There is more to life than Wikipedia.  Did you know that your library card gives you access to a number of encylopedias? Consider using the Encyclopædia Britannica Online when conducting your research.

Updated every two weeks, this resource offers a number of great tools for research such as:

• World Data Analyst
  Quick and easy facts, statistics and comparisons of the countries of the world
  
• This Day in History
  Find out what important events and who was born on any given day.
• Spotlights
  In-depth coverage on a specific topic, with articles and media handpicked by Britannica editors.
  
• Biographies
  Select Browse > Biographies
  Browse content by Topic, National/Cultural Association, Era, Gender, and Name.
  
• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
  Contains 225,000 entries, including more than 10,000 new words and definitions
  

Burger King says that its new French Fries “Satisfries”  have 30% fewer calories and 40% less fat than McDonald’s fries.

According to Burger King,  the crinkle-cut product  is lighter because the batter used absorbs less oil than typical French-fry batter.  The smallest portion of the fries has about 190 calories.  Burger King’s regular fries will still be offered.

For more on Burger King or the quick service restaurant business, try

Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Collection

or

Business and Industry

Available to Massachusetts residents with a Metro Boston Library Network card or an e-card .

courtesy of Noah Berger/Associated Press

Four LinkedIn users have filed a lawsuit accusing the business-oriented social network of accessing their third party e-mail accounts such as Google’s Gmail without permission, harvesting the addresses of their contacts and sending multiple reminder emails ostensibly on behalf of the user advertising LinkedIn to non-members (e.g., Google’s Gmail, Yahoo! Mail) .  The class action lawsuit charges LinkedIn with violations of federal and state law.For more on LinedIn, try:

Business Insights: Essentials

Business & Industry

Available to Massachusetts residents with either a Metro Boston Library Network card or an ecard .

Musk first demonstrates how he can grab, rotate and zoom in on a model of SpaceX’s Merlin rocket engine on a computer screen by waving his hands. He then shows how the full Computer Aided Design  model of the rocket engine can be manipulated on a bigger screen and in 3D if the user is wearing special glasses.

For more on Elon Musk, or other well-known people, try:

Biography in Context

For more on Space X, or other corporations, try:

Business Insights: Essentials

Both databases are available remotely to Massachusetts residents with either a Metro Boston Library Network card or an ecard.

From Shakelaw.com

Mobile technology changed the way we communicate, share information,  shop, and entertain ourselves. So it comes as no surprise that someone would invent a tool to simplify legal transactions using your smartphone.

The folks over at Shake designed an app to record agreements for everyday transactions–from a personal loan to a friend, to a contract for freelance work and more. The app, which is available for iPhone, walks users through a series of questions to create legal documents that can be signed and/or sent to another person, even to your lawyer.  Documents can be signed on any mobile device and are stored securely in the cloud for reference later on.

For budding entrepreneurs who can’t afford to hire a lawyer, this a great way to create simple and plain-language legal agreements.  You can save the big bucks for complex legal agreements.

Shake is in no way a replacement for a lawyer, but a tool to help you create enforceable legal documents.  If you feel you need counsel, by all means seek it out. Shake’s founders emphasize that point in this article from Forbes and on their FAQ page.

You can download the app for iPhone from the App Store.

If you have tried Shake’s app let us know in the comments below.

Cheers!

We had a molasses disaster in Boston on January 15, 1919.

The Boston  molasses flood  occured in the North End neighborhood.  A large molasses storage tank burst, and a wave of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 35 mph, killing 21 and injuring 150.

For more information about the Great Molasses Flood, the Boston Public Library has:

Great Molasses Flood, Boston 1919

Kops, Deborah

(Book–2012)

Dark Tide: The Great Molasses Flood of 1919

Stephen Puleo

(Book–2004)

Needlepoint MBTA design contest entry

The MBTA has several projects underway to improve the accessibility and convenience for riders, including a redesign of the system map.  Earlier this year, they launched a design competition for which they received an overwhelming number of responses. They have chosen the six finalists and they want your vote!

Voting is open until September 19th.  I like numbers 4 and 5 because of the context they provide in regards to the geography of Boston.

Let us know which is your favorite in the comments below!

Check out some of the other entries too.

Cheers!

American Student Assistance, a private nonprofit organization, has written a downloadable ebook,  60+ Ways To Get Rid Of Your Student Loans (Without Paying Them) .  American Student Assistance has a College Planning Center at the Kirstein Business Library.

Boston-area students planning for higher education can come to a College Planning Center for guidance on choosing a college, applying for financial aid and scholarships, managing money, and choosing a major or a career. They  also offer college guidebooks, study aids, computer access for college research, and information on GED, ESL and technical/vocational education opportunities.

TechCrunch reports  that Oyster, a new ebook subscription service, is rolling out invitations for the iPhone on a first come, first-served basis.

The startup plans to offer its members unlimited access to over 100,000 ebook titles for $9.95 a month. And Oyster plans to add more titles going forward.

Taking its name from the Shakespearean line, “the world’s mine oyster,” the service focuses heavily on reader experience– literally putting a library in your pocket. The nine man team developed a mobile app optimized for reading and sharing with your friends with one-tap access to each ebook.

You can sign up for an invitation on their homepage.

If you subscribe to the service, let us know what you think in the comments below.

But if you don’t feel like doling out the cash each month, we have ebooks as well as downloadable audio books for free via overdrive. We also have a new magazine subscription service called Zinio, which allows you to check out current issues of popular magazines in English or Spanish to read on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.  Both are accessible with a BPL eCard or a regular library card and your PIN.

Cheers!

The Boston Public Library now provides library cardholders free access to 100+ popular magazines via a digital magazine service called Zinio. Try it out today.

Current business titles include: