2018-2019 Databases Decoded
An Overview of Products & Services available through SLS
Your collection automatically includes, at no cost to you:
- Products purchases by the NY State Library (NOVEL NY), and
- Products purchased by W-FL School Library System
You then make additional purchases, based on your school's needs:
- A subscription to the comprehensive SLS Media Library, or
- Subscriptions for individual or bundled products
CoSer purchases are aid-able (eligible for state aid reimbursement) and will appear in your school's database portal. Ordering through the CoSer saves you time and money, and makes it possible for SLS to provide product support.
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Your Collection Begins with NOVEL NY Selections:
Encyclopedias for all grade levels
Full-text newspapers
Middle school research resources
Peer-reviewed journals
Reference for lower & middle grades
Pro/Cons for middle & upper grades
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W-FL SLS Purchases these Resources for You:
Nat Geo - Secondary
Nat Geo for Kids - Elementary
Informational textbooks
Resources for English-language learners
Professional development eBooks
Resources on books and authors
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Upgrade to an SLS Media Library Subscription and Gain Access to These Media Resources:
Educational videos - all subjects
Digital multimedia
Hip-hop education
Music & sound effects
eBooks for middle and lower grades
eBooks for middle and upper grades
OverDrive's lending library of eBooks, audiobooks and videos
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Now Complete your Collection with Additional Products:
- Identify your needs. The resources purchased by NOVEL NY and SLS provide a strong foundation on which to build your collection. Become familiar with what you already have to avoid duplicating content.
- Seek input. Ask staff -- including counselors and resource room teachers -- for suggestions. You may already have what they're looking for! At the same time, don't feel pressured to make a purchase based on one person's opinion.
- Stick with the winners. Once you've found a database your students and staff like, continue that subscription and look for additional products offered by the same vendor. New databases with a similar layout are ideal because students are already familiar with their search features.
- Keep it manageable. A portal jam-packed with databases, while impressive, might be overwhelming. It's better to have a few quality resources than to inundate students with too many options.
- Take a test drive. You can request a trial of any product by contacting Sharon Zadarlik at 315-332-2100.
- Have money left over? Subscribers to the SLS Media Library can invest in an OverDrive Advantage account by putting additional funds aside to build their collection of eBooks throughout the year.
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FAQs:
Q: Who negotiates prices?
A: The School Library Association of NY relies on SCORE (SLS Consortium of Online Resources for Education) to work with vendors and get the lowest prices possible.
Q: Does SLS get commission?
No! We receive no compensation from any vendor. We may feature certain products or vendors that are unique or of particular value to you or your students, but we remain neutral when it comes to your purchasing decisions.
Q: How is my database budget decided?
That's handled by your district's budget office. Database purchases are eligible for state aid reimbursement, based on your district's state aid ratio.
Q: Am I guaranteed any State funding?
The NYS allotted aid for the purchase of library materials is determined by your BEDS numbers and remains at $6.25 per student; it has been that amount since 2008.
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Next Steps
Email: teresa.keyes@wflboces.org
Website: https://www.wflboces.org/teaching-and-learning/school-library-systems
Location: 131 Drumlin Court, Newark, NY, United States
Phone: 315-332-2100
Twitter: @wflsls
Created by Teresa Keyes, W-FL BOCES SLS 2018