Transcript Using the Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/

Kids and Teens at the Internet
Public Library:
http://www.ipl.org/
Jennifer Lau-Bond
User Services Coordinator
[email protected]
IPL History
• Begun in 1995 at the School of Information
and Library Science (now School of
Information)
• Started by a group of students and
professors
• An educational experiment that has
continued for 11 years
IPL Consortium
June 1, 2006 the “IPL Consortium” began
• Partnership of 14 “I-Schools” to develop
and maintain the IPL
• http://www.ipl.org/div/about/IPLconsortium/
consortiumInfo.html
What Is the IPL?
1. A website (http://www.ipl.org/) containing:
• Collections of nearly 45,000 links
• E-mail reference service
2. An educational and research laboratory
for librarians
– Majority of work is student-driven
http://www.ipl.org/
Collections at the IPL
• Link to free sites
• All links selected and reviewed by library science
graduate students—must meet our collection
policies
• Sites indexed and abstracted
• Subject collections as well as special features,
exhibits, and sections for children and teens
Subject Collections
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/
• Aimed towards
adults but
useful for
kids/teens
• Links organized
by headings
• Browse down to
further subheadings
Subject Collections
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/
Examples:
• “Social Customs, Traditions, & Folklore”
(under Social Sciences)
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/soc70.
00.00/
• “Sports” (under Entertainment & Leisure)
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ent80.0
0.00/
Special Features: Newspapers
http://www.ipl.org/div/news/
• Links to online
newspapers from
around the world
• Includes papers
in English and
other languages
Special Features: Newspapers
http://www.ipl.org/div/news/
Examples:
• “Michigan” (under United States)
http://www.ipl.org/div/news/browse/US.7007
520/
• “Pakistan” (under Asia)
http://www.ipl.org/div/news/browse/PK/
KidSpace
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace
• Special section
for kids (13 and
under)
• Similar to adult
collections but
reviewed for
ageappropriateness
KidSpace: Subject Collections
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace
Examples:
• “Reference”
http://www.ipl.org/kidspace/browse/ref0000
• “Reading Zone”
http://www.ipl.org/kidspace/browse/rzn0000
KidSpace: Special Features
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/features.html
• Compiled
by IPL
staff and
students
• Original
content
and
outside
links
KidSpace: Special Features
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/features.html
Examples:
• “Stately Knowledge” (about United States)
http://www.ipl.org/div/stateknow/
• “Science Fair Project Resource Guide”
http://www.ipl.org/div/projectguide/
TeenSpace
http://www.ipl.org/div/teen/
• Separate section of
the IPL for
teenagers (13-18)
• Includes learning
materials as well as
interesting and
entertaining sites
TeenSpace
Examples:
• “Money & Work” subject category
http://www.ipl.org/div/teen/browse/mw0000/
• “A+ Research and Writing”
http://www.ipl.org/div/teen/aplus/
• “Poetry Wiki”
http://www.ipl.org/div/teenpoet/
Reference at the IPL
• Service is free to all—questions from around the
world and people of all ages
• Questions answered by trained library students
and professional volunteers
• Use free sites and sometimes refer to print or
subscription sources (local resources when
possible)
• Questions submitted on web forms
Adult Question Form:
http://www.ipl.org/div/askus/
KidSpace Question Form:
http://www.ipl.org/div/ask/
Asking a Reference Question
• Volunteer limitations--no medical/legal questions or
questions that need a response immediately (at least 3
days)
• We use mostly free sources, so can’t always do complex
searches in print/subscription materials
• Let us know if you’re a librarian!
• See more samples of questions we’ve answered at:
http://www.ipl.org/div/anniversary/timelineIntRefQuest.html
And learn more about our service at:
http://www.ipl.org/div/askus/refservice.html
Reviewing the Slides
These slides will be posted on IPL site at
http://www.ipl.org/div/about/teachWipl.html
Look for slides titled “Kids and Teens at the
IPL”
Linked from IPL homepage in left navigation
bar (“Teach With The IPL”)
Have more questions about what the
IPL can do for you? Contact Jennifer
Lau-Bond, User Services
Coordinator, at [email protected]