ChiltonLibrary; Gale

CONTENT In November 2022, Gale launched the new, cloud-based ChiltonLibrary platform, packed with automotive repair and maintenance information to assist car enthusiasts, automotive DIYers, career and technical education students, and automotive professionals. While Chilton has been a long-trusted resource in libraries, the new platform offers more information on vehicles of more types and makes than ever. Coverage spans models from 1901 to the present, with the scope and availability of content differing only slightly from year to year.

The database primarily focuses on providing detailed information on vehicles, including repair categories (body, brakes, control system, driving support, engine, fuel, emissions, etc.), maintenance schedules, and bulletins/recalls. In addition to the vehicle search, users can also explore the video library, which provides 2,500 automotive-fundamentals videos and animations organized by automotive system. The VIN decoder allows users to discover National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalls and investigate a vehicle’s original equipment.

Information from 2019 to the present is mainly limited to labor estimating and bulletins/recalls, with the VIN decoder only going from 1981 forward. Information on vehicles prior to 2019 covers all categories, including the most popular section, on repair information. Despite differences in scope, the available content will appeal to a wide range of patrons. Home mechanics will be delighted with the increased number of diagrams, pictures, and step-by-step instructions. Aspiring mechanics will benefit from using the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certification quizzes for immediate skill assessment. Even those less inclined to pick up a wrench may appreciate the content on labor estimating, recalls, and maintenance and the repair videos. Whether one uses the resource to do repairs or not, the content provides a clearer idea of what a mechanic is talking about when giving repair estimates.

USABILITY ChiltonLibrary’s main page is straightforward and easy to navigate. It provides immediate access to vehicle-search information and allows patrons to toggle between recent vehicle searches. The resource is enhanced with automatic page-sizing adjustments and a function for printing viewed pages. The ability to quickly narrow the detailed indexing of topics is welcome with repair and labor estimating. Each repair section includes notices, notes, and warnings with read-speaker technology. Searching and viewing closed-caption videos on the platform is a huge time-saver, eliminating the need to search the web. The easy-to-use certification quizzes provide immediate scores and correct answers. The maintenance form completion is intuitive and specific to all makes and models.

PRICING The resource is only available as an annual subscription to academic, public, and school libraries, with no option for personal individual subscriptions. Cost is based on institution type and size. One-year subscriptions for public libraries start as low as $1,000 annually, with bundle and consortium pricing also available.

VERDICT The scope and scale of the ChiltonLibrary resource are comprehensive, providing patrons with constantly updated information through its intuitive and streamlined platform. Public and technical libraries will want to add this resource, particularly if print copies are still in use. The resource is a one-stop shop on everything to do with vehicles, making it a sound investment.