Acting State Librarian Nancy Robertson recently announced that Gale has provided MeL with access to 10 titles from its Virtual Reference Library. Some of the titles already were part of MeL through various databases, but users now will be able to access the complete digital book content rather than just portions returned in a database results list.

The Gale Virtual Reference Library titles include:

• Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America (6v.)
• Biology (Macmillan) (4v.)
• Encyclopedia of Popular Culture (St. James) (5v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine (4v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Cancer (2v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders (2v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine (5v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America (3v.)
• Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business
• Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History
• World of Earth Science (2v.)

These digital titles will be available to all Michigan library patrons at any time, in the library or by remote access.

How will my patrons use these digital books?
Gale's Virtual Reference Library operates on a database model rather than a circulation model. These digital books are not checked out, but are available at all times. Virtual Reference Library titles will be searchable through the new IntoTrac PowerSearch interface or by individual title.

Updated 01/06/2006