What's New
A-Z how to find information
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What's
new
- 1st July 2008
The NHS - 60 years old on 5th July 2008
- See the new 60th Anniversary of the NHS page for links to photographs, articles, facts and figures, historical broadcasts and more....
Gordon Fraser Collection
- A new feature has been added to the Art pages - details of the Gordon Fraser Collection, a small collection of finely produced books on a variety of subjects, that was presented to Bedford Central Library in 1990 by the Gordon Fraser Gallery
- The new section outlines the career of Gordon Fraser and his company and gives you a list of the books in the collection
New free online computer courses on MyGuide
- Three new courses for beginners have been added to the web site MyGuide
- The new courses are Using a computer, Using a mobile phone, and Understanding eBay online
- MyGuide also gives you other courses on computer basics and on using the Internet and an easy way to set up an email address
- The web site also includes 'Skills checkpoints'. These assess your IT skills and help you decide which courses to do next
- To make the most of MyGuide and keep track of your progress, register free at the site
- MyGuide is part of the official
UK Online Centres
service
150th anniversary of the announcement of the theory of evolution by natural selection
- 1st July 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the joint announcement by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace of the theory of evolution by natural selection
- For details and links see Darwin200, a web site celebrating several Darwin anniversaries: 200 years since his birth on 12 February 2009; 150 years since Darwin and Wallace made their announcement on 1 July 2008; and 150 years since 'On the origin of species' was published on 24 November 2009
- You can read all Darwin's works online at The complete work of Charles Darwin Online
- Both theses web sites are in the Gateway to the Internet at Science and technology > Biology and other life sciences > Charles Darwin and Evolution
New Books
- See New books July 2008 for a list of new reference books recently received at the libraries
- You can open an Excel file to see the list of new books, library by library
New online books on Credo Reference
- A range of interesting new reference books has been added to the online books collection 'Credo Reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo Reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo reference |
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Black's veterinary dictionary, in Medicine section |
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Elsevier's dictionary of psychological theories, in Philosophy and Psychology section |
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Handbook of aging and the social sciences, in Social Sciences section |
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Handbook of forensic psychology, in Philosophy and Psychology section |
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Handbook of vegetable pests, in Science section |
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International handbook of giftedness and talent, in Philosophy and Psychology section |
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Notable American women: a biographical dictionary: completing the twentieth century, in Biography section |
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Word origins, the hidden history of English words from A to Z, in Language section |
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography magazine
- The June issue of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography’s free online magazine, a topical compendium of biography and history, is now available
- Features include a football 'British all-stars XI', biographies of eleven players from 100 years of football
- The regular "Five lives" item on five people with something in common presents biographies of five Wimbledon champions
- You can read the magazine without having to log in to the full Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- To view the full dictionary, log in to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography with your library card and PIN. If you don't have a library card, you can join the library now. If you don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN now
New words in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) online
- Explore over 1500 new and revised words in the OED online whose alphabetical section from 'quittal' to 'ramvert' has just been revised
- Latest new words include qulliq, Quotron, quoy, qursh, racemulous, rakyat. In addition, other new words and senses from across the alphabet have been added to the dictionary
- See the full list of new words and learn the stories behind some of these words in notes on some of the new words
- You can also read the OED editor's discussion of this batch of new and revised entries in his latest article, including "insights into railroad versus railway, and how the latest update reflects both early English preoccupations ('radish', 'rain', and 'rake') and modern preoccupations ('ragga', 'ram-raiding', and 'racecourses')"
- You do not have to log in to see the new words, but if you log in at reference books online you will be able to look up what they mean and search the whole dictionary
19th June 2008
112: The European emergency number
- Going on holiday in Europe? You may like to take a note of the European emergency number 112
- This number is designed to enable everyone to call emergency services anywhere in the European Union, from a fixed or a mobile phone, free of charge
- For more details see the new 112 web site
Food prices
- A new document Tackling the challenge of rising food prices - Directions for EU action from the European Commission takes a detailed look at causes of high food prices, the medium term outlook, the impact within the EU and worldwide and possible European Union responses
- Read more at Rising food prices - EU responds on the European Commission web site
New additions to Oxford Reference Online
- You can search and browse the new reference books below, and hundreds of others, on your pc at home, at work or wherever you are, by logging in to Oxford Reference Online
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The Oxford companion to cosmology |
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You can find detailed information on many individual topics, including cold dark matter, galaxy clusters, the evolution of galaxies, alternative cosmologies, red-shift surveys, and cosmic microwave background radiation |
- There are also five new editions of books already in Oxford Reference Online:
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New editions |
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A dictionary of nursing |
| A dictionary of earth sciences |
| A dictionary of biology |
| A dictionary of chemistry |
| The Oxford dictionary of literary terms |
- All these new editions include carefully selected web links to guide you to the best of the rest of the web
- In addition, there is a new 'Victorian Britain Timeline', a chronology of the 64 years of the rule of Queen Victoria, together with links to related entries in the Oxford Reference Online
- Take a look at Oxford Reference Online's May 2008 update for full details of the new books and other new developments
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Oxford Reference Online (premium collection) now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
22nd May 2008
Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month June 2008
- June 2008 is Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month
- New Gypsy, Roma, Traveller pages in A-Z how to find information link you to many web sites, online resources and books on history, stories of everyday life, language, music, photographs, audio and video clips and more
- Information, events, competitions and activities are at the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month web site
New Online Resources - Oxford Art Online and Oxford Music Online
- The library now subscribes to two more vast information resources so that
you can use them free
- Oxford Art Online gives you more than 45,000 articles covering all aspects of Western and non-Western visual art and over 5,000 art images, maps and line drawings
- It includes the complete Grove Art Online, the online version of the 34-volume Dictionary of Art, along with other art reference works
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Oxford Music Online provides more than 50,000 signed
articles on all kinds of
music as well as links to sound files so that you can hear examples - It includes the complete Grove Music Online, which itself gives you the full texts of the following standard reference works: the 29-volume New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians; the New Grove Dictionary of Opera and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
- Oxford Music Online also gives you other works, including the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, the 'most comprehensive reference work devoted exclusively to popular music', with biographies of rock, pop, and jazz artists
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Oxford Art Online and Oxford Music Online now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
- You can also log in after clicking Reference Books Online on the main Information and Reference menu
New online books on Credo Reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo Reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo Reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo reference |
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Late antiquity: a guide to the postclassical world, in History section |
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The new Harvard guide to women's health, in Medicine section |
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The new Americans: a guide to immigration since 1965, in Social Sciences section |
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Marquis who was who in America 1985-present, in Biography section
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Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) magazine
- The May 2008 issue of the ODNB's free online magazine is now available
- This issue is on the theme of 'Local history', and includes, among other items:
- an interactive map of British 'local heroes'
- podcasts related to different places
- and Bond-related lives for Ian Fleming's centenary - You can read the online magazine without needing to log in to the full ODNB
- To view the full ODNB, log in to the Oxford dictionary of national biography with your library membership number and PIN. If you don't have a library membership number, you can join the library now. If you don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN now
8th May 2008
Computer basics and email for beginners
- MyGuide is a new web site aimed at computer beginners
- It gives you an easy way to set up an email address along with courses on computer basics and on using the Internet
- The web site also includes 'Skills checkpoints'. These assess your IT skills and help you decide which courses to do next
- To make the most of MyGuide and keep track of your progress, register free at the site
- MyGuide is part of the official UK Online Centres service
Adoption reunion web site
- Adoption Search Reunion is a new web site which is 'intended to be the first port of call for anyone thinking about searching for or making contact with birth and adopted relatives or researching an adoption that took place in the UK'
- Among many other features it includes a database to help you find out where adoption records might be held
'The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913' - a major update
- If you are interested in social history, take a look at the The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913 web site
- A recent major update to the site has added 100,000 trial accounts published between 1834 and 1913, along with other historical background information
- The web site now provides 'a fully searchable edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing 197,745 criminal trials held at London's central criminal court'
- Other features added in this update include:
- the texts of all 'Ordinary's accounts' published between 1690 and 1772. These are 'richly detailed narratives of the lives and deaths of convicts executed at Tyburn'. They have been linked to the relevant trials
- historical background information on 'Transport', covering horse-drawn coaches and omnibuses, water transport, railways and trams and motorised transport
- historical background information on 'Chinese communities', in the 'Community histories' section
- Other historical background information topics available include 'Crime, justice and punishment'; 'London and its hinterlands' at different periods, including population, built environment, social and occupational structure, culture and politics; 'Currency, coinage and the cost of living'; Gender roles'; 'The Old Bailey Courthouse'; and a 'Glossary'
- Other articles in the 'Community histories' section are 'Black communities', 'Gypsies and travellers', 'Homosexuality', 'Irish London', 'Jewish communities' and 'Huguenot and French London'
- For full details of the new update see the site's page
What's new:
changes to the Old Bailey website in April 2008
Free database of research articles on environmental issues
- Ebsco GreenFILE is a new free database of research articles 'focusing on the relationship between human beings and the environment'
- The database includes scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports
- It covers connections between the environment and subjects such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology. Topics covered include global warming, recycling, alternate fuel sources, pollution, animal conservation and many more
- Most of the database records give publication details and a short
abstract, but a small proportion also include the full text of the
publication
New quizzes
- Test yourself with three new quizzes
- Check what you know already or find the answers in the 'Credo Reference' online reference books collection
New online books on Credo reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo reference |
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Handbook of United States economic and financial indicators, in Business section |
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15th April 2008
Major consultation on flight path proposals
- NATS (formerly called 'National Air Traffic Services') is consulting on proposed changes to flight paths in our area
- The consultation has been running since February and ends on 22nd May 2008
- See the consultation web site NATS - Terminal Control North, Proposed Changes to Airspace for full details and to send your comments
- At the web site, if you click 'How this affects you' in the menu on the right of the home page, you can enter your post code to see if there are any proposed changes in your area
7th April 2008
New books
- See New books April 2008 for a list of new reference books recently received at the libraries
New additions to Oxford Reference Online
- Several new books and timelines have been added to Oxford Reference Online
- You can search and browse the new reference books below, and hundreds of others, on your pc at home, at work or wherever you are:
A dictionary of environment and conservation -
the social and scientific aspects of environmental science and conservationThe Oxford companion to Australian politics
The Oxford dictionary of American art and artists,
The Oxford dictionary of American quotations
Oxford companion to Black British history -
the history of black people in Britain, from Roman times to the present dayThe Oxford companion to Irish History
The Oxford companion to Scottish History.
The Oxford companion to the High Court of Australia
The Oxford dictionary of law enforcement
New timelines: 'Ireland', 'Modern design', 'Settlements of North America', 'The American Revolution' and 'The American Civil War'
- Take a look at Oxford Reference Online's January 2008 update and October 2007 update for full details of the new books and other new developments
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Oxford Reference Online (premium collection) now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) magazine
- The April 2008 issue of the ODNB's free online magazine is now available giving you a topical compendium of biography and history
- Includes, for example, 'Hoaxers and jokers' for 1st April and 'Bluestockings', a gallery of biographies and images of ODNB biographies and images of some of the eighteenth century's most talented women, along with those of two men who championed their work. This feature accompanies the National Portrait Gallery's new exhibition, 'Brilliant Women' on the original 'Bluestocking Circle'
- You can read the online magazine without needing to log in to the full ODNB
- To view the full ODNB, log in to the Oxford dictionary of national biography with your library membership number and PIN. If you don't have a library membership number, you can join the library now. If you don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN now
15th March 2008
Latest additions to the Oxford English Dictionary
- The new March 2008 update focuses on the revision of key words and word clusters, rather than on a specific alphabetical range as in previous updates.
- 'The main purpose of this change is to revise, much earlier than would otherwise have been the case, important English words whose meanings or application have developed most over the past century: for example, computer, culture, gay, and genetic.' View the list of revised ranges and some notable entries in them and discover a selection of new words
10th March 2008
International Women's Day 2008
- For news, features and links, see the International Women's Day 2008 web site
- What is the average age of women at the birth of their first child? At what age do women and men get married? What are the employment and unemployment rates for women? You can find answers to these and other questions in an EU News Release published for International Women’s Day
- You can read more detailed statistics in a new online report The life of women and men in Europe - a statistical portrait which describes the situations of women and men at different stages of their lives
- Another new EU report looks at the position of women in business and politics. You can read the full report Women and men in decision-making 2007 – analysis of the situation and trends or see a summary by going to the EU Press Releases search page, entering IP/08/390 in the Reference search box, then clicking 'Search'. At the resulting page click 'Women in power still trapped by glass ceiling – EU report'
- Take a look at
a series of photographs of Suffragettes, published by the Guardian
newspaper to mark the the occasion of the 90th anniversary of right to vote
gained by women over 30 in Britain on February 6th 1918. At the page, click
the forward arrow to look through all the photographs
New Gateway section
- A new history sub-section has been started in the Gateway to the Internet section on Television and Radio. See Television and Radio > History to find some key web sites on old programmes, television schedules, graphics, presenters and more
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) magazine
- The March 2008 issue of the ODNB's free online magazine is now available giving you a topical compendium of biography and history
- Includes biographies of 'Irish lives' to mark St Patrick's Day and figures associated with motherhood, to mark Mothering Sunday
- You can read the online magazine without needing to log in to the full ODNB
- To view the full ODNB,
log in to the Oxford
dictionary of national biography with your library membership number and
PIN. If you don't have a library membership number, you can
join the library now. If you
don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN
now
New quizzes
- Two new quizzes have been added for to try
- Check what you know already or find the answers in the 'Credo reference' online reference books collection
New online books on Credo reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo reference |
In section |
| Chambers dictionary of the unexplained |
Philosophy & Psychology |
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Contemporary youth culture: an international encyclopedia |
Social Sciences |
| Dictionary of existentialism |
Philosophy & Psychology |
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The Edinburgh encyclopedia of continental philosophy |
Philosophy & Psychology |
| Encyclopedia of classical philosophy |
Philosophy & Psychology |
8th February 2008
Two major US news services now free
- Two major US news resources which used to charge are now free
- The New York Times has made its entire web site and also most of its archive free. The archives from 1851 to 1922 and from 1987 to the present are free, while for 1923 - 1986 some material is charged for and some is free. Useful for UK content too - worth searching the early years for significant events in or affecting UK. Find this in future at Gateway to the Internet > Newspapers > Individual titles
- Second, the entire web site of the US news service CNN is now free. Until mid last year video news clips on the site were charged for but now they are free. Find this in future at Gateway to the Internet > News
New biographies on the online 'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'
- The new update to the online 'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography' (ODNB) adds entries on 211 men and women who died in 2004
- These include, for example, broadcaster John Peel; actor and playwright Peter Ustinov; Nobel prize winning scientists Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, journalists Alistair Cooke, Paul Foot, Bernard Levin, and Lynda Lee-Potter; trade unionists Len Murray and Hugh Scanlon; and dancers Alicia Markova and Margaret Kelly (‘Bluebell’)
- You can read a selection of the new biographies now as part of the January issue of the ODNB online magazine, without needing to log in to the full ODNB
- To view the full ODNB,
log in to the Oxford
Dictionary of National Biography with your library membership number and
PIN. If you don't have a library membership number, you can
join the library now. If you
don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN
now
New books
- See New books February 2008 for a list of new
reference books recently received
New online books on Credo reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo
reference |
In section |
| Dictionary of Italian literature | Literature |
| Encyclopedia of medieval literature | Literature |
| Handbook of environmental sociology | Social Sciences |
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Featured title Encyclopedia of medieval literature, published by Greenwood |
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This encyclopedia is a comprehensive guide to literature written Short entries cover particular literary works; significant kings, artists, explorers, and religious leaders; important themes, such as courtly love and chivalry; and major historical events, such as the Crusades Longer entries cover major authors and entire genres, for example:
There are also in-depth entries about the literature of entire countries and
cultures |
between 500 and 1500
3rd January 2008
Have fun with maths!
- A new page Mathematics has been added to 'A-Z How to find information' and a new set of maths web sites has been added to the Gateway at Science and technology > Mathematics
- You will find both sites to help with the basics and sites that give games, puzzles, guides and articles for more advanced exploration
Oxford English Dictionary latest update
- In the December 2007 update to the Oxford English Dictionary the words and phrases in the alphabetical range from 'purpress ' to 'quit shilling' were completely revised and updated and many new words were added
- What, for example, is a pisanka? What does QALY stand for and what does queek mean?
- You do not have to log in to see the list of new words, but if you log in at reference books online you will be able to search the dictionary and find out what they mean
Health and safety guide
- The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) has produced an updated edition of 'Workplace health, safety and welfare: a short guide for managers' which you can download from the HSE news page
Health and safety - freedom of information
- The HSE has also launched a redesigned
Health and Safety Freedom of
Information web site, which gives you updated information on your rights
to request information from the HSE
13th December 2007
'Inform' newsletter
- Now available - the Winter 2007 issue of the Inform newsletter
- Catch up on information and reference developments
Yahoo Song Lyrics
- Want to check the actual words of a song, rather than the often inaccurate versions given on many web sites?
- Yahoo now has a huge searchable collection of lyrics supplied by record companies themselves, at Yahoo Music - Lyrics
New quizzes
- Three new quizzes have been added - on foreign words and phrases, art and film locations
- Check what you know already or find the answers in the 'Credo reference' online reference books collection
New online books on Credo reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo reference'
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo reference |
Encyclopedia of American poetry - twentieth century Over 400 entries, covering all aspects of American poetry in the twentieth century There are entries on American poets, entries on individual works and topical essays on key developments in poetry This book is in the Credo 'Literature' section' |
Encyclopedia of the United States in the nineteenth century Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of 19th century history: population, politics and government, economy and work, society and culture, religion, social problems and reform, everyday life, and foreign policy, in more than 600 A-to-Z articles More than 400 illustrations and maps, a year-by-year chronology, original documents, and tables This book is
in the Credo 'History' section |
7th December 2007
December 2007 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography magazine
- The December issue of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography magazine is online now
- Includes a Christmas competition advent calendar! There are three competitions that you can enter, with closing dates in December
- You can read the magazine without having to log in to the full Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- To view the full dictionary,
log in to the Oxford
Dictionary of National Biography with your library card and PIN. If you
don't have a library card, you can
join the library now. If you
don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN
now
New books
- See New books December 2007 for a list of new
reference books recently received
4th December 2007
Money made clear!
- Get to grips with your finances with the new web site Money made clear
- Money made clear gives you impartial information from the FSA (Financial Services Authority), the UK's official financial watchdog
- Along with guides to money issues it has comparison tables for pension
annuities, mortgages, savings accounts, stakeholder and personal pensions,
unit trust and OEIC ISAs, investment bonds and savings endowments; calculators
for loans, mortgages and pensions; a register of firms and individuals who
provide financial services; and information about unauthorised firms and scams
New beadwork pages
- A new beadwork section has been added to the Crafts section
- Find out how to start beading and view some lovely beadwork samples
Art treasures
online
- You can now view online nearly 8,000 European oil paintings from 200 UK museums and galleries
- The images are in a new database NICE Paintings (The National Inventory of Continental European Paintings), hosted by the Visual Arts Data Service (VADS) web site
- The collection is the first phase of the National Inventory Research Project which aims to record and make public a searchable database of all 22,000 pre-1900 Continental European oil paintings in Britain's public collections
Consumer help for Europe
- Have you ever had problems with something bought from another European country? Now you can find help from a new UK European Consumer Centre (UK ECC)
- The UK ECC gives you free information on consumer rights in Europe and helps in cross-border disputes
- It covers goods or services, including online shopping, internet auctions, flights and holidays, bought from any country in the European Union, or from Iceland or Norway
- The service is one of 27 across Europe co-ordinated by the European Commission
- You can contact the UK ECC using a
form on the web site, or
by phone, fax or email
16th November 2007
Foreign language options for online articles and books
Immediate translation of search results
- Speakers of Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean can now view many of the Virtual Library's online resources translated immediately into their own language
- The online newspapers (except the Times Digital Archive), online magazines and journals and 'Gale virtual reference library' online reference books all now show a 'Translate' option
- When you have searched any of these resources and viewed the search results list, click the item you want and you will see a red box headed 'Tools'. Just choose a language from the drop-down menu and click 'Translate'
- Your article, news item or any other kind of result will appear in an automated (therefore not guaranteed perfect) translation
Options for 'search interface'
- The same resources - the online newspapers (except the Times Digital Archive), online magazines and journals and 'Gale virtual reference library' online reference books - also let users choose a different language for all the other text on every page (the instructions, links, tabs, help and so on)
- If you click 'Preferences', which appears near the top right of each page, you can then choose French, Spanish or Italian
How to read old handwriting
- If you are interested in old handwritten documents take a look at the new section Old handwriting added to Gateway to the Internet > Languages and Writing
- There are links to brief introductory guides for beginners and to more in-depth tutorials. See especially the National Archives Palaeography pages
- What does palaeography mean? It means the study of old handwriting and manuscripts. The word can also mean the old handwriting itself
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) November 2007 magazine
- The new Oxford Dictionary of National Biography magazine is now online
- The November 2007 issue includes a selection from the ODNB's coin collection, images and biographies related to the 'Millais at the Tate' exhibition and much more
- You can read the magazine without having to log in to the full ODNB
- To view the full ODNB,
log in to the Oxford
Dictionary of National Biography with your library card and PIN. If you
don't have a library card, you can
join the library now. If you
don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN
now
2nd November 2007
Lace
- A new section on Lace in A-Z how to find information > Crafts will guide you to all you need to know to start lace-making or learning about this beautiful craft
- Includes images of lace samples and bobbins
New books
- New books November 2007 is now online, giving
you a list of reference books recently received in the libraries
New online books on Credo reference
- New reference books have been added to the online books collection 'Credo reference'
- One of these new online books, the Encyclopaedia of African history, is featured below, after the table of all the new books
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
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New online books added to Credo
reference |
In section |
| Cambridge encyclopedia of child development |
Social sciences |
| Cambridge
world history of food |
Food |
| Collins
Spurrell Welsh dictionary |
Bilinguals |
| Encyclopedia
of African history |
History |
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Encyclopedia of German literature |
Literature |
| Encyclopedia
of life writing: autobiographical and biographical forms |
Language |
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Encyclopedia of the Romantic era, 1760-1850 |
History |
| Harrap’s
Polish dictionary |
Bilinguals |
| Reader's
guide to British history |
History |
| Reader's
guide to the history of science |
Science |
| Reader's
guide to the social sciences |
Social sciences |
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Featured title Encyclopedia of African history,
published by Routledge |
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The 'Encyclopedia of African history' is a new reference resource on Some examples of the in-depth entries are:
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25th October 2007
Create a sensory garden
- Which plants can you grow to delight your senses? Find out in the new
help-sheet 'Creating a sensory garden' in the
Gardening section
Highway Code new edition
- The new edition of The official highway code, published in September 2007, is available for reference at all libraries
- You can also see view online an adapted version of the current highway
code at
The Highway Code online version
Nature and biodiversity
- Nature and biodiversity is a redesigned web site within the European Union's broader Environment web site. It covers EU biodiversity policy and legislation, protected species and more
- Where in Europe do brown bears live? Where do wolves roam? You can see maps and information about these and other threatened animals at the site's Large carnivores page
The EU what's in it for me?
- Discover how the EU works for you with a new guide called The EU what's in it for me? A no nonsense guide for UK citizens to what the European Union delivers, produced by the European Commission Representation in London
Eutube
- You can find out more about the European Union by watching short videos at
Eutube, the YouTube space of the European Commission
New quizzes
- Four new quizzes have been added to the Quizzes page
European Union Reform Treaty
- Information about the European Union Reform Treaty and PDF files of the full text of the treaty are at the 'Britain in the EU' section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site
Ozone layer
- What is the problem with the ozone layer? What are the European Union and other international bodies doing about it? Find out at the new European Commission web site, Protection of the ozone layer
- The new site is part of the European Commission's larger Environment web site, which also has a broad section on Climate change
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - October Update
- One of the current projects of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) is to commission and publish a set of about 350 essays on significant groups in British history
- The latest ODNB update adds 35 group essays on well-known historical gangs, clubs, and networks including the war poets, the Desert Rats, the metaphysical poets and 'Steamboat ladies'. There is also a special feature '1807 distinguished men of science'
- Without having to log in, you can view extracts from the October 2007 update and you can also read a free selection of essays on other groups
- To view the full ODNB, log in to the Oxford dictionary of national biography with your library card and PIN. If you don't have a library card, you can join the library now. If you don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN now
Workplace stress
- Stressed at work? A new
Workplace stress 'microsite'
on the main Health and Safety Executive web site gives information to help you
and your managers understand the causes of stress at work and identify and
solve problems in the workplace
15th October 2007
'Great British biography quizzes' competition
- Try a Great British biography quiz by consulting the online 'Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB)'. The competition closes on 9th November 2007
- Use your library card and PIN to log in to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. If you don't have a library card, you can join the library now. If you don't have a PIN, you can request a PIN now
October online ODNB magazine
- Without needing to log in, you can read the online Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) magazine
- The new October edition includes, among other things, feature articles on 'Brewers of Britain - pint-sized biographies of British drinks manufacturers: from Boddington to Tetley' and 'Millais at the Tate - a gallery of 'brothers', friends, and sitters to accompany Tate Britain's new Millais exhibition'
Power of attorney
- There has been a major change in the way power of attorney works in England and Wales. The law that made this change is the Mental Capacity Act 2005, most of which came into force on 1st October 2007
- You can find full details of the new system and online copies of the necessary forms at the web site of the Office of the Public Guardian (formerly called the Public Guardian Office)
- The web site includes a Mental Capacity Act menu section with an explanation and overview of the Act and the text of the Code of Practice, while the Office for Public Sector Information web site gives the full text of the Act itself
- For more web sites giving guides to the Mental Capacity Act, see the
Gateway to the Internet section Law and your
rights > Power of attorney
Buying cigarettes - minimum age change to 18
- On 1st October 2007 the law on selling tobacco changed. It is now illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 (an increase from 16)
- For details see The law for selling tobacco has changed from the Department of Health
New information guides from Age Concern
- New free Information Guides for older people on the Age Concern web site cover your health and home, your money and managing your life
- The new guides give concise overviews of broad areas. The web site also
has more detailed downloadable
Information Sheets and
Factsheets
on many topics
27th September 2007
New lovely images in the Art Gallery
- The Art gallery on this web site has been expanded with two new themed collections containing many more beautiful images for you to enjoy
Embroidery
- There are even more lovely images included in a brand new set of pages on embroidery in the new Crafts section of the Information and Reference A-Z
- The new pages include a guide to Finding out about embroidery and a set of beautiful embroidery samples
- There is an accompanying new section of embroidery web sites at
Gateway to the Internet > Crafts > Embroidery
'Take it away' - help to buy musical instruments
- 'Take it away' is a new scheme from Arts Council England to help people buy musical instruments
- The scheme 'allows individuals to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, and pay it back in nine monthly instalments (with a minimum 10% deposit), completely interest free'
Health and safety at work free service for employees and small businesses
- Workplace Health Connect is a government funded service providing confidential, practical and free advice to small businesses on workplace health and safety, management of sickness absence and return to work issues'
- Employees can also call the Workplace Health Connect advice line 0845 609 6006 for confidential, free advice
New health and safety 'microsite' for disabled people and their employers
- A new 'microsite'
Health and safety for disabled people and their employers, on the main
Health and Safety Executive web site, gives
- an introduction to disability discrimination and health and safety law
- advice for people doing health and safety risk assessments
- advice for disabled people
- links to further sources of information, including grants
Learn a new 'Word of the Day' in French, Italian, German and Spanish
- You can sign up to a new free Word of the Day service in French, Italian, German and Spanish, provided by Oxford University Press
- You would receive emails giving you a 'Word of the Day' and a link to a web page leading to full details of the word
New words in the online Oxford English Dictionary
- What do guggle, sakatini or aeroponics mean? If you say 'puh-leeze', is it likely that you are being polite - or not? These are just a few words from latest update to the online Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
- The alphabetical section from 'proter' to 'purposive' has been revised. It now includes 2785 new words and revised entries, from psychonaut to pruno, pterodactyl to puffin, and from pudding-poke to puh-leeze
- In addition, 310 new words and senses from across the alphabet have been added to the dictionary
- See the full list of new words and learn the stories behind some of these words in notes on some of the new words
- You do not have to log in to see the new words, but if you log in at
reference
books online you will be able to search the whole dictionary
New quiz
- A new quiz has been added to the quizzes page
New online books on Credo Reference
- Several new online books have been
added
to the
Credo reference collection
- Do you have a library number and PIN? You can log in to Credo reference now. Don't have a library card? You can join the library now. Don't have a PIN? You can request a PIN now
|
New online books added to Credo
reference |
|
The American Heritage guide to contemporary usage and style |
| The American
Heritage medical dictionary |
| The American
Heritage science dictionary |
| Cambridge
dictionary of sociology |
| The
encyclopaedia of American folk art |
| How we talk:
American regional English today |
Revised prices indexes and inflation page
- The page 'Quick links
to prices indexes and inflation data' in the
A-Z how to find information > Statistics section has been revised
What's new archive
|
'Inform' newsletter
- 'Inform' is your alerting service to what's new in information and reference as a whole.
- Click the link below to open the 'Inform' newsletter. (You need to have Adobe Reader software on your pc in order to open the file. If you do not have it already, you can download it free from the Adobe web site.)
 Inform Newsletter December 2007 PDF File 322KB |
 Inform Newsletter February 2007 PDF File 1,131KB |
 Inform Newsletter Spring 2006 PDF File 264KB |
 Inform Newsletter August 2005 PDF File 454KB |
See also...
- Check Gateway to the Internet > What's new for the many interesting new sites that are constantly being added to the Gateway
-
Visit Local and family
history > What's new for what's new on the Virtual Library and read about
the bigger picture in the 'Spotlight' newsletter
Page last updated: 1st July 2008
