This might be a review to some people, but I think a lot of times we forget to refer people to our wonderful online databases when they come in trying to do research.
Have you ever had someone come in trying to write a paper (especially for a college class) on a topic we didn't have much information for? What if they need several sources and we only have one book? Do you suggest our EBSCO database or any of the other databases we get through the Kentucky Virtual Library? When people come in looking for genealogy information, do we remember to mention that we have access to Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest? Do you refer patrons to Novelist when they want to know what other books are in a series?
Many of these sources can be invaluable in helping our patrons do research. As an example, suppose a patron came in looking for information for a paper they were writing on "dangerous" dogs breeds and the ordinances many cities are passing in order to protect citizens. (Louisville just passed one of their own.) In our non-fiction section, we have general books about dogs, and more specific books about some of the breeds that are considered "dangerous", but probably not enough information to write a paper on this topic. However, a quick search of the KYVL database brings up articles on dangerous dog ordinances: several from a veterinary magazine, and one from USA Today. These articles give information on at least three different locations with laws designed to control certain breeds that are considered "dangerous", and information on people who are fighting against designating certain dog breeds as "dangerous". A search of EBSCOhost (don't be intimidated by their choose a database page. when in doubt, check it) brought up several more articles in full text. These results could be all a patron needs to complete their paper. (Search hint: Once you find an article, try clicking on the subject links to see similar articles.)
Your task: Make it a point to explore the databases we have access to. What did you find that you had never seen before? What can you see being the most useful in helping patrons find information? If you need help navigating through the KYVL databases, ask someone who has taken the "Intro to Reference" class through KYVU. They should be able to help.
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