Ever notice a call number that begins with "ABE..."? Well, here at the Main Branch we have a great resource known as the Adult Basic Education collection, aka ABE. Our ABE collection is geared towards helping adult learners brush up on basic subjects such as reading, writing, math and science. We also have plenty of GED materials available in both the ABE and general collections. To help you search our collection and also find other resources in the community, we've added a new wiki guide to GRPLpedia. Check it out.

Posted by Ben at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In celebration and support of small businesses in Grand Rapids, we are pleased to announce the opening of the Small Business Resource Center at the Grand Rapids Public Library!

The Small Business Resource Center is located on the Lower Level of our Main Library and provides the timely and reliable business information you need to start, manage and grow your business. You will find designated workspace and Internet access, specialized business databases, fax and copier access, plus librarians to help guide you through the stages of small business research.

Use the Center to write your business plan, target new customers, find sources of financing and much more! Check out the webpage, take a look at the brochure, and don't forget the many books of we have available on the topic.

For more information, email our business librarian at businesslibrarian@grpl.org

Posted by Amy at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whenever I make a new purchase, I want what I'm spending my hard earned cash on to be the best possible product for the cheapest amount of money. To figure this out, I like to start my research with Consumer Reports. Of course, we have paper copies of Consumer Reports on hand at all library branches. But did you know you can also access these articles from the comfort and convenience of your own home? It's true! All you need is the internet and your GRPL library card. Revolutionary, isn't it?

Perhaps you're toying with idea of buying a new digital camera or laptop? Or maybe you are like me and this icy cold weather has you craving a space heater. Regardless, you can find all you need through a little thing called General Reference Center Gold. It's pretty easy to use.

Continue reading "General Reference Center Gold & You" »

Posted by Marianne at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

BusinessDecision, a new web-based service that combines extensive consumer household, business, and demographic data with a powerful mapping technology known as geographic information systems (GIS), is now available to Grand Rapids Public Library patrons for free. With this new service, local businesses can access demographic data to help with such tasks as finding prospective customers, analyzing trade areas, evaluating competitors, identifying new store locations, and targeting media buys and direct mail campaigns. Data can instantly be created and emailed to users or stored on-line.

Patrons can access BusinessDecision at any Grand Rapids Public Library, and GRPL card holders can access from any internet computer. Just access the database page of the library website. BusinessDecision is provided to Grand Rapids Public Library patrons through a generous grant from the Titche Family Fund--Ryerson Library Foundation. For more information on getting started, visit our BusinessDecision help page.

Posted by Lori at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here in the GRPL Reference Department we receive many research requests, both strange and interesting. We've decided to share some of the questions, along with their answers, here on the blog. We hope you'll enjoy this new feature and feel free to leave comments.

A recent request from a storyteller:
I'm working to prepare a presentation of the Cornish folk tale Duffy and the Devil. I'm looking for information on the roles of women vs men during the time period of the story. For example, what work was performed during the seasons, what happened during apple cider time, season festivals, and what the marketplaces looked like (who was there and what activities were happening). Any suggestions? I know that this story is still performed in England.

Answer:
Hi,

The kinds of things we would have at GRPL are such as would provide some pictures of folk life in England over the centuries.
A History of Everyday Things in England 1066-1799 and Life and Work of the People of England, 14th through 16th centuries

Continue reading "Reference Services" »

Posted by Martin at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)