Accessing databases

Do you belong to a public library? Yes? Then your library card gives you access to so much more than the books sitting on the library’s shelves. You can also get free access to a multitude of databases, many of which provide full-text articles. Databases available through Brisbane City Libraries give you access to newspapers from around the country and world (Newsbank), allow you to search science and geography journals (SAGE), look for articles on public affairs (APAIS) and search for articles on current and social issues (ANZ Reference Centre) among others.

The State Library of Queensland provides remote access to a huge number of databases, but you need to get yourselve an e-services card before you can begin searching. This is free and you can apply online for it.

You can also search the internet for databases. Using Google, simply type ‘road safety databases’ – replacing ‘road safety’ with the topic you’re looking  for.

New in the Library

A number of new publications have been added to the Library’s collections. They are:

• Snapshot 2007: children and young people in Queensland
• Report on the review of the Department of Communities, Disabilities Queensland and the former Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy
• Legal, Constitutional and Administrative Committee Report no. 59: meeting with the Queensland Information Commissioner
• Local Government National Report 2005-06
• Our Town Our Future: a revitalisation strategy for Ingham

All of these publications are on display at the front of the library. Please feel free to come in and have a look at them and borrow them.

Small beginnings

Welcome to the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Library blog.  It has been created to keep LGAQ staff in touch with the huge range of information available on the web, as well as giving tips and tuturials on such things as RSS feeds, social bookmarking, search techniques and more.