Chances are you will have read something online, seen a re-post or maybe even (unwittingly) shared a piece of fake news yourself. For example in 2017,‘ “Irma, strongest hurricane, recorded category six,” warned Alex Jones of American website InfoWars, broadcast to more than 750,000 followers on Facebook. Except it wasn’t. Category six hurricanes don’t exist. It was fake news.’ (bbc.co.uk)
According to a study from Stanford University, fake news websites received 159 million visits during the month of last year’s [2016, Trump] US election, and other research has shown the most widely-shared news stories during the election were fake.
‘Fake news’ was even named as the Collins Dictionary’s official Word of the Year for 2017.
Now more than ever, it’s so important that you have access to reliable information which is where Warwickshire Libraries can help, we are on the fake news frontline. Via our library website you will find lists of quality resources related to a range of topics that represent your needs and interests. We subscribe to websites so that you can use them for free- to ensure you have the right sources for the right information. Last year 24,000 visits were made to the virtual reference service.
One amazing subscription we have is to Britannica Library; below UK Libraries Manager at Britannica, Diane explains more about this incredible resource…
Britannica Library
In the era of “fake news”, Google and Wikipedia it is even more important that learners have access to reliable information – especially independent learners using library services for their personal study and research.
The bottom line is that a printed encyclopedia is out of date the minute it is printed, whereas with the Britannica® Library online resource, it can be instantly refreshed giving access to thousands of articles and multimedia for you to use in your research.
With three age-appropriate databases – Junior, Student and Adult – it’s ideal for everyone from adult learners who are studying for a course or qualification through to younger children who are just starting out on their educational journey.
There is an enormous amount of material to explore and one click leads to another with even more data to unearth thanks to the powerful search function, which offers intuitive suggestions as you type. Once you select the result you are after, you are then offered a comprehensive list of associated articles making research easier and more efficient.
It has a scholarly voice, an editorial process and fact-based, well-written articles by experts. If anything, this stellar database is perfect for the Google generation because it encourages learners to think more deeply about research and critically it ensures that all information is factual and unbiased.
You don’t even need to be in the library to access it; as long as you’re a library member you can log in from home on any personal device such as a pc, laptop; tablet or a smartphone – ideal for those rainy days when a trip to the library isn’t an attractive option!
Britannica® Library is very easy to access and it presents information in a vibrant and lucid format ideal for personal learning. The informational text selections are written, edited, reviewed and updated regularly by experts, and content can be adjusted to suit your needs – meaning that it is easy to navigate and understand no matter what you’re using it for or what age you are.
Below is a list of some of our top suggested searches, why not take a look for yourself and find out about them?
- Black Panther
- Harvey Weinstein
- Space Exploration
- Stephen Hawking
- Intelligence Agency
- Hurricanes
- Donald Trump
- Superbowl
- Manchester
- Prince Harry
Want some help using Britannica® Library? Speak with your Librarian via ChatNow or visit your local library where staff will be happy to help you.
Warwickshire Libraries 