Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Chicago Area Public Libraries Now Have Access to Gale's Science Resource Center

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Gale, part of Cengage Learning, has enabled free usage of Science Resource Center for patrons of select public libraries in Chicago and the surrounding area. With extensive coverage in the areas of earth science, life science, space, science and technology and other subjects, Science Resource Center is an in-depth curriculum-oriented science online research.

"In observance of our long-standing relationship with these libraries, Gale is pleased to provide Science Resource Center as well as science-related eBooks free of charge through March," announced Nader Qaimari, Gale's vice president of market strategy. "These resources are being provided at a time when students and libraries need them most."

The fully updated, intuitive interface of Science Resource Center provides multiple pathways to key information, allowing researchers of all levels to find accurate information quickly. With millions of full-text, peer-reviewed articles, Gale is offering the usage of Science Resource Center with no authentication required, meaning patrons can access the resource from any computer at any time. Participating libraries will place a specially created Science Resource Center search box "widget" on their homepage to provide instant access.

Users can read about science experiments from various sources including Experiment Central, an acclaimed reference set from Gale's UXL line of titles. Designed to meet the specific needs of students, Science Resource Center provides tools to help students who are writing papers. In addition, ReadSpeaker technology allows users to hear and download articles in MP3 format.

Beyond supporting the study of science through the library, these resources support Science Chicago and the upcoming Chicago Public Schools Student Science Fair. "Given these initiatives, Science Resource Center and the related eBooks will be of even greater use," said Qaimari.

For more information, please contact Linda Busse at linda.busse@cengage.com.

About Cengage Learning and Gale

Cengage Learning delivers highly customized learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, libraries, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs - from homework help to health questions to business profiles - in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.com