ProQuest

1.  I would do my search pretty much as you described it in the question.  It still brought up a lot of records to sift through.  To narrow it down further, it might be helpful to talk with the patron about any themes that they would like to discuss when writing about the book.

2. The most recent newspaper item about libraries and Sandy discussed a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for hurricane victims.  The date was Jan 30, 2013.  I limited to News and Newspapers and picked libraries as a subject heading.  I also sorted the search by publication date to the most recent first.  I typed in Hurricane Sandy in the search box and got 16 results.

SIRS

Sirs Discoverer

1. I found information on the solar system for a 3rd Grader by typing in solar system in an advanced search.  I put 300-800 in the Lexile Range and checked only the easy reading level box so the 3rd grader with lower reading skills would be able to find information.  The search produced 3 newspaper, 6 magazine and 3 reference articles.

2. I found information about volcanoes first by using the Science button from the Topics/subtopics sidebar.  I clicked Geography and Geology then clicked on volcanoes.  The records with a little camera beside them offer graphics.  A second way to find volcano information is to search volcanoes in the basic search box.  Click on the Graphics tab which brings up a list of individual volcanoes.

Sirs Issues Researcher

1.  Under Database Features I picked Leading Issues from the Sirs Issues Researcher box and clicked Suicide from the list of topics.  In the narrow results sidebar, you can click Web Select Sites for websites about suicide.  Sirs is easier to find reliable and accurate information from reputable sites unlike google where patrons must discern the quality of information themselves.

2. I clicked Pro/Con above the basic research box on the main page and picked Water Use from the list of leading issues.  This lead me to lots of articles on water use and restrictions.  To find additional information I would use the subject headings from articles of interest.

Learning Express

1. I would have the 4th grader try practice tests under the Reading Skills Improvement section of Learning Express.  There are multiple tests to try.

2. She should try a few of the exercises under Skill Buiding for Adults to help improve math, reading, public speaking, etc.

3. Learning Express gives Career Guidance for becoming a nurse or healthcare professional.

World Book Online

I must admit, I don't often go to World Book Online but it does have some useful tools that could be used for tweaking and enhancing school reports.  World Book Online is broken into several different editions- World Book Kids, World Book Student, World Book Discover, etc.  Each edition provides access to information appropriate for specific age groups.

First, I looked at the "Maps and More" section of the Kids edition which is for grades K-5.  This section allows students to discover information about various states or countries as well as providing good physical maps of the world.  You can also click links on the map that give further information.  There is also a section that has outline maps and flags representing the states or countries.

In World Book Student, I looked at the SD link under "explore".  This page had several links to SD facts and biographies of famous personalities.  You could find out the economy, history, climate, etc.

Next, I tried Ebook Center where I pulled up the text of Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales.  Along with the text, more information about the author is provided.  You can print, save or email sections to yourself as well as have the ebook read aloud.  It is also available in several languages.  This would be very useful for ESL children or children with learning/reading difficulties.

I really liked looking at the museums in the World Book Explores Virtual Tours.  It is a great way to see displays at different museums that you cannot visit in person.

Overall, I think World Book Online is a great resource for K-12 and public libraries.  It can be used for reports or for further investigation on topics.

AncestryLibrary, HeritageQuest and Sanborn Maps

1. I searched my name in Ancestry Library and found a record for me from 1993 when I first moved to Sioux Falls.

2. I did a search on my grandparents and used the exact search at first without any luck. Once I did a more general search, I was able to bring up death records and such for them.

3. Searching the Photos and Maps brought up a list of hits from yearbooks, the Library of Congress and several other enitities with photo collections.

4. I searched census records in HeritageQuest and found when my great-grandfather arrived at Ellis Island.

5. Sanborn Maps are useful when seeing how a city grows. It also allows someone to research for things that may not exist any longer.

Learning Express

I think Learning Express is a great way for students to practice important tests such as the GRE and SAT and to practice skills. Some of the skills tests are self-paced and some tests are timed-either way its a great study experience and practice test site. I also like the ebooks- great for browsing quickly.

Camio

1. I did the search for Paul Revere and the results brought up 34 works. They were about the Revolutionary War hero and about the silverware company. The sidebar on the left also had suggestions in how to limit the search further. The images with each record were a nice size and I liked the data about creator and museum that each had.

2. A search for Sioux brought up 63 results about the artwork, beadwork, pipes..ect. Again, the left sidebar offered other limiting.

3. I found 120 results for Raphael. I could limit further by format of artwork, date, creator, or subject.

4. Students may be able to get background information on artists or at least view quickly pieces of work.

5. The favorites is a neat feature.