Favorite Web Sites: News/Current Events
The web sites featured this month have been critically evaluated
and selected by the IU Northwest librarians as well as a group of academic
and public librarians across the United States who compile a yearly Best
Free Reference Web Sites List for the American
Library Association. Here is a list of selection
criteria initially created by the MARS Best Free Websites Task
Force to choose these sites. The Library hopes our readers will
find these web sites useful for locating reliable, accurate and
authoritative information on the Internet.
AJR Newslink provides "18,000 links to newspapers, magazines, broadcasters
and news services worldwide." This joint venture of American Journalism
Review and NewsLink Associates which was recently made into two separate
sites has a section called "Digital Feed" (which includes online-only columns
by new-media experts and original content of special interest to readers
of online news) and a section titled "Bylines" (to update the journalism
community on personnel changes.) This site is a must for journalists, news
junkies, communication students, reference librarians and those who simply
want to stay in touch through their hometown newspaper. The very comprehensive "Resources" section
includes links to journalism organizations, publishers and academic resources,
new-media newsletters, media reports and marketing research, WWW Search
tools, and starting points for journalists including broadcasting and photojournalism.
This is an impressive gateway site to everything related to journalism.(Summary
used by permission of the MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
The electronic version of the Chicago Tribune provides the latest
local, national and world news as well as comprehensive sports, weather and business
sections which are updated regularly throughout the day. In order for the user
to access all reports and features available on the web site, one is required
to register with a free user name and password. This allows you to customize
your news interests through a My News section as well as retrieve full-text
articles posted within the last seven days.
CNN is probably familiar to most cable television viewers as one of the major
news & information sources rivaling the major networks. Now it has also become
a mainstay of the Internet news world providing frequently updated news on the
local, national, and international news fronts. The site is well organized and
easy to use. The CNN.com home page provides a list of top stories or the news
seeker short on time can go straight to the Headline News section. Users can
also go to an index of topical sections to browse current news or may choose
to do a keyword search on a particular section or the whole site. It's possible
to listen to CNN live or view daily video features from this site. For more in-depth
coverage, CNN.com provides access to CNNSI (Sports Illustrated), CNNFN (Financial
News), the CNN weather service, and AllPolitics (a collaboration with Time). (Summary
used by permission of the MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
The electronic version of the New
York Times is the most in-depth online newspaper on the web today. Updated
frequently throughout the day, the New York Times' web site offers
comprehensive and detailed coverage on the most important national and international
news, business, technology, sports and the arts. Users are required to register
for free in order to access all information provided by the site. This registration
also allows you to access the newspaper's web archives for over 500,000 articles
dating back to January 1996. Full-text articles published within the past seven
days can be accessed for free. Articles posted after one week provide the user
with an abstract only. However, these articles can be found at the IU Northwest Library
in paper or on microfilm. Registered users can also sign up to receive e-mail
updates on specific topics such as new books, breaking news or today's headlines.
This site covers world newspapers online and news sites in English and also links
to selected online magazines arranged under broad subject. According to its creators, "this
non-profit and non-partisan web site was initiated by the group of freelance
journalists to provide our colleagues as well as readers worldwide with reliable
information about international news sources," a key goal being to provide access
to current resources around the world not included in similar sites. Online
newspapers are listed by country under region. Annotated lists of selected
news sources are also included under broad categories such
as world news, business, Internet, sports, weather, news photos, personalized
news (including news by email), and alternative news. (Summary used by permission
of the MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
Locate Different Perspectives on Controversial Topics With Opposing Viewpoints
Need to find differing opinions
on controversial topics such as legalized gambling and stem cell research? Try
using Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Produced by the Gale
Group, this online resource provides a complete one-stop tool for information
on a myriad of social issues taken from the noteworthy social issues series published
by Greenhaven Press as well as core reference content from other Gale and Macmillan
publications.
At the web site's main menu, users can search by keyword by typing specific
terms in the dialog box conveniently located at the top of the screen or select
from a list of nearly 70 subjects ranging from abortion to youth. Search results
allow the user to access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary
sources, links to evaluated web sites and full-text journal and newspaper articles.
To access Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center from IU Northwest campus
computers ONLY, go to galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/OVRC?locID=iuclassb .
When using IU Northwest Library Reference Department online catalog workstations, choose Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center from the pull-down menu under Other Resources and
click Go.
The Amadeus Business Database Provides Information on 200,000 European
Companies
The IU Northwest Library recently subscribed
to the Amadeus business database. This online tool contains detailed
information on 200,000 public and private companies in 34 European countries.
Up to 10 years of detailed information (consolidated statements are also provided
when available) in a standardized financial format comprising of 22 balance sheet
items, 23 profit and loss account items and 25 ratios. The descriptive information
features national identification number, address, telephone and fax number, web
site, legal form, year of incorporation, senior managers, auditors, number of
employees, quoted/unquoted indicator, industry and activity codes and when available,
a trade description in the local language and English.
To access Amadeus from IU Northwest campus computers ONLY, go
to amadeus.bvdep.com/ip or
from the IU Northwest reference online catalog workstations, choose Amadeus from
the pull-down menu under Other Databases and click Go. At the
next screen, a company name can be entered in the search box provided. Users
can also search by industry text, industry browse codes, country, operating
revenue/turnover and number of employees by choosing the appropriate tab at
the top of the menu.
Catchword.com Recently Added to the IU Northwest Library's Electronic Journal
Collection
Catchword.com now joins the growing list of electronic journal
databases available at the IU Northwest Library. This full-text online journal resource
provides access to over 5,400 electronic journals on a variety of subjects ranging
from aerospace to veterinary science. Here is a sampling of journals available
in Catchword.com that may interest IU Northwest students, faculty and staff.
- American Journal of Family Therapy
- American Sociologist
- Bulletin of Hispanic Studies Film Quarterly
- International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education
- Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing
- Journal of Clinical Child Psychology
- Journal of Community Health Nursing
- Journal of Education Policy
- Journal of Academic Librarianship
- Nineteenth Century Literature
- Research Strategies
- Religion and American Culture
- Social Problems
- Sociological Quarterly
- TDR/The Drama Review
To use Catchword.com from IU Northwest campus computers ONLY,
go to www.catchword.com .
At the main menu, click Online Journals. The next screen allows the user
to browse by research journal title and view its table of contents. Users also
have the option to perform a basic or advanced keyword search to retrieve journal
articles on a specific topic.
, Library News Web Editor |
