Several major enhancements are planned for January as DISCUS continues to grow and evolve. The South Carolina State Library is pleased to announce the addition of new content, a single search technology and a new remote access solution. These exciting new changes are outlined below.

New Content:

• CultureGrams – The products known as SIRS Discoverer and SIRS Knowledge Source have been a part of the DISCUS collection for some time. In the fall, usage analysis and consultations with the vendor revealed other content options that could possibly better serve the needs of South Carolinians. In November, DISCUS users were asked to provide input via a brief online survey. The results were overwhelming in favor of re-bundling the mix to include CultureGrams in place of several other products. The 2010 license renewal has been negotiated to include access to CultureGrams, SIRS Discoverer, SIRS Issues Researcher, and SIRS Government Reporter. (The last two products will continue to be offered through the SIRS Knowledge Source portal.) With the addition of CultureGrams, the DISCUS collection will include concise cultural and statistical snapshots of every country recognized by the United Nations.
• Career E-Book Collection – As part of the State Library's Workforce Development Initiative, a customized collection of 250+ NetLibrary e-books focused on job searching, careers and business will be provided for South Carolinians through DISCUS. The purchase of this career collection is made possible with funds from the Library Services and Technology Act.

New Technology:

• SmartSearch – Users of the DISCUS resources have frequently requested an easy way to search across numerous databases at once with a single search. This new federated search, known as SmartSearch, will be available for quick searching from the DISCUS homepage and also for searching groups of databases that are organized by grade levels and subject categories. SmartSearch will deliver results from multiple resources at once, making information retrieval simpler and more effective.
• New Remote Access Solution – Easily accessing the DISCUS products at physical locations that are outside South Carolina libraries and media centers has also been often requested. Until now, DISCUS has relied upon a statewide username and password for home and other remote access. With the availability of new geolocation technology that can recognize IP addresses originating in South Carolina, most remote DISCUS users will now be automatically authenticated and allowed seamless access to the resources. The username and password will continue to be in place as an alternative access method when needed.

The staff of the DISCUS program is excited about these changes and is always pleased to assist with any questions, concerns or recommendations.

Instructional Technology Specialist Donna Teuber of Ridge View High School in Columbia has been selected to participate in the Google Teacher Academy (GTA) taking place this week in Washington, D.C. The one-day professional development activity is designed to help K-12 educators benefit from innovative technologies.

As one of 50 educators chosen to take part in the Washington, D.C. event, Donna was required to complete not only an online application, but also to produce and submit an original and creative one-minute video to address either "Motivation and Learning" or "Classroom Innovation." She used video and photos to share how classroom innovation requires educators to go "outside the walls" and provide students with learning experiences that are personalized, collaborative, and authentic.

After finishing the event and becoming Google Certified Teachers, participants in the GTA are expected to share and promote the use of creative and imaginative educational technologies within their local setting.

The DISCUS program has benefited from Donna’s expertise, as well, with her service on the Database Assessment Committee and also through her willingness to be a co-presenter of conference sessions focused on using DISCUS resources with Google Earth.

Congratulations to Donna on her selection for participation in this continuing education event with the Google Teacher Academy!

In early 2009 the Modern Language Association (MLA) published the seventh edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. The handbook includes advice on every aspect of completing research papers, including citing the sources used in the preparation of the paper.

The new MLA citation style presented in the seventh edition of the handbook has been incorporated by the DISCUS vendors into their products in the following ways.

• Selected Gale products now offer MLA 7 citations, particularly the PowerSearch and InfoTrac databases. Further information can be found in the Gale press release.
• The citations for the Britannica encyclopedia articles in the DISCUS collection are fully updated to the new MLA 7 citation rules.
• Though the ProQuest products – SIRS Discoverer and SIRS Knowledge Source – do not automatically generate citations, they do include source information with all individual results. The SIRS products also provide Citation Guidelines (pdf), complete with examples, that reflect MLA 7 rules.
• The AccessScience database, provided by McGraw-Hill, currently provides citations in a style that is typical for encyclopedias. Due to popular request, however, McGraw-Hill will soon be providing information about citing the articles in both MLA and APA styles.
• The Facts On File product known as Ferguson's Career Guidance Center includes citations formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style for individual results. Facts On File also provides examples of other common styles, including MLA 7.

Media Specialist Dana Turner and the faculty at South Florence High School recently marked the DISCUS tenth anniversary during a hands-on training opportunity in their media center.

Each semester Ms. Turner highlights different resources for teachers during their 30-minute technology time in the media center’s computer lab. Ms. Turner states, “We really mean it when we say DISCUS has changed the way we search for information at our high school. This year with DISCUS celebrating ten years we talked about how DISCUS enhances our resources for research papers and presentations. Then we ate cake!”

The training session had a delicious ending with a DISCUS tenth anniversary cake for all to enjoy. South Florence High School’s use of the DISCUS resources is indeed a sweet partnership that benefits everyone.