Reader's Guide vs Online Databases

[deb abbott]

(I posted this discussion on the Middle School group board but I thought it might fit here as well, with some of the LMS that are new to their schools and may find themselves in a similar situation.)

Just curious as to how many LMS still get Reader's Guide to Periodic Literature. This is my first year as a middle school LMS and we still subscribe to RG. One 8th grade ELA teacher loves the RG and she is the one who uses it for a research project. Because that 8th grade teacher uses it for her project, I teach RG to the 7th graders as part of another project, but the 7th grade teacher would just as soon drop the RG and concentrate on databases. The high school does not get RG...they only use databases for periodical research. To me, the $400 for RG for one class, when the kids won't even have the option of RG the following year does not make sense, but I want to handle this situation delicately. It will help to hear what others are doing in their LMC's. Thanks for your input.