For a limited time only, test drive some of our new trial databases and collections in business, humanities, social sciences, and statistics.  The Library has four trials this spring of new products, including ebook collections, online encyclopedias, and a new GIS database.

International Historical Statistics

While 93% of all statistics reported in this article are false, you can be accurate in your research papers and persuasive essays using this ebook of historical statistics.  Access 260 years of international economic and social indicators from the comfort of your own office/dorm room/Starbucks table.  Chapters are organized by region, and include tables for population, agriculture, education, prices, labor, communications, and more.  The ebook includes a user guide, as well as an easy-to-use search tab to find specific data within this comprehensive work.  Trial ends 4/30/14.

Palgrave Connect (ebooks)

Explore this collection of over 12,500 ebooks in the humanities, social sciences, and business.  Search for specific titles or browse by subject, most-accessed titles, or the 2014 collection highlights.  Users have the option of viewing books within a web-browser, sending them to a Kindle, or downloading books to their computer or mobile device.  This trial ends on 4/30/14.

The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management

This online encyclopedia includes over 700 entries written by leading academics and practitioners in the field of marketing, with new entries added once a month until 2015.  Users can browse a list of all entries or search for specific words, concepts, and people.  Trial ends on 4/30/14.

PolicyMap

PolicyMap database is a new Geographic Information System of maps, tables, and reports.  Find demographic data, health data, mortgage trends, school performance, crime statistics, and more using a simple, map-based interface.  Switch from a map-based view to tables, reports, and more by navigating through easy-to-use tabs.  Upload your own data and see it mapped out along with other indicators already in PolicyMap.  If you have an interest in market studies, business planning, site selection, or other research using maps and statistical data, give this system a whirl.  Trial ends 5/24/14.

Hate them?  Love them?  Confused about your feelings for these resources?  We want to know about it: askalibrarian@atu.edu.  Your feedback impacts our purchasing decisions, so if you want to use any of these next semester and beyond, let us know.

The Library is currently trialing a new general reference database called ProQuest Research Library.  A great place to start your research, you’ll find scholarly articles about topics such as business, art, science & technology, literature & language, history, and health & medicine.  Access this database trial, and others like it, on our database trials page:

http://library.atu.edu/research/DB/dbtrial.php

The ProQuest Research Library includes over 4,000 scholarly journals, trade publications, and magazines dating from 1971 to the present.   Most results will include full-text access, and like our other databases, you can limit to peer-reviewed, scholarly articles.  The ProQuest Research Library also provides a suggested list of subject terms in case you are not quite sure how to search for your topic.   If you are having trouble getting started on your research, start with this.

If you decide to take it for a spin, let us know how you liked it (or didn’t like it) by emailing our E-Resources Librarian, Carol Hanan.  But hurry–the trial only lasts until June 30th.

Attention botanists and historians!  The Library is conducting two new database trials featuring full-text content from now until the end of June.

http://library.atu.edu/research/DB/dbtrial.php

1. AAS Historical Periodicals Collection: A collection of periodicals dating back to the Colonial Era through the Civil War  from one of the premier repositories in the United States, the American Antiquarian Society. Subjects include art, history, literature, law, religion, science and more.   Search for full-text articles from primary sources during the most important periods of American history.  Filter your search by dates as far back as the 1691.  Includes thousands of titles produced overseas as well as on American soil.  Trial ends June 30, 2013

2. Global Plants (JSTOR): Global Plants is a community-contributed database that features more than two million high resolution plant type specimen images and other foundational materials from the collections of hundreds of herbaria around the world.   Includes images, maps, articles, letters, and other primary source materials related to the study of specific plant species around the world.   Trial ends June 30, 2013.

Take these two databases for a test drive, and let us know what you think!  Email Carol Hanan, the Electronic Resources Librarian, at chanan@atu.edu or submit your comments below.