Credo Reference

Ever felt overwhelmed when trying to find reliable information on the Internet? A promo for Credo Reference says it best: “When researching on the Internet, no one can hear you scream.” If you use Credo Reference for your informational needs, there’s no reason to scream. Credo Reference is a free database that can be accessed from the Stark County District Library webpage. With one search, you are able to access hundreds of reference sources, all containing reliable information, along with images, sound files, animations, videos and much more! Better yet, it’s easy to use. 

You can begin your search with Credo’s basic search screen. Search all Credo subjects or choose to limit your search to one topic – art, history and science to name a few.

From the search results screen, you can limit your search by subject, type of entry, media type, person, publication date and more. It’s even possible to perform the same search using our library catalog.

 

Each Credo entry provides related entries and sources, and even includes the correct MLA or APA citation.

Sometimes it’s difficult to come up with just the right word for your search. With Credo Reference, that’s never a problem. Click “Concept Map” on Credo’s home screen and type in a search term to find related topics and ideas. Hovering over a term gives you additional information.

Credo Reference also has a handy quick-reference guide. From the homepage, click on “Gadgets” for instant access to a dictionary, crossword puzzle help, measurement conversions and more. Hopefully Credo Reference will soon become an indispensable part of your Internet searching, whether for a school project, research paper, or a quick way to find out how many ounces are in a pint!

Sigils, Seals and Arms

A couple months ago I started reading the Song of Ice and Fire series. Author George R.R. Martin creates a complex world of kings, castles, cities and the people that occupy them (if you have seen or heard of the television series Game of Thrones on HBO it is based on the Song of Ice and Fire series.) Martin loves details. He appears to have spent a lot of time building this world and wants to make sure the reader sees it all. Every character, house and city mentioned in the books is described so richly you feel like you're there. 

One detail I enjoy in particular is that each family has their own sigil – the lion of House Lannister, the direwolf of House Stark or the dragon of the Targaryens for example. Reading about the different houses and their symbols revealed something about me that I had long forgotten – the desire for a family seal.  I think this stuff is so cool. I can remember an art project in elementary school where we created our own coat of arms. It was great. I don’t recall exactly what my final project looked like but I do remember that I took it very seriously (though if I had to guess, considering my age and interests at the time, it probably included a basketball, a bike, some Doritos and the Taco Bell logo). It was fun to think about what symbols represent my interests; or what values my family holds dear. There’s just something about it all that feels historic, old world – from a time when traditions truly mattered and a family’s name meant everything.

The more I read the books the more I thought about my own family seal. If I created one today what would it look like (would I abandon Taco Bell and Doritos?) I finally thought of this while sitting at a computer and did a quick Google search. Among the first results was a website called Make Your Coat of Arms where you can do just what the name promises: make your own coat of arms. It’s free, fast and has plenty of options to personalize.

The site walks you through the creation of your seal one step a time. It’s very easy to use. Below are some screen shots of my experience that will help walk you through it too. Explore. Be creative. Have fun. Feel free to share – I’d like to see what you came up with.

Posted by Brett | House Neff of Stoney Creek

Step 1: Go to makeyourcoatofarms.com and click on the green Get Started button.

 

 

 

Step 2: Enter a name and email address. Click the Submit button

 

 

 

Step 3: Choose a shield. Options are displayed across the bottom of the page. Double click one to select it. Note the Color Chooser on the right side of the page to change the color of your shield.

 

 

 

Step 4: Choose a banner. Options are displayed across the bottom of the page. Double click one to select it. Next add text to your banner (ex: yourlast name.)

 

 

Step 5: Add a motto by clicking the drop down menu in the Select Motto box on the left side of the page. Or you can create your own motto by clicking in the text field of the Text Editor box on the right side of the page. Note you can also change your font style and color by using the Font box and Color Chooser.

 

Step 6: Add values. Similar to the motto you can pick from mottos provided for you on the left side of the page. Or you can create your own by typing in the boxes on the right side of the page.

 

Step 7: Add symbols. Select from the Shape Categories box along the left side of the page. Select an image by dragging it from the options on the bottom of the page into the shield. To remove a graphic from your shield just click on it.

 

 

Step 8: Enter your name, email address and click Print.

 

Royalty Free Music

Need music for your next project that is Royalty Free and legal to use? Check out Kevin MacLeod’s music athttp://incompetech.com/

Kevin MacLeod provides music he has created for download, to listen to, or to use Royalty free… as in you do not have to pay!  For example, you can put the music on a video you’ve made for YouTube and not have to worry about copyright issues and YouTube pulling your video.  You can use it for a school project, a family video, a business video, a movie you’ve made, a website, basically just about any project you’re creating.  You can even edit the music, if you know how.  If you only need part of a piece of music it is perfectly acceptable to cut, splice, or loop the piece. 

A couple of notes on the site and music before you start though.  Just because it’s free does not mean you can use it without properly attributing the work.  In other words, if you use his music you must put credits on your production.  Fortunately, he makes it very simple. Visit the Music Licenses page on his website for an example of exactly how he would like the credit to appear.    http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/licenses/

Another nice feature of his site is that the site itself is no frills and super easy to use.  I’ll take ease of use over fancy bells and whistles any day.  There are three ways to search his music.  Just click on Royalty Free Music and you’ll go directly to a page with the different ways to search.  My personal favorite is View Collections.  Ok, I took the bells and whistles here and went for the search that has the music in categories and has album covers.

It’s also very easy to preview, or listen to, the music before you decide if want to download a piece.  Beside each piece are buttons for:  play, stop, fast forward, rewind, and download. So, you can listen to a piece before deciding if it’s one you want to download.

There is a wide variety of music to choose from, including Rock, Jazz, Celtic, Soundtracks, and much more.

I hope you enjoy the site and find some great music.
CP