Consumer Reports” magazine recently lifted an embargo which called for a 90-day wait for online access to current issues of their magazine. This means that IConn users have immediate access to current issues the same month they hit the shelves. If you’re asking, “What is IConn and what does this have to do with me?” you’re not alone. “This service has been available for several years, yet it amazes me how many people are still unaware of it,” said Carol Kubala, Adult Services Librarian for the Saxton B. Little Free Library in Columbia.

IConn.org, Connecticut’s Re-Search Engine, has been around for eight years, to be precise. It debuted in 2000, courtesy of a collaboration between the Connecticut State Library and the Department of Higher Education. A current library card from any Connecticut library gives you access to the system , which provides a variety of resources.

There are more than 6,500 magazines and journals available, including “Consumer Reports” , which normally charges $25 for a year’s worth of access online. Most people are familiar with “Consumer Reports” , which Consumers Union, publishers of the magazine, describes as “an expert, independent, nonprofit organization, whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers.” For years, readers have been relying upon Consumer Reports for reliable reviews on everything from kitchen blenders to new cars.

Other magazines available range from general-interest publications such as “Newsweek” and “National Geographic” , all the way up to very specialized academic journals. Gone are the days of researching bound volumes in a university library. Now every imaginable subject can be accessed from a home computer. A number of newspapers , too, are available on IConn, including The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, L.A. Times, New York Times, Hartford Courant, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

You can also do a search of Connecticut libraries through IConn and request an interlibrary loan from your computer . Unfortunately, the system is a bit difficult to navigate and requires some patience and time to figure out. “We’re in the process of modifying the database to make it more user-friendly ,” said Eric Hansen, Electronic Resources Coordinator for the State Library. “This is in direct response to requests from the public.” In the meantime, the site contains a “help” tab designed to answer navigation questions, as well as a tab for site tutorials. Local librarians are also available to help.

“It’s a tremendous resource, and it’s the future,” said Mary Ellen Beck, director of the Douglas Library in Hebron . “Without IConn, small libraries like this one would not be able to provide the world of information that people need to conduct research. You know when you go to IConn, you can rely on the sources. People see Google as the definitive source. But you don’t necessarily know if you’re looking at a valid source of information there. You have to be careful. With IConn, you can be sure of your source of information.”

The IConn site can be accessed from your home computer at www.IConn. org. Enter your Connecticut library card number in the upper right-hand corner, and log-in . From there, the “Select IConn Resources” tab will take you to a screen listing some of the information available, and will provide a search box.

For more information regarding the IConn Web site, you can contact Carol Kubala at the Columbia Saxton B. Little Free Library, at 228-0350 or ckubala@ columbiactlibrary.org