The Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums has vast reading materials for all ages through its Web site at www.virginislandspubliclibraries.org, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
“Libraries are utilizing technology in order to better serve the community and utilization of the Internet is another avenue to provide access to a vast array of literary resources for scholarly and educational research, and to promote the joy of reading, [providing] learning tools for the youth and to encourage literacy,” said DPNR Commissioner Alicia V. Barnes.
For Kids and Young Adults – Free online eBooks are currently available through Tumble Book Library and Tumble Book Cloud, grade levels K-12. The books promote the joy of reading in a format they’ll love. Click on links provided.
TumbleBook Library is an online collection of TumbleBooks – animated talking picture books that teach young kids the joy of reading. TumbleBooks contain animation, sound, music and narration in existing picture books in order to produce an electronic picture book, which the readers can read or have read to them. TumbleBookCloud is an online collection of ebooks and read-along chapter books, graphic novels, educational videos, and audio books for middle school and high school students.
“Students who are participating in the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge are reminded that they can also utilize the library’s Web site to supplement the free books distributed through the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge and those obtained from a visit to their local public library. To learn more about the Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge and to obtain tracking sheets, visit www.READFIVE.org,” said Ingrid Bough, territorial director of Libraries, Archives and Museums.
For Adults – EBSCO’s most robust multidisciplinary: MasterFile is a database designed for public libraries with close to 2,000 full text publications such as Sports Illustrated, Ebony, Jet, Hispanic, Time, Antiques and Horticulture with over 107,000 primary sources and 1,000 reference books. Business Source Elite is a popular business research database, and it includes the full text for more than 1,000 journals. Newspaper Source™ provides cover-to-cover full text for 35 national (U.S.) and international newspapers such as USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Times (London), The Toronto Star, etc. The database also contains selective full text for 375 regional (U.S.) newspapers; full text television and radio news transcripts are provided from CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, NPR, etc.
A special feature of the subscription includes Caribbean Search, the world’s most comprehensive research database covering the Caribbean Region. This database features more than 200,000 records with full text for more than 80 journals and magazines, over 500 full text books and additional content ranging from economic and country reports to conference papers to Caribbean newspapers. Samples of the full text journals include:
Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies •Caribbean Quarterly •Caribbean Review of Books •Caribbean Journal of History •Jamaica Journal •Journal of Latin America and Caribbean Anthropology •Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studies •Journal of West Indian Literature •Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies •Latin Trade (in both Spanish and English) •Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages •Caribbean Beat and much more.
To enter the Library’s Catalog – OPAC System on the Web site, click on the left column tab LIBRARY CATALOG, on the top right at the barcode (enter your library card number), then PIN = (the pin is the last four digits of the library card number). Don’t have a library card? Visit any public library or the St. Thomas or St. Croix Bookmobile to apply for a free library card. Download an adult (18+) or child (17 years or younger) application today under the Policies & Mission heading or at http://www.virginislandspubliclibraries.org/usvi/policies.asp
These databases are made possible through a competitive grant awarded to the V.I. Public Libraries by the Institute of Museum of Library Services: Library Services Grant for the Pacific Territories, Freely Associated States and the Virgin Islands.
For more information, contact Ingrid Bough at 773-5715 or visit the V.I. Public Libraries Web site at www.virginislandspubliclibraries.org
