Good Reads Blog

Ever been looking for specialized knowledge about a hobby or profession, or even a specialized type of equipment? One resource in the library that you might not have thought about using in your search is the Associations Unlimited database, available from any computer used in the Portage District Library. It is a digital version of The Encyclopedia of Associations.

How is it helpful? Well, lots of times the real experts on a topic are enthusiasts and practitioners. They band together in associations which have web pages, newsletters, and other publications which emphasize a more specialized niche of a subject.

An example I use in classes I teach is that all of us are interested in keeping cold foods cold. We look for information on refrigerators and freezers in general interest publications like Consumer Reports, which suit our needs perfectly.

However, the people who operate ice cream trucks have a much more specialized need for powerful, dependable, portable freezer machinery. They might need reviews that would not appear in Consumer Reports. To find the publications that would contain these types of reviews, you might look for associations of ice cream vendors.

You can choose an international, national, or state and regional group. You find their web pages, their publications, their newsletters, upcoming meetings and conventions near you, etc. Whether you are looking for information on that traveling freezer, or on a breed of dog you might be considering adding to the family, this is an excellent resource—for the businessperson, the hobbyist, or the specialized information seeker.