Does the idea of just that – smart, fearless journalism – appeal to you? Well, such is the promise (and slogan) of Mother Jones magazine. And, if you’ve got a Calgary Public Library card, you’re already a subscriber.

From our e-library, select Science, Technology and Environment. Then, from the list of databases provided, select GREENER. Once GREENER opens, you’ll notice an “advanced search” tab near the top left. Simply type “Mother Jones” and use the drop down menu to indicate that this is the Publication Title. You’ll find the three most recent articles, as well as a list of over 600 earlier ones.

What ype of articles will you find? Check out some of these titles:

Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal

Shock and audit: we dissect the Pentagon's budget so you don't have to.

Paying through the hose: why is wasting water so damn cheap?

Out of mind, out of sight: inside the psychiatric hospitals the world forgot.

Class is the new black: how I had to look beyond race and learn to love equality

America's most dangerous librarians: meet the radical bookworms who fought the Patriot Act--and won

Addmittedly, a lot of the content is American, but the topics are timely, and very interesting. If you're a lover of non-fiction and current events, then be sure to check it out! Mother Jones and a huge variety of other popular and academic publications are available on our e-library.

Every now and then, despite working at a library, I’ll yield to temptation and purchase some magazines. I’ll read only parts of them, before they inevitably languish in a dusty stack – not being used, read or appreciated. I could recycle or donate them, but I refrain, for fear that when I really need to re-read or refer to a certain article, it won’t be available.

The truth is that most of the content in magazines, I will never use. Some articles are of no interest to me whatsoever, and a huge portion of magazines consists of advertisements. Even if I were searching for an article that I knew I had, I probably wouldn’t remember which magazine contained it.

A more efficient, inexpensive and environmental alternative to buying magazines is to use our e-library. A Calgary Public Library card is your subscription to hundreds of different magazines! Here’s how to find popular ones:

From our website, select e-library and then “Research Databases from EBSCO” (have your library card handy!).

At the top of the EBSCO search screen, there is a blue “Publications” tab. Use its drop-down menu to select MasterFILE Premier. Here, you’ll find an alphabetized list of the magazines to which you have access, and a bibliographic record for each, indicating how many past volumes are available.

Some stops of note:

• Consumer Reports
• Vanity Fair
• Maclean’s
• Vegetarian Times
• Art in America
• Smithsonian

Take the time to explore this database - its scope is enormous!

Then, start sorting your old magazines! Keep the ones you absolutely love, and donate the rest to a children’s school, an artist, or your local thrift store.

Still not convinced about getting rid of your old magazines? Does it help if I tell you that the Central library keeps its magazines and has them bound into books? Don’t fret – they’re always here if you need them!

Before you make your next big purchase, take the time to do some research. Is the product efficient and reasonably priced? Is it designed poorly or thoughtfully? Are there features that you didn’t know about? Above all, is the product safe for you and your family?

Make those determinations from the comfort of your own home! Your library card is your subscription to Consumer Reports magazine. In fact, you can read digitized full text articles all the way back to 1991!

Start from our e-library. Select “Research Databases from EBSCO” and be prepared to enter your library card number, and PIN.

When the EBSCO search screen opens, use the drop-down menu under the “Publications” tab, to find “MasterFILE Premiere”. There you’ll find an alphabetical listing of available publications.

Once you’ve located “Consumer Reports”, you have the option of either browsing or searching the magazine.

I did a search for slow cookers, before I invested in one. Needless to say, I’m satisfied with the product, and my chili is delicious!

If you need assistance, don’t be afraid to ask our staff! Drop in or call us – we can walk you through the process!

In October of this year, I will celebrate my tenth year as a vegetarian. Though it’s hard to believe that nearly a decade has passed since I stopped eating meat, I can still remember my family’s reaction: the warnings about osteoporosis and protein deficiency (not to be taken lightly, of course!), the jokes about hippies and tree huggers. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard “…so, no meat at all? Not even fish?”

Life without meat can be challenging. Restaurants typically cater to carnivores, and for holidays and special occasions, meat has pride of place on the dinner table. I find that the biggest challenge is to stave off boredom by reinventing new dishes using familiar ingredients. Luckily, I’ve discovered the wealth of information that is available in Vegetarian Times magazine.

What I enjoy most about this magazine is that the recipes are so accessible. All of the ingredients are ones that you might actually have on hand, on any given night. Nothing exotic or difficult to pronounce! In each edition, there are a number of recipes that require only 5 ingredients, and recipes that are “kid friendly”, too.

The best thing about Vegetarian Times? It’s available for free on our e-library, all the way back to 1996! If you’ve got a library card, you’re already a subscriber!

1. From our homepage, select e-library.
2. Under “Easy Find”, select Research databases from EBSCO. Be ready to enter your library card number and PIN.
3. Select the “Publications” tab at the top of the page. When a drop-down menu appears, select MasterFILE Premiere.
4. Type “Vegetarian Times” in the search bar and you’re off to the races! Search within the magazine for your own terms, or simply browse.

Enjoy, and Bon Appétit!

In October of this year, I will celebrate my eighth year as a vegetarian. Though it’s hard to believe that nearly a decade has passed since I stopped eating meat, I can still remember my family’s reaction: the warnings about osteoporosis and protein deficiency (not to be taken lightly, of course!), and the jokes about hippies and tree huggers. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard “…so, no meat at all? Not even fish?”

Life without meat can be challenging. Restaurants typically cater to carnivores, and on holidays and special occasions, meat has pride of place on the dinner table. I find that the biggest challenge is to stave off boredom by reinventing new dishes using familiar ingredients. Luckily, I’ve discovered the wealth of information in Vegetarian Times magazine.

What I enjoy most about this magazine is that the recipes are so accessible. All of the ingredients are ones that you might actually have on hand, on any given night. Nothing exotic or difficult to pronounce! In each edition, there are a number of recipes that require only 5 ingredients, and recipes that are “kid friendly”, too.

The best thing about Vegetarian Times? It’s available on our e-library, all the way back to 1996! If you’ve got a library card, you’re already a subscriber!

1. From our homepage, select e-library.
2. Under “Easy Find”, select Research databases from EBSCO. Be ready to enter your library card number and PIN.
3. Select the “Publications” tab at the top of the page. When a drop-down menu appears, select MasterFILE Premiere.
4. Type “Vegetarian Times” in the search bar and you’re off to the races! Search within the magazine for your own terms, or simply browse.