The GALILEO planet: the official newsletter of GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online [Fall 2008]

The Official Newsletter of GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online

Fall, 2008

GALILEO 2

by Rachel Schipper, Dean, Library and Instructional Technology Center,

Georgia College and State University

This year, librarians across the A review of GALILEO was sug- of resources needed to support

state are reviewing resources gested by members of the Georgia libraries.

offered in GALILEO. In an exer- GALILEO Steering Committee. The Questions were added to the

cise entitled, GALILEO 2, teams project volunteers are investigating annual GALILEO survey to help

of librarians representing public adjustments needed for changing obtain input and feedback about

and private libraries, K-12, and learners, interests, and for maximiz- the GALILEO 2 project (November

technical/academic colleges and ing resources given limited funding. 3-9, 2008). In December, the

universities have begun to con- Participants focus on what is best GALILEO Steering Committee will

duct database comparisons, for GALILEO as a whole; the big receive preliminary recommenda-

identifying gaps in offerings, and picture approach.

tions from the GALILEO 2 project

looking for potential cost efficien- Volunteers on the e-collection de- and consider the written feedback

cies. Teams are chaired by Lydia velopment teams look at criteria for from the survey. The collaboration

Knight (Dalton State College), inclusion in GALILEO, the Core, and between diverse constituencies is

Bob Glass (Piedmont College), compare and make recommenda- meant to foster the best, balanced

Rachel Schipper (Georgia Col- tions about online resources. A tem- and broadest access to re-

lege & State University), Shawn plate for comparison of database sources.

Tonner (North Georgia College & resources was developed by the Review of GALILEO will be an

State University), and Kirsten team chaired by Lydia Knight and ongoing focus for the e-Collection

Pylant (Augusta Preparatory Day will be used as small groups com- Development Committee. Sug-

School). Merryll Penson, pare similar databases. Whether or gestions and comments may be

Deborah Shackelford, and Katie not changes result from the investi- sent to the project facilitator,

Gohn from Library Services offer gations, the goal for this exercise Rachel Schipper (rachel.schip-

technical support, advice, and are will be to identify the types/formats per@gcsu.edu).

the conduit for vendor contact.

CRDL "GHRABS" The Prize

By GALILEO Staff GALILEO Congratulates the Civil Rights Digital Library
(CRDL), recipients of the 2008 GHRAB (Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board) Award for Innovative Archival Program. Accepting the award for the CRDL are Ruta Abolins, Director, Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection at UGA (center left) and Sheila McAlister, Associate Director, Digital Library of Georgia (center right). Also pictured are Karen C. Handel, Georgia Secretary of State (left) and Ross King, Chair, Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board (right). Congratulations to the staff at the Civil Rights Digital Library.

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Winter Celebrations Around the World: Find Out in GALILEO
By GALILEO Staff

December 8 December 12
December 13 December 16-25 December 22 (sunset)-December 29 December 21, 7:04 a.m. December 25 December 26 December 26-January 1 January 1 January 6 January 19 January 26

Eid-al-Adha (Islamic) Day of our Lady Guadalupe/ Da de la Virgen de
Guadalupe (Mexico) Santa Lucia Day (Sweden) Las Posadas (parties celebrating the Nativity - Mexico) Hanukkah (Chanukah) Winter solstice/First day of winter (Northern hemisphere) Christmas Boxing Day (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK) Kwanzaa New Year begins (U.S.) Epiphany Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday Asian Lunar New Year (China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam)

Winter is a busy time when you're talking about holidays around the world, and GALILEO databases are the place to go for finding exciting (and authoritative) information about them. You will find articles with information on the origins and celebrations of holidays, images relating to holidays, and even recipes for special foods enjoyed by celebrators (try your hand at sweet potato pancakes or twelfth-night cake).

Resources on holidays:

Britannica encyclopedias o Search for <holidays> or a particular holiday. o Country articles include a section on "Festivals and Holidays." o Don't forget to explore magazine articles and websites linked from the encyclopedia article you are viewing.
SIRS Discoverer o Click on "Cultures" then "Holidays, Ceremonies, & Observances" and "Food and Drink." o Click on "Spotlight of the Month" then "Winter Holidays Around the World."
Discoverer WebFind (websites) o Click on "Cultures" then "Holidays, Ceremonies, & Observances" and "Food and Drink"
SIRS WebSelect (websites) o Click on "Culture" then "Holidays and Traditions"
Kids Search o Search for <holidays> or a particular holiday. o Use the "Narrow Results by Subject" feature on the left to refine results. o Check the "Books and Encyclopedias" to limit results to reference books articles.
Student Research Center o Search for <holidays> or a particular holiday. o Check the "Reference Works and Encyclopedias" to limit results to reference books, including World Almanac & Book of Facts.

In your favorite database, you may also try searching individual country articles for information on holidays specific to that country.

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You Like Us, You Really Like Us!
GALILEO Staff were recently awarded the Customer Service Excellence Award of the Year - Team. University System Chancellor Erroll Davis (right) presented the award to Lauren Fancher (center), Director of GALILEO Support Services, and Brad Baxter, GALILEO Programmer (left).

Wonderful!! GISA thinks you guys are 24 ct. all the way. Kirsten Pylant, Augusta Preparatory Day School
Heartiest Congratulations! GPLS is very proud of you!! Lamar Veatch, State Librarian

This is an award that is supremely deserved. Congrats & thanks for your hard work. Carolyn T. Fuller, Henry County Public Library

Congratulations to the team on a job well done and a well deserved award! Bede Mitchell, Georgia Southern University

The winning of the Gold Award doesn't surprise me one bit! Congratulations!!

Judy Serritella, Coordinator of Library Media Services

Georgia Department of Education

We are SO proud of you guys! A wonderful

recognition for tireless work on the behalf of the

System. Congratulations to your entire crew!

Congratulations, Merryll and Team! You are fantastic!

Dr. Rachel A. Schipper, Dean

Dr. Gordon N. Baker

Georgia College & State University

Director of Libraries, Clayton State University

Brad Baxter and Lauren Fancher represent GALILEO at the
Chancellor's Customer Service Awards, October 14, 2008.

Subscription Information
To subscribe to the GALILEO listserv, go to http://www.usg.edu/galileo/about/news/list.phtm.
To subscribe to the GALILEO Planet, send your email address to galileo.planet@usg.edu.
For a complete list of GALILEO Subcommittees, see http://www.usg.edu/galileo/about/governance/committees.phtml.
To learn more about the GALILEO initiative, go to http://www.usg.edu/galileo/about.
For GALILEO questions and technical support, call 1-888-875-3697.

The GALILEO Planet Page 3

PUBLICATION INFORMATION

GALILEO Exhibit booth at COMO Cool conference, dude
GALILEO CONFERENCES 2008
GA Council for the
Social Studies

Jayne Williams, Editor
The GALILEO Planet is published quarterly as a webbased newsletter reporting on GALILEO-related information.
Suggestions and contributions are encouraged.
Email: galileo.planet@usg.edu
Website: http://www.usg. edu/galileo/about/news
GALILEO is an Initiative of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

Blogging at GAETC 2008

Georgia International
Convention Center, home
of GAETC

GALILEO Users browse the GALILEO Exhibit Booth at GOLD/GALILEO

"Creating A More Educated Georgia"

Photos courtesy of Courtney McGough

GALILEO Annual Survey IPOD Winner!

Congratulations to Kelly Luke, Instructor of Biology, South Georgia College, this year's winner of the iPod Nano from GALILEO. Thanks to Kelly and all who took the time to complete the GALILEO Annual Survey. Your feedback is instrumental in helping GALILEO staff create, change, and maintain Georgia's Virtual Library.

"I use GALILEO extensively; not only to keep me updated on the latest publications that deal with science and technology, but I also introduce my students to GALILEO and how they can use the virtual library as a research tool."
Kelly Luke, Instructor of Biology South Georgia College

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