ChiltonLibrary is a collection of automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) repair and maintenance articles and diagrams. ChiltonLibrary includes makes and models from the 1940s to current model years. The current version has added accessibility features, including ReadSpeaker text-to-speech versions of articles. ChiltonLibrary also includes technical service bulletins/recall information, automotive repair videos, and ASE test prep quizzes. ChiltonLibrary is an authoritative resource that benefits from an intuitive interface and a mobile-responsive design.
ScienceOpen is a free aggregator database for scientific literature, including open access and preprint publications. The inclusion of altmetrics and linked citations will be of interest to scholars tracking their own author impact and/or conducting systematic reviews. Additional levels of access, including peer reviews and commenting, are available to users who provide their ORCID ID and link publications.
GreenFILE is an EBSCO database of scholarly, government, news, and general-interest titles covering renewable energy, green building (including net-zero construction), global warming, pollution, recycling, and sustainability. GreenFILE offers extensive coverage of records, including indexing and abstracting services, in sustainability and other areas. The database contains more than one million records, with open access offered for more than 15,000 additional records. Searchable fields include standard fields, such as Abstract, Accession Number, and Author, as well as value-added fields, such as Cover Story, Author Supplied Abstract, and Document Type. GreenFILE offers both Basic and Advanced Search, featuring enhanced Boolean capabilities. Browsers or searchers who are new to environmental subject searching will find aids such as the Definition of Fields Table, Publications Authority File, and Thesaurus Authority File helpful in understanding the scope of the subjects and holdings afforded by this database. GreenFILE offers numerous tutorials designed for every level of researcher, from entry level to advanced.
In fall 2023, business librarian stalwart IBISWorld underwent a platform renovation to improve discoverability, usability, and shareability of its Industry Reports while retaining its dependable industry data and analyses. These changes have, by and large, been successful, concentrating financial data, improving mobile navigation, adding download and sharing options, and revising the reporting style to be quicker and easier for users to understand. While there are other database options for Industry Reports, IBISWorld remains both the most exhaustive, covering more than 700 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industries, and, with the new-look launch, the most intuitive to use, making it a key addition for institutions with business, advertising, marketing, or finance departments.
ProQuest’s Arts Premium Collection database provides access to three cross-searchable databases across thousands of journals in specialized subject areas of the arts. The primary audience of this resource comprises academic scholars and students. Access to these resources is provided by the standardized search bar layout, which is consistent across ProQuest products. A robust Advanced Search tool allows users to construct Boolean searches, apply facets, and recombine searches to efficiently access the available resources. All search results have a Details display, which provides hyperlinked metadata to help users expand their discovery. Full text and PDFs are provided, and real-time translation is available for full-text resources. Each item also has suggested resources and citation counts/bibliography for works cited in other ProQuest collections.
The Health Inequality Data Repository from the World Health Organization (WHO) is a free, open-access selection of publicly available disaggregated data about health and indicators of health. It includes regional and continental data sets from 1950 to 2022, covering all world regions, from 16 sources on more than 2,000 indicators. As of November 2023, the available data set categories are Sustainable Development Goals; WHO Global Health Observatory; COVID-19; Reproductive, Maternal, and Child Health; Immunization; HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; Adult Health; Health Care; Burden of Disease; Disability; Migration; Environmental Health; WHO General Programme of Work; and Beyond the Health Sector (Health Inequality Monitor 2023). The sources of the data sets include publicly available data from the WHO and numerous United Nations (UN) agencies, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Union, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and more. In addition to the data sets, two software options are available. The Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) allows users to view the data in various chart and graph formats, and HEAT Plus allows users to upload their own disaggregated data in addition to the available data sets. The Health Inequality Data Repository and its supporting software tools are housed within the Health Inequality Monitor section of the WHO website, and it has numerous educational options related to its resources and goals.
This is a critical evaluation of kOS from Helper Systems, a PDF software designed for Mac OS, addressing its marketing strategies, unique features, and potential value proposition. The software claims to streamline PDF manipulation and enhance accessibility, boasting features like improved navigation, data visualization, and AI-driven research tools. However, skepticism is raised regarding its departure from existing solutions and its appeal beyond a niche user base in the arts and design. The integration of AI is questioned, particularly in the absence of open-source accessibility. The review highlights the competitive landscape of PDF software, acknowledging user fatigue and established alternatives like Adobe Acrobat. Despite the software’s promotion of a user-friendly library with subject keyword searching, concerns are raised about its market exclusivity and compatibility with institutions requiring Microsoft usage. Ultimately, the author emphasizes the challenge of standing out in a saturated market and the need for a nuanced assessment of kOS’s ability to justify its learning curve and price point, especially in addressing accessibility standards and workflow challenges in ever-changing digital environments.
