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March ’99 LIBRARY NEWS LIBRARIES &THE INTERNET WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Cyberspace...the World Wide Web...connectivity... These terms and what they represent have had an immense impact on libraries in the past few years and it only promises to increase. They are influencing almost every service we provide. *^Notme!”yousay, “I only check out mystery books. / don have anything to do with that electronic stuff. ” But even for our most traditional materials, the Internet is beginning to play a role. Increasingly, we are looking at using the Internet to do things like order books. The records that go into our database which are used when you look up a book in the catalog or check it out, are often records that we have located using the Internet. In addition, resources that used to come in paper form are being provided electronically. This is especially true of government publications. We are seeing the beginnings of electronic publishing as well in some areas where currency is very important such as financial and scientific information. The move to electronic information is allowing us to provide significantly improved resources. As of January we are providing electronic access to over2,000 magazine titles, with the full text of the articles going back to 1990. We have approximately 500 magazine subscriptions in paper format, so the addition of the Ebsco Host database means a major increase in service. In addition, you can access it from home on our web page. Technology IS changing libraries but in most cases it is making it possible for us to operate more efficiently and to provide additional resources. It does not mean that we lose sight of the Joy that most of us find in the book. REFERENCE SERVICES The five-volume Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine is a new arrival to the Reference collection’s growing list of medical literature aimed at making the language of doctors more accessible to the layperson. Some 1,500, three to four page articles are arranged alphabetically by topic, often illustrated, and a keyword index in the volume makes approaching questions relatively simple. In a world where the language concerning our health consistently appears in texts that are either too technical or too homespun, it is refreshing to find an intelligent compromise. The language of the theatre has some interesting origins and misconceptions. For example, the phrase see you on the green, having nothing to do with golf, means “I’ll see you on the stage” amongst actors. It was thought to have come from the word greenroom, which is a lounge for performers before going, or when they are not, on stage. However, it has nothing to do with this; etymologists have traced the origins to the rhyming slang greengage, meaning “stage.” At times, performers might say the full phrase see you on the greengage. Another is the more commonly known phrase break a leg! which is a traditional theatrical greeting given before a performance, especially first night, to express “good luck.” Among performers it is considered bad luck to wish a fellow actor “good luck.” It dates back to the 17“’ century, possibly to the Yiddish or German Hals und Beinbruch (may you break your neck and your leg!). It was reinforced when John Wilkes Booth, an actor, broke his leg after assassinating President Lincoln in a theatre. Another good luck phrase is snap a wrist! â€" the Italians say in bocca del lupo (into the wolf’s jaws). \Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, and other slang dictionaries] WEST VANCOUVER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC,V7V 1J8 Tel: (604) 925-7400 Library Hours: (604) 925-7401 Fax: (604) 925-5933 Modem Acc.: 925-7409 URL: www.wvml.jeslacs.bc.ca/start/ IN THE GALLERY ... “Introduction” by Darab B. Shabahang and “Planet Earth from Orbit” by Anne Zaleski will be on display March 8 - April 3,1999. Darab worked as an artist and art teacher and in desktop publishing and advertising in his native Iran. Since moving to Canada he has continued his artistic pursuits. Anne is a retired pediatrician. Her paintings are a reflection of her travels and her awareness of moods, patterns and colours. Reception, artists in attendance, March 8, 1999, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Most paintings are for sale. MARCH ... a boisterous month with windy days and changing skies ... St. Patrick’s Day and the first day of Spring, beloved of gardeners ... meet the Spring in the library with a selection from our vast collection of gardening books ... ideas new and old ... whatever your needs your library can help. We offer a few suggestions: (635 BIR) BIRD, RICHARD Gardeners’ Questions Answered Practical advice on basic garden design, landscaping lawns, best plants for all exposures and ide2is for kitchen gardens in small spaces. (635.9 HYN) HYNES, ERIN Rodale’s Weekend Gardener: Create A Low-Maintenance Landscape To Enjov Year-Round Includes designs for easy care, suggestions for easy-grow plants and trees, projects and much more.