Ungoogling Kids

Have you searched the internet for hours to help a child with a school project and been presented with thousands of possible results by Google but still ‘couldn’t find anything on the ‘net?’ Citi Libraries could be the answer you’ve been waiting for.

Today, public libraries offer many enhanced services and so do their online catalogues. New technology means that in addition to identifying what books are in the library, online catalogues can also help to find excellent websites and display them with just a click or two. Think of the last topic your child needed help with and go to the CitiLibraries online catalogue at (http://catalogue.townsville.qld.gov.au/spydus.html)

Select an Advanced Search and type your project topic in the ‘Anywhere field – e.g. Antarctica. A little down the page, you’ll see a ‘Collections’ window. Scroll through that menu and click on “web links” then OK. When the results load, all the titles will show [website] beside it. Clicking on the title will load a page which briefly describes the contents of the website. If you think it’s relevant, simply select the website address (under the blue Electronic Access bar) and the website loads before your eyes.

Why can this be better than Google? The websites you’ll find in your CitiLibraries catalogue have been chosen by teachers and librarians especially for school students. In other words, the work of deciding whether a website contains accurate, relevant and up-to-date information has been done for you! A quick glance at the site will let you know if it is for primary or secondary school students.

Next time your child needs to research a project, ungoogle them and take them to the library … at home. Start your project research with the CitiLibraries online catalogue.


Need help searching the web? Contact your local Citi Library branch:

Citi Library Aitkenvale 4727 8312
Citi Library Flinders Mall 4727 9665
Citi Library Thuringowa 4773 8601 or infodesk@townsville.qld.gov.au