How many of you remember the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature? This was a very important resource when I was in high school and college. If I needed journal articles to support an essay I was writing, this was where I found the citations to help me find exactly the magazine or journal needed. Today, a wonderful resource called INSPIRE does what these very hefty books did and much more. Instead of finding the article in an actual journal, magazine or even on microfilm, INSPIRE allows the user to get the full-text article with just a few keyboard strokes and clicks of the mouse. I don't know of any libraries that still own the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. So if I use Google, which admittedly sometimes I do, here's what happens: I am asked to "purchase a subscription," find web articles about everything except what I was looking for or the website I'm directed to is just plain confusing. With INSPIRE, I'm 100% certain of getting reliable facts. And often it's the ONLY place where I am able to find an answer to a questions I'm asked every day.
But wait, INSPIRE is so much more than that. There are ebooks available through INSPIRE. Teachingbooks.net is part of INSPIRE. Ever wonder how to pronounce a children's book author's name? Teachingbooks.net has the answer and has many valuable resources related to books that teachers and anyone else who is interested may use. I showed a video version of a book to boys and girls for summer reading from Teachingbooks.net.
TERC (Testing, Education and Resource Center) is the place for practice tests such as high school equivalency, Scholastic Aptitude and many more. When my son was in high school, I used it to look for college scholarships. There are career tools as well that allow you to create a resume.
Within the INSPIRE databases you can find reliable sources for medical information, how to repair something in your home, identifying trees and MUCH MORE! Seriously go to: http://zu8fr6nk5e.cs.serialssolutions.com/ and check it out. (In case this link doesn't work for you, visit our website http://morg.lib.in.us and look on the left side of the screen for "Electronic Resources and Databases." Then you may need to scroll down a little further and click on "INSPIRE.")
If cutting INSPIRE wasn't enough, there is a proposed budget cut that would all but do away with the genealogy department at the Indiana State Library. Apparently some people think we can substitute Google Scholar for INSPIRE and Ancestry.com for the genealogy department at the Indiana State Library. For further details about this you can go to:
http://wishtv.com/2015/01/30/indiana-library-faces-major-cuts-under-proposed-budget/
or
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B06auQOiuAbTQ1U3ZWpfenFJZUE/view?pli=1 where you will be able to find out more about the proposed cuts.
This all leaves me wondering how I will be able to find the answers to reference and genealogy questions I am asked every day.
submitted by Janice, Genealogy Librarian
