While Google remains one of the Internet's most useful tools, it does have its limitations and frustrations. With its focus on the bottom line, Google has no qualms about discontinuing your favorite tools (e.g., Google Reader, iGoogle, etc.) or search features (e.g., Translated foreign pages) with (relatively) short notice. Additionally, Google Search doesn't (yet) find absolutely everything, so it's good to have multiple tools and strategies in your reference librarian tool belt. This program will provide some alternatives to the Google gargantua and describe how, when, and why to steer clear of it and navigate to other ports of information. Presented at the Ohio Library Council Chapter Conferences 2014.
Beyond Google: Alternatives to the Internet Juggernaut
1. Program Description
While Google remains one of the Internet's most useful tools, it does have its
limitations and frustrations. With its focus on the bottom line, Google has no
qualms about discontinuing your favorite tools (e.g., Google Reader, iGoogle,
etc.) or search features (e.g., Translated foreign pages) with (relatively) short
notice. Additionally, Google Search doesn't (yet) find absolutely everything, so
it's good to have multiple tools and strategies in your reference librarian tool
belt. This program will provide some alternatives to the Google gargantua and
describe how, when, and why to steer clear of it and navigate to other ports of
information.
2. Getting Beyond Google
Alternatives to
the Internet
Juggernaut
Ohio Library Council
Chapter Conferences
2014
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Merkava3dKasag003.jpg
47. Go straight to the source…
Trademarks? Patents? USPTO.gov
# of people working in manufacturing in Ohio?
Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
Best car to buy? Edmunds.com, kbb.com...
Artwork? Louvre, National Gallery of Art…
Legislation? THOMAS, FindLaw…
Science info? Science.gov…
and so on, and so on...
58. Recommended Resources
Karen Blakeman
Anything but Google: you can say “NO” to Google
www.slideshare.net/KarenBlakeman/anything-but-google-you-can-say-no-to-google
OEDb: Open Education Database
Research Beyond Google:
119 Authoritative, Invisible and Comprehensive Resources
oedb.org/ilibrarian/research-beyond-google/
They also have lots of “goodies” including conversions (just like Google) in Economy and Finance, show shortened urls actual URLs and flip sentences in Geek, convert dates to the Islamic Calendar in Special Interest, and MUCH MUCH MORE!
ixquick is owned by the same company that hosts startpage.com. It’s interesting that startpage is “enhanced by Google” but will show results from Google + do it with better privacy controls.