Content area
Full Text
RR 2011/178
Microbe Library
American Society for Microbiology
Washington, DC
URL: www.microbelibrary.org/
Last visited January 2011
Gratis but requires free registration
Keywords Electronic media, Microbiology
Review DOI 10.1108/09504121111134089
The Microbe Library is an open access collection of peer-reviewed image rich materials for undergraduates studying microbiology developed by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). It has three major components. First, an atlas collection that "illustrates the use, results and/or interpretation of a standard laboratory microbiology protocols"; secondly, a protocol collection that is to provide educators with standardized information for basic laboratory protocols relevant to microbiologists and thirdly, a goulash of materials named the visual collection that includes mostly images but also animations and video clips. These collections are to "provide visual background for studying or teaching microbiology" and to "to promote excellence in undergraduate education" (www.microbelibrary.org/index.php/about). Its approach is to publish peer-reviewed teaching materials for microbiology undergraduate education based on the ASM's Curriculum recommendations and by assisting microbiology education. The visual collection was started in 1998 while the Atlas and Protocols collections were first envisioned at the 2004 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE). The Microbe Library website has recently been overhauled and dubbed MicrobeLibrary 2.0.
The website and its resources are freely available with a simple free registration that allows full access - the registration can be associated with an ASM membership. This new site's initial screen...