Media Center
Dennis Posner
Media Specialist, Teacher
An access point to our online databases, guide students in the research process, and assist our community in locating relevant educational or “of interest” information.
Databases
Databases
Through the Sora Reading App, Students and Staff will gain access to a shared collection, curated by Overdrive, of hundreds of age-appropriate eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines on virtually any device. You can download the app onto a phone or tablet by going to your respective App Store and searching for Sora the Reading App. You can also connect your Sora account with the Morris County Library System to access their digital collection. You will need a Library Card and PIN.
World history collections spanning ancient to modern eras and daily life through history. Best for building context, comparing time periods, and exploring how people lived across civilizations.
Available Databases: Daily Life Through History, World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, World History: The Modern Era.
Britannica School is the go-to site for learning more about any subject—for all grades and all reading abilities—offering thousands of up-to-date, curated, and curriculum-relevant articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended websites, and three separate databases—Elementary, Middle, or High School.
Search journals, magazines, newspapers, and reference books across subjects. Use filters to find full-text articles, current events, literary analysis, and more.
Available Databases: Literary Reference Source, Consumer Health Complete, Science Reference Center, Novel List, Literary Reference Center, Points of View, Referencia Latina,
Legal Information Source, Explora Secondary Schools, Teacher Resources, Image Search, Small Business Source, and Exploring Race in Society.
Legal Information Source, Explora Secondary Schools, Teacher Resources, Image Search, Small Business Source, and Exploring Race in Society.
I’m required to change the Password in December. It will become Bclib#20
Wide range of history, science, health, and career databases. Great for topic overviews, issues and controversies, and building research projects step-by-step.
Available Databases: American History Online, African-American History Online, American Indian History Online, Modern World History Online, Ancient and Medieval History Online, Science Online, Health Reference Center, Curriculum Resource Center, Literary Reference Online, Ferguson's Career Guidance Center, Issues and Controversies, Credo Source Reference, and the High School/Middle School eBook Collection.
A non-profit educational company that publishes and maintains articles, images, videos, podcasts, and interactive educational tools related to history. A curated resource on history, featuring short, user-friendly articles on a vast array of topics.
Gale Virtual Reference Library - Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
eBooks
Through the Sora Reading App, Students and Staff will gain access to a shared collection, curated by Overdrive, of hundreds of age-appropriate eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines on virtually any device. You can download the app onto a phone or tablet by going to your respective App Store and searching for Sora the Reading App. You can also connect your Sora account with the Morris County Library System to access their digital collection. You will need a Library Card and pin number.
Other Libraries
Mountain Lakes High School Library Catalog & Databases - Access MLHS Library catalog and databases.
Mountain Lakes Public Library - Access from school to the Mountain Lakes Public Library catalog and databases. May need library card number to use some features and databases.
Tools
Noodle Tools provides innovative software that teaches students and supports teachers and librarians throughout the entire research process.
- Search intelligently
- Assess the quality of results
- Record, organize and synthesize information using online notecards
- Format your bibliography in MLA, APA, or Chicago/Turabian style
Research Process
Big 6 Research Process Model
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Task Definition What is my current task? |
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Information Seeking Strategies What are all the possible sources to check? |
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Location and Access Where can I find these sources? |
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Use of Information What information do I expect to find in this source? |
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Synthesis How will I organize my information? |
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Evaluation Did I do what was required? |
The "Big6™" is copyright © (1987) Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz. For more information, visit: www.big6.com
Handout created by: Barbara J. Shoemaker, School Media Specialist, Mill Road Elementary, K-2 Red Hook Central School District, Red Hook, NY
Information Search Process Model
During the 1980s and 1990s many information process models were developed. One model of particular interest is the Information Search Process (ISP) by Carol Kuhlthau. Her model is quite unique because her research was specifically designed for this area.
Kuhlthau observed the reactions of students, examined various strategies and tracked student progress while engaged in the inquiry/research process. Her observations make her approach to information inquiry incredibly valuable and insightful. The Information Search Process goes beyond the basic model, her research stresses the "attitudinal and emotional aspects of the inquiry process."
Every time I am engaged in the research process for myself or work with students involved in research, I find myself thinking about this model. It explains why I feel the way I feel. Knowing that I am not alone in these feelings, the fact that they are felt by everyone, helps me to persevere and accomplish my research goals and task. I hope that by reading this it will help you too. :)
The Information Search Process Model includes seven stages. Within each stage is a task, thoughts, feelings, actions, and strategies.
- Initiation - when a person first becomes aware of a lack of knowledge or understanding and feelings of uncertainty and apprehension are common.
- Selection - when a general area, topic or problem is identified and enitail uncertainty often gives way to a brief sense of optimism and a readiness to begin the search.
- Exploration - when inconsistent, incompatible information is encountered and uncertainty, confusion, and doubt frequently increase and people find themselves "in the dip" of confidence.
- Formulation - when a focused perspective is formed and uncertainty diminishes as confidence begins to increase.
- Collection - when information pertinent to the focused perspective is gathered and uncertainty subsides as interest and involvement deepens.
- Presentation - when the search is completed with a new understanding enabling the person to explain his or her learning to others or in some way put the learning to use.
Kuthlthau, Carol C. "Information Search Process." School of Communication and Information - Rutgers University. Rutgers State University, Jan. 2012 Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http: comminfo.rutgers.edu="" ~kuhlthau="" information_search_process.htm="">.</http:>