[A close up of text on a white background Description automatically generated]A girl in pigtails approaches your information desk with her father. "I want to join the Cub Scouts so that in a couple of years I can go white water rafting." She smiles at you. "Can you tell me how I can get involved with the Scouts locally? I'd like to volunteer for my daughter's den," her father follows up. You pause. Did something change that you haven't heard about? You surriptiously Google, "Can girls join the Boy Scouts?" It appears that beginning February 1 of this year girls can indeed become Cub Scouts - but you scroll and find mostly news reports, many from 2017 when the change was announced. You need something official. This is a job for MeL! You remember that MeL carries the Encyclopedia of Associations<http://widgets.ebscohost.com/prod/customerspecific/mel/auth.php?database=gdl> - a reference resource detailing more than 23,000 nonprofits in the U.S. You quickly navigate to MeL.org, click on eResources, and go to the "E's." You look up Boy Scouts of America and find a comprehensive summary of the organization as well as their contact information and website which has much more recent information about the change to membership policies. You're able to provide your patrons with the information they need and they both walk away happy. We're also pleased to announce the re-introduction of the Gale Virtual Reference Library in this week's MeL Minute. Convenient and easy to use, GVRL and the Encyclopedia of Associations offer appealing features for you and your patrons. * No checkouts or holds * Multiple users at one time * Easy to use searching * Flip through ebook pages with the ability to zoom, cite, and more * Content level indicators (basic, intermediate and advanced) to guide readers * Gale's Topic Finder which helps students select keywords using a visual wheel or tile * Unlimited downloads * Print or email as many chapters as you like * Send chapters to your Google or Microsoft account The titles in MeL's GVRL collection are: * Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices * Philosophy: Environmental Ethics * Philosophy: Medical Ethics * Life And Career Skills Series 4v * Personal Finance * UXL Civics * Encyclopedia of Associations: National Organizations of the U.S * The Study of Science III * UXL Encyclopedia Of Weather And Natural Disasters 2 5v * Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations Brought to you by Liz Breed and Sonya Schryer Norris from the MeL Team. Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First. Want more information on MeL? Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org<http://mel.org/>, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery<https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MILOM/subscriber/new>. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks. MeL databases are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only. #IMLSGrant Sonya Schryer Norris Library Consultant Library of Michigan Michigan Department of Education 517-335-1498 Norriss2@michigan.gov<mailto:Norriss2@michigan.gov> https://michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan https://mel.org http://michlibrary.org<http://michlibrary.org/>
