DAPHNE, Ala. — If you need some help adjusting your research cap, you might attend the Alabama Virtual Library workshop, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Daphne Public Library.

“AVL: Research Express”  is open to school-aged children through senior adults; the one-hour class will teach attendees how to navigate research databases, according to Deborah Norris, reference librarian.

She and Louise Youngblood, young adult librarian, will explain how to search within EPSCO and GALE — two of the main databases within the AVL —  through a slideshow presentation and handouts, she said.

“It is a wonderful source, but the very first (Web) page is a little bit daunting,” she said. “If you can get them past that first page, most people can go in on their own after that and find what’s best suited for their needs.”

She said the program has advantages over regular search engines.

“It’s not like what you find on Google; it’s a contained database,” she said. “There’s reference books, newspapers, magazines — all totally up to date.

“There’s no advertising like (when) you have to filter through Google.”

The program also offers Encyclopedia Britannica and the Oxford English Dictionary, she said.

Youngblood agreed that such assets help patrons of all ages.

“When an elementary student logs on to AVL, the student will find almanacs, maps, dictionaries, encyclopedias and current event information that is geared to their age,” she said. “The same can be said for the high-school and college student.

“The general public will be surprised to know that they can access the Auto  Repair Reference  Center to help guide them with an auto repair problem. 

“Medline Plus is a database that adults find helpful to answer general health questions and Green File is a new database that can help adults find information on taking care of the environment and alternative fuels just to name a few areas of interest.”

“Through workshops such as this one we are able to open up a whole new avenue of information to students and the general public,” she said. “The AVL databases can be accessed from home, 24-seven.

“Our patrons really get excited about this.

“Especially for the students who find themselves working on a paper late at night.

Norris agreed that there’s something for everyone.

“It benefits anybody who needs information; with just a little bit of overview and just a short bit of tutoring you can  learn to use AVL,” she said.

She said the public deserves to know about the resource that’s available to any public-library card holder.

“We just want to let our patrons and our citizens know what is there and how to use it,” she said.

The library is there to help residents, Youngblood said.

“The library’s mission is always directed to providing the public with information that will enrich and enhance their lives,” she said.

Attendees can sign up for the class at the Daphne Public Library or just walk in on Thursday, Norris said.

The library is located at U.S. Highway 98 and Whispering Pines Road. For more, call 621-2818.