Favorite Web Sites: Entertainment
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 Committee 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.
According to the IBDB Web site, this resource offers “a
comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway [dating from
the 1700's to the present], including all ‘title page’ [program]
information about each production. IBDB also offers historical
information about theaters and various statistics and fun facts
related to Broadway." Simple search allows you to search by show,
people/organization, theatre, and season while advanced search
allows many more options including function (director, actor,
playwright, etc.), gender, opening and closing dates, character name
and more. From serious research to more trivial pursuits, the IBDB
is a excellent source for Broadway production information. (Summary used with permission of the
MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
The database is a highly comprehensive and easy to use movie
reference tool. The core of the database is the over 2,250,000
filmographies covering some 180,000 movie titles and over 560,000
people. The hyperlinks within the database make cross-referencing
the following categories effortless: actors, directors, writers,
composers, cinematographers, editors, production designers, costume
designers, and producers. Award and biographical information is also
readily available. (Summary used with permission of the
MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
Billing itself “the web’s largest movie script resource,” The
Internet Movie Script Database contains over 600 full text movie
scripts mainly in draft form. Scripts can be accessed by genre,
alphabetically or by a well placed keyword search index. One can
also browse the entire list by selecting the “All Scripts” link.
Since all scripts are displayed in HTML format, users can read or
download the documents for free without using any additional
software. The Internet Movie Script Database is an essential online
tool for any film buff.
Metacritic is a searchable database of individual reviews of
film, video/DVD, television, music, books and games. The database
can be searched by the title of a specific work, the name of an
individual involved, a genre, or by "metascore," a number derived by
Metacritic from a weighted formulation of rankings by individual
reviewers. Metacritic takes into account the prestige of individual
critics and publications in calculating weighted averages.
Metascores are color-coded green (favorable), yellow (mixed or
average), or red (unfavorable). Added features in the site allow
easy determination of new releases with the most favorable reviews.
Coverage of individual works includes a synopsis, information about
its creator, publisher, distributor, or producer, technical
information such as running time or number of pages, and excerpts
from individual reviews. (Summary used with permission of the
MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
The Academy Awards® Database is a one-stop source of information
about the Academy Awards. Intended for all users, the database
contains a plethora of information from the first Academy Awards® in
1927/28 to the present. Users can search one of three search
screens: Basic, Advanced and Statistical. The Basic screen allows
searching by film title, nominee, over 40 award categories, song
title, winners only, and award year. The results can be displayed in
either chronological or alphabetical order. The Advanced screen
allows Boolean searching and contains additional searchable fields.
The currently updated award statistics page is organized by subject
category. Before the current year's Oscar® winners are announced,
the web site provides a link to Oscar®.com where current year
nominees in all categories are listed. (Summary used with permission of the
MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
Rotten Tomatoes is an unique, alternative web site for locating
objective movie reviews from all genres and time periods. According
to its web site, this web resource features "more than 127,000
titles and 644,000 review links to its ever‑growing database."
Rotten Tomatoes contains movie criticism and film reviews from
America's top print and online film critics. Movies are rated by
using the Tomatometer(TM). Good films receive a "fresh" rating while
bad ones earn a "rotten" one. Although the main web page is a bit
cluttered, it does contain a well placed search box and an easy to
use quick navigation pull‑down menu. In addition to film reviews,
the site also offers the latest information on top box office
movies, video game and DVD/VHS movie rentals as well as
entertainment news.
TV.com (formerly TV Tome.com) provides information on most
current and many older television series and their casts. Volunteers
who have an interest in a particular television show can apply to
become editors, responsible for adding information about a show and
editing others' contributions. Included are guides to episodes,
reviews, information about the casts and crews, and forums on which
users can discuss the shows. Clicking on the name of an actor or
actress brings the user to biographical information and a list of
other appearances. An appealing site for those who are interested in
finding information about or discussing their favorite television
show, Tvtome.com also provides a venue for dedicated fans and
aspiring editors and reviewers to share their work. (Summary used with permission of the
MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
GrantStation Offers Online Access to Thousands of Grants
The IU Northwest Library in partnership with the
IU Northwest Non-Profit
Institute has had access to the GrantStation
database for the past few months. According to its web site,
GrantStation "includes instant access to thousands of
pre-screened National and International grantmakers. PLUS access to
more than 2,000 hard-to-find local and regional funders that have a
specific geographic focus within a state or region."
In addition to grant research and proposal building, this
comprehensive electronic resource also contains the following
features in its Grantseeker's Toolkit:
- Common Grant Forms
- The GrantStation Insider- a weekly e-newsletter
that provides the latest information on new funding programs,
seminars and conferences.
- Federal grant deadlines updated daily
- Recommended philanthropic, international, federal and
state-specific web sites for grant resources that offer the newest
ideas and information.
IU Northwest faculty, students and staff as well as the local community
may access GrantStation ON CAMPUS ONLY by visiting the
IU Northwest Library Reference Desk during
normal business
hours. The Reference staff will log in users into the web site
from IU Northwest Library public access computers. For more information about
GrantStation, contact the
IU Northwest Non-Profit
Institute at 219-981-5673 or 219-981-5629.
, Library News Web Editor
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