Atlanta — March 14, 2000

Starting this month, Georgia’s citizens will be able to bring one of the nation’s most powerful research tools into their living rooms via their home computers, at no charge. At-home access to GALILEO – Georgia’s cutting-edge, electronic library – now is being extended to the state’s citizens, University System of Georgia officials have announced. All it will take to access GALILEO will be a free password, which will be made available through the state’s public libraries.

GALILEO is a nationally recognized, web-based system that allows users to access multiple information resources, including over 70 databases and more than 3,000 journal and magazine titles available in full-text.

“From the day GALILEO was conceived, our goal has been to broaden access to this tremendous state resource,” said University System of Georgia Chancellor Stephen R. Portch. “This is a tremendous development, which extends the rich resources of the University System of Georgia’s libraries into Georgians’ homes. GALILEO truly makes a wealth of knowledge just a mouse click away.”

GALILEO was developed by the University System in 1995 with an initial goal of electronically connecting the library resources of Georgia’s 34 public colleges and universities. Since service began within the University System of Georgia on Sept. 21, 1995, the network has expanded to include the state’s K-12 schools, the institutions of the Department of Technical and Adult Education, and a private consortium of colleges and universities. In addition, GALILEO access is provided to the Governor’s office, three legislative research offices, and the state’s 57 public library systems.

Individuals interested in obtaining a GALILEO password should contact their local public library. The passwords – which will be changed quarterly – will be available to Georgia residents who are registered borrowers at a specific library.

Once an individual has obtained a GALILEO password, they can log on to the GALILEO home page on their home computer, where they will be prompted for the password. Users then will have access to a number of databases, including:

• Archives USA - a directory of more than 5,000 manuscript archives throughout the United States;
• CollegeSource Online - online catalogs for colleges and universities throughout the country;
• EBSCOHost - general databases for academic and public libraries that also include specialized databases for businesses and the health-care industry. This database also includes “Searchasaurus,” a full-text database designed especially for elementary school students;
• SIRS Researcher - a general database with selected full-text articles;
• OCLC FirstSearch - more than 50 general and specialized databases;
• Grove Dictionary of Art;
• ProQuest - five different databases for the serious researcher as well as the general public, including the premier full-text business database - ABI/Inform Global;
• Encyclopaedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster Dictionary;
• Georgia legislative documents, historic newspapers and government publications;
• GOLD, the Georgia libraries journal list – a directory of the magazines, journals and newsletters owned by Georgia libraries;
• NoveList - includes book reviews and recommendations on fiction, bestsellers and award-winning books for all ages; and
• a large number of key World Wide Web links.

The Georgia General Assembly and Georgia Gov. Roy E. Barnes have provided more than $30.5 million in funds to the University System of Georgia to implement and operate GALILEO. The GALILEO website address is: http://www.galileo.usg.edu

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