[Sig-bwp] Podcasts in Thomson/Gale Databases (InfoTrac/PowerSearch, Student Resource Center, etc.)

[Gerry Mckiernan]

***Apologies for Receipt of Duplicate Postings***

Colleagues/

Thomson Gale Adds Podcast Feeds to Database Resources

[ http://pressroom.gale.com/index.php/2005/11/thomson-gale-adds-podcast-feeds-to-database-resources/ ]

"FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 8, 2005 * Thomson Gale, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC), announces the addition of podcast feeds to InfoTrac on Thomson Gale PowerSearch and its Student Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center and History Resource Center databases. Weekly presidential radio addresses by George W. Bush from January 2005 to the present will be podcast beginning today. New presidential radio addresses will be added weekly.

While this addition marks the first podcast ever loaded to Thomson Gale reference databases, the company will add more podcasts in the coming months. Podcasting is included in Thomson Gale database subscriptions.

"With the number of colleges and universities handing out iPods, and the ever-increasing number of students and adults buying these and other MP3 devices, we have the responsibility to provide content to our users in ways that fit into their everyday lifestyle," said Gordon Macomber, president of Thomson Gale. "Podcasts are now available for a number of premier content sources. It is our goal to find the ones that make sense in a school or library setting, and make them available as a supplement to traditional reference and periodical content."

Podcasting is a means of distributing audio programs via the Internet. Once users select their desired files, or "feeds," they can download the material to their iPod or MP3 device and hear the material whenever they choose. 

For example, when students log on to the InfoTrac database and conduct a search for 'Supreme Court,' results under the 'Multimedia' tab will include any of the 2005 weekly presidential radio addresses that include mention of the Supreme Court. Users can access the podcast immediately, or download it for later listening to supplement their research."

/Gerry 

Gerry McKiernan
Science and Technology Librarian
Iowa State University Library
Ames IA 50011

gerrymck at iastate.edu