…the scope is endless. Here’s a quick video that tells you more.

The Winnipeg Public Library subscribes to a number of databases for you. All that you need is access to a computer or mobile device and your library card and you’ll be all set to explore them.

I’ll highlight several and invite you to check them out. If you’re looking for more, all of them are listed on our A-Z Database page.

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From digital cameras to mattresses, hearing aids to sunscreens, through the Consumer Reports database you can search for reviews and ratings on thousands of products (8,500+) and services to help you make informed purchases. This database includes the full text of Consumer Reports Magazine plus videos, blogs and forums.

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Explora is easy to search and browse and provides information from the world’s leading magazines, reference books, news articles, and Associated Press videos. You can browse categories organized by popular topics and topics of current debate, or start learning more with Topic Overviews that give a starting point for understanding.

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Road to IELTS provides more than 120 hours of interactive learning materials, helping you to prepare and practice for each module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam! If you like to learn online, this is where to start.

Note: Road to IELTS works with these Internet browsers: Chrome v51 or later, Firefox v47 or later, Safari v9.0 or later or Edge v40 or later. It is not accessible using Internet Explorer.

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Winnipeg Free Press Archive includes more than 2 million historical pages from the Winnipeg Free Press and all its earlier titles, such as the Manitoba Free Press. Dating back to 1874, the pages are fully searchable by name, keyword and date, making it easy for you to quickly explore historical content, research your family history, or simply read about a person or event of interest.

Unlike me, don’t let a word like “database” get in the way of you connecting with great information. If you have questions about ours or need help searching them, let us know. We’re happy to show you around.

~ Reegan

eMagazines: Just as glossy and help you save money, trees, and space

You might’ve heard that we offer eMagazines, but if that’s where your experience ended know that we can help you save money in the grocery aisle, save some trees, and help you step away for good from your guilt-inducing piles of magazine back issues. Because let’s be honest, getting rid of a National Geographic magazine is easier said than done!

The news: With your library card you can access three eMagazine services that offer a total (as of today) of 3,945 magazine titles. 

I. kid. you. not.

There are magazines for all interests: art, automotive, boating and aviation, business, current affairs, travel, design, entertainment and TV, LGBTQ, home and garden, history, science, news, photography, fitness, spirituality, music, and sports. 

To keep things simple, I’m going to point out key features of each service and highlight popular service-specific titles. But if you’re looking for a niche title, please give these services a search. There are a lot of gems!

I’ll also share links to step-by-step directions to help you connect with the service(s) on your computer or mobile device. If you prefer personalized help, please schedule a one-on-one appointment with us. We’re always happy to help you get these services set up.

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• Number of magazine titles: 3,700+
• Languages: So many! Chinese, Arabic, French, German, English, Spanish, Russian and more.
• Kids’ content? Yes!
• Borrowing limit: Borrow as many as you like.
• Borrowing period: Borrow for as long as you want.
• Back issues available: Yes.

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How about?

With more than 3,700 titles this is just a snapshot of the many great publications you can get with PressReader.

DIY set-up with PressReader:

• How do I connect to PressReader?
• Do I need an account to use PressReader?
• How do I create a PressReader account?
• How do I set up the PressReader app?
• Can I view PressReader newspapers and magazines in different ways?

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• Number of magazine titles: 212
• Languages: Yes! Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
• Kids’ content? Yes!
• Borrowing limit: Borrow as many as you like.
• Borrowing period: Borrow for as long as you want.
• Back issues available: Yes.

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How about?

There are so many more titles you can find with RBdigital like Family Handyman, Good Housekeeping, Men’s Health, The Economist, Popular Mechanics, and O Magazine. And a very helpful feature of RBdigital is that you you can set it up so that when a new issue comes out it’ll automatically borrow it for you!

DIY set-up with RBdigital:

• RBdigital app for eMagazines
• RBdigital eMagazines on your computer

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• Number of magazine titles: 11
• Languages: Mostly English. Chatelaine comes in English and French.
• Kids’ content? No.
• Borrowing limit: Borrow as many as you like.
• Borrowing period: Borrow monthly magazines for 7 days and weekly magazines for 2 days.
• Back issues available: Yes.

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DIY set-up with Flipster:

• How do I get set up on Flipster?

You can’t beat having a good magazine pile to access when passing time in a waiting room, but you don’t need to have them at home. Save space, money, and trees by borrowing the electronic version from us! Plus, for two of these services (PressReader and RBdigital) you can keep borrowed issues for as long as you like, so bookmark those favourite recipes, DIY projects, and exercise plans and revisit them again and again.

~ Reegan

Can you tell me where your Horror section is?

Multiple times a day I receive a question similar to this. If it isn’t about horror it might be about short stories or historical romance or thrillers. I would love to say to our customers “it is just right here, follow me”, however unlike book stores we do not have a section devoted specifically to horror or these other subgenres for many reasons. This is of course not to say that you can’t search for books that are horror novels, you just may have to go about it in a different way. First, you can ask our fabulous library staff who would be more than happy to find books that will scare the pants off you, or, you can browse our online catalogue at the library, on the bus or in the comfort of your own home (as long as it is not haunted).

From our online catalogue you have the power to search for these subgenres that aren’t always on display at the library, and I will show you just how to do so.

I recently finished the excellent horror novel Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. This novel was of a “haunted house” variety and I am interested in books that take place in haunted houses, or books in where a haunted house is an important aspect of the novel. How do I find more books that have haunted houses? Well there are a few ways to find them in our catalogue. One way would be to go into the record of the novel Kill Creek. From that record we see the following information: Title, Author (you can select the author’s name to find more books written by them), Publication Information and finally Subject Term. Beside and underneath “Subject Term” we have the following: Authors – Fiction. Haunted houses – Fiction. Halloween – Fiction.

What is so wonderful about this feature is that the books that fall under these subjects are grouped together by these subject terms. If you select “Haunted houses – Fiction.” you will be taken to a list of books that have been given this subject term.

Now this list is by no means exhaustive. Some older books don’t have these detailed records and sometimes only “Genre” is listed, but it is certainly a start. Following this, you can also look under “Genre” and go to the listing of “Horror fiction.” and find all sorts of different books under the genre horror fiction, for a much broader search result. Or, simply search “horror fiction” in the general search bar, you will get over 1800 items but you can narrow them down using the limiters on the left-hand as is shown in figure 2 below, especially if you wanted further subgenres of horror like vampires, occultism etc. Your choices are endless, but it helps seeing what subject terms we use in our catalogue to be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

General search bar

Fig. 2

 

Finally, if you really enjoyed a particular book and would like further suggestions of read-alikes, look no further than the book’s record page. Scroll down to the bottom and where the tab says “Novelist Content” simply click on it and voilà, there will be read-alike titles, authors, reviews, etc. Just like having your very own librarian at your fingertips! If you haven’t checked out NoveList, a database we subscribe to and you have free with your library card, do so! There are tons of reading suggestions that will help you find exactly what you are looking for, and with links to our catalogue it makes it easy to find and place a hold on your book.

Of course with anything like this, don’t hesitate to ask staff at your local library, we love to help!

-Aileen

eMedia @ Winnipeg Public Library: your guide to 24/7 entertainment!

As many of you already know, you have 24/7 access to our eLibrary anywhere in the world with your library card. You can access eBooks, eAudiobooks, movies, music, magazines and more. For 2018, we’re changing things up! Effective January 2 here’s what you will have access to:

eBooks
Downloadable eBooks will continue to be available through OverDrive and new for 2018 – RBdigital. Streaming eBooks are also available from McGraw Hill, Tumblebooks, Bookflix and more.

eAudiobooks
eAudiobooks will continue to be available through OverDrive and new for 2018 –
RBdigital. We will no longer be offering eAudiobooks through Hoopla.

eMovies and TV
Downloadable and streaming movies and TV shows will continue to be available
through Hoopla. Now we’re also offering streaming videos through
OverDrive. Later this month you will have access to our Kanopy subscription. Kanopy offers thousands of documentary film festival movies and feature films especially prized by cinephiles, including the top 50 Criterion Collection titles.

eMusic
Streaming full-length music albums are available through Hoopla. For those with more classical/folk/world/jazz tastes, listen in to our Naxos Music Library.

eMagazines
We offer more than 150 full-colour cover-to-cover issues of your favourite weekly and monthly magazines like US Weekly, National Geographic, Canadian Living, In Touch Weekly, The Economist, Martha Stewart Living and more through both RBdigital (formerly called Zinio), Flipster, and PressReader.

— Barbara

When I want an audiobook, I get it from the library.

 

We’re super happy to share that we have another eAudiobook service for you – RBdigital! So now you can get eAudiobooks from Overdrive, hoopla, and RBdigital with your library card!

Here’s what you need to know about RBdigital:

• It’s awesome.
• There are currently close to 350 audiobooks to borrow from it. The entire Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon is in that collection! No more Droughtlander as fans wait for Season 3 to start. (Yes, this is a survival tool too.) Plus, there are many other great books by authors like Miriam Toews, Anne Perry, Richard Wagamese, Janette Oke, Ian Rankin, Stuart Woods,  Jojo Moyes, and more.
• You can borrow 10 items at a time.
• You can borrow each item for 1-21 days.
• No holds! The audiobooks available from RBdigital are available all of the time.
• No late fees! Audiobooks will return automatically when the borrowing period is up.
• Renewing a book is easy. Some audiobooks can be long (and wonderful), so don’t feel like you need to rush.
• You can listen to the audiobooks on your mobile device and computer. And it’s easy to get set up. Read on to learn more about how to do that.
• It’s awesome. Did you see what I did there?

 

We’ve created some step-by-step documents to get you on your way. If you’re using a mobile device, check out this guide: RBdigital app for mobile devices. If you’ll be listening to the audiobooks on your computer, check this one out: RBdigital on your Computer. And (as always) if you have any questions at all, Ask Us!

So exciting!

Reegan (an audio-bibliophile)

 

“Secret” Things the Library Can Do for You: Part 2, Totally Online Stuff

HERE IT IS. The long-awaited second installment of things you never knew about the library. Today we’ll be talking about some of the techy secrets – the things the library offers 24/7 through our website.

I know. I’m excited, too.

 

A lot of times when I have to tell someone there’s a waiting list for a book they want they seem so disheartened. “But don’t give up!” I say, “there are audiobook versions! And eBook versions! And eAudiobook versions!” Often they end up with the book they want, just not how they expected.

(I know it can be daunting to get set up with a new format, but remember, you can always ask us for help.)

So here’s a super quick run down of the online and downloadable info and entertainment you can get through us, in case it helps you find something fun, interesting, or informative. It can all be found through our website as shown below, or through our eMedia Guide.

I drew the red arrows myself.

 

Warning: A lot of these services have nonsense names, so it’s easy to get confused. But you’ll get used to it!

 

More than 5000 eAudiobooks!

I’ve just recently become reacquainted with the joy of being read to. It’s a fabulous way to squeeze more reading into your life, since you can do it bussing or driving, or while doing housework, cooking, or gardening. We offer two ways to find thousands of electronic audiobooks – through OverDrive and Hoopla (more about both below).

 

TV and movies! And music!

Hoopla also offers free streaming of movies, TV shows, and popular music. No holds, wait lists or fines. Hoopla! A different music service, called Naxos Music Library has tons of classical, folk, world and jazz music.

 

Magazines!

Download full-colour, complete issues of magazines, like US Weekly, National Geographic, Mental Floss, Newsweek, Cosmo and more straight to your tablet with Zinio for Libraries. And then they’re yours to keep forever!

 

eBooks, so many ways!

We are a library, after all, and books are a big part of what we do. Some of our eBooks can be read right in your web browser (no apps to download or set up). This is offered through: Overdrive,  McGraw Hill, Tumble Books, and Bookflix.

McGraw Hill eBooks offers eBooks in lots of subjects like business, computing, nursing, languages and sciences chemistry, mathematics, psychology, accounting and computing.

Tumble Book Cloud and Tumble Book Cloud Junior have eBooks, read-alongs, classic works of literature and audiobooks for EAL audiences, high-schoolers, and elementary school kids. Read-alongs are especially great for those still struggling with reading, or for EAL students. There are never any waiting lists for these.

Tumble Book Library is also great for kids as they are animated, talking children’s picture books adapted from print books, but made interactive with quizzes, puzzles and memory games.

BookFLIX does something pretty unique, in that it pairs classic storybooks with related non-fiction books, so kids can learn new things in the context of their favourite stories.

We also subscribe to two downloadable eBook services – Overdrive and Freading – so that you can download books to your mobile device (smart phone, tablet, or eReader) and take them wherever you go. Overdrive is great for popular, newer titles. Using it is very similar to print books, though, in that the library pays per copy of each book, so you might find yourself on the waiting list for something in demand. Freading is great for when you want to find an ebook right away as they offer unlimited use of the books we purchase from them.

Did you already know any of these secrets??

 

Happy reading (and watching, and listening)!

– Erica