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Internet Express
What Goes Around
Alternative Holiday Giving?
Wondering how to handle the gift-giving aspect of the holidays while the economy’s still not so jolly? Irene McDermott offers a bevy of alternatives, from re-gifting and white elephant parties to finding ways to make new gifts from old materials, to help those with lots of friends and relatives but sparse funds to stay in the gift-exchange loop.

Contacts
Find the postal and electronic addresses, phone and fax numbers for all the companies, products, and people mentioned in this issue.

Environmental and Alternative Energy Information Sources
Part 1: Database Roundup and Rankings
In the first of his series on energy resources, Barry Brown, science librarian at the University of Montana, identifies and ranks which databases are the best in helping college students find relevant environmental and energy research and literature.

‘Internet at the Museum’
Visiting Online Exhibitions From the Best Seat in the House … Yours
If you’re an armchair traveler or just want to supplement or get the most out of an upcoming in-person trip, Amy S. Blaine has put together her own collection of museums from around the world that are sure to both enthrall and educate you. Some of them are even online-only.

SLA
Looking Back, Learning, and Aligning
From 57 attendees at the first meeting in July 1909 to close to 6,000 attendees 100 years later, the Special Libraries Association has come a long way. Cynthia Shamel highlights some of the best sessions and exhibits and delves into the political end of the 2009 annual meeting as well.

Scenario Planning as Preventive Medicine
The Case of the Unexpected Takeover
In this segment of their ongoing look at library downsizing, James Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein introduce scenario planning, also called the “what if” approach, as a necessary part of any librarian’s survival blueprint.

Lean, Mean, and Green
Netbooks — Sometimes Smaller Is Better
Whether viewed as an organizational asset or more of an individual productivity tool, Nancy K. Herther asserts that netbooks are a smart, not to mention an often environmentally friendly, addition to a searcher’s bag of technology tricks.

Staying Connected After a Layoff
Dee Richardson interviews six professionals who have recently lost their jobs to get their tips for networking in the electronic age. She also shares how sites such as LinkedIn as well as alumni groups can aid in an individual’s quest for new employment.

On the Way
Technology Trends to Notice
The high-tech-loving Richard Oppenheim returns to Searcher to review some of the latest resources, from touch screens to high-def displays and web apps, that can make a searcher’s life easier, more productive, and even fun.