InfoCentral
Every week the library publishes an article in the Westland Observer on a new subject. Below is this week's article.
InfoCentral, September 4 - 10, 2008
How could Google possibly be only ten years old on September 7th? What is arguably the world’s most popular search engine has so infiltrated our lives and has even jumped parts of speech (see the verb, “to Google”) that it sometimes seems as if it has been around forever. If you want to learn the latest celebrity scandal, go ahead and Google the actor’s name and you’ll be led to thousands of sites, blogs, and forums that have been analyzing the situation long before you ever knew it happened.
The stark home page of the website obscures the wealth of services beyond web searching that google.com has to offer. Not sure of the best way to get from one place to another? Accessing Google Maps allows you to not only map out and receive written driving directions, but you can also view traffic conditions and satellite images for your chosen route. Google Books offers full text viewing and downloads for an assortment of books and selections from an even greater number. You can even sign up for a free email account, Gmail, through the website.
If you are interested in all of Google’s features and how to use them, stop by the library and check out one of our many books on the subject. Googlepedia: The ultimate Google Resource, by Michael Miller or Schneider’s How to do Everything With Google. Are you at all curious about the history of the company? Books such as The Google Story and The Search: The Inside Story of how Google and its Rivals Changed Everything might also be of interest for the inquisitive reader.
In the midst of the unavoidable Google mania, it’s important to remember that while Google is a great tool, using it as a sole source of information is not sound research in itself. For suggestions or instructions on various research resources, see the Reference Desk at the Public Library of Westland or explore the “Research” tab on our website.
