Another Web resource has been radically transformed in the last month: Gale Virtual Reference Library, which we also call GVRL. This is our web resource that has nearly 400 reference e-books. This is one of my favorite resources because it covers such a wide range of topics. There are resources on business, movies, college scholarships, history, biographies, medicine and more. These reference books are always available, even when the Library is closed. New features include:

•A completely updated, engaging user interface available in more than 35 languages
•Improved user-focused navigation and organization
•Eye catching book covers and interactive online book experience with two-page view and page flipper
•ReadSpeaker text-to-speech technology in 19 languages
•Cross-search and browse easily across series
I find the book covers to be so inviting that when I see them I like to open them up and look through them. This is really an improvement over the old way of just listing the titles. A general search through all of them is still available with the search box at the top of the page.

Wanting to repair your car yourself? We have the database for you:  Auto Repair Reference Center.

If you’ve never been there before, it has coverage of nearly every car you could possibly own.  If you’ve used the site before you’ll be pleased with the changes they’ve made.  The first thing you’ll notice is the great new look with loads of color!  No more of the white screen look that Google made so ubiquitous.  But there is a lot more to this redesign, including:

• Coverage of more than 37,000 vehicles from 1945 to present
• Millions of drawings and step-by-step photographs
• Approximately 110,000 technical service bulletins & recalls issued by the original equipment vehicle manufacturer
• Over 180,000 enhanced wiring diagrams for easy viewing and printing
• Specifications & maintenance schedules
• Labor Time Guide & Estimator
• Video overviews of auto systems with AutoIQ
• Quick Tips (a complete guide to vehicle ownership & maintenance)
• Diagnostic information
• Completely redesigned interface with intuitive, user-friendly navigation
• Enhanced searching within content collections
• Ability to print/e-mail/save high-quality PDF records
• Increased repair coverage – more than 37,000 vehicles covered
• Expanded, in-depth repair information from the major original equipment manufacturers, including Ford, Honda, and GMC
• On-Board Diagnostics (OBD II) codes with description and troubleshooting information

So if you like to do things yourself and save a whole lot of money, try Auto Repair Reference Center.  If you’re at home and you have a laptop, you can save the PDF files to it and bring it out to the garage with you.