i This page intentionally left blank iii Second Edition Irene E. McDermott Edited by Barbara Quint Medford, New Jersey iv First printing, 2006 The Librarian’s Internet Survival Guide: Strategies for the High-Tech Reference Desk, Second Edition Copyright © 2006 by Irene E. McDermott All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Information Today, Inc., 143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, New Jersey 08055. Publisher’s Note: The author and publisher have taken care in preparation of this book but make no expressed or implied warranty of any kind and assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the information or programs contained herein. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Information Today, Inc. was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data McDermott, Irene E., 1959- The librarian's Internet survival guide : strategies for the high-tech reference desk / by Irene E. McDermott ; edited by Barbara Quint.-- 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-57387-235-0 1. Computer network resources--Directories. 2. Web sites--Directories. 3. Internet in library reference services. 4. Internet--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Quint, Barbara (Barbara E.), 1943- II. Title. ZA4225.M35 2005 025.04--dc22 2005030308 Printed and bound in the United States of America President and CEO: Thomas H. Hogan, Sr. Editor-in-Chief and Publisher: John B. Bryans Managing Editor: Amy M. Reeve VP Graphics and Production: M. Heide Dengler Book Designer: Kara Mia Jalkowski Cover Designer: Amanda Beland Copyeditor: Pat Hadley-Miller Proofreader: Kate Delaney Indexer: Sharon Hughes v To Philip and Peter, My guides to survival—with style. This page intentionally left blank Contents Figures ........................................... xiii Foreword, by Joseph Janes . xvii Acknowledgments ............................. xix How to Use This How-To Book .............. xxi Introduction The Magic Answer Machine . 1 Part 1 Ready Reference on the Web: Resources for Patrons ................. 5 Chapter 1 Searching and Metasearching the Internet ............................ .. 7 Beyond Google: Other Search Engines and Web Directories . 10 Metasearch Sites . 12 Search the Invisible Web . 15 Browser Searchbots for the Desktop . 16 Keeping Up with the Engines . 17 Searching Rule of Thumb . 18 Chapter 2 Using the Web to Find People ..... 19 Free Telephone and Address Directories . 21 E-Mail Search . 23 Finding Family . 24 Public Records . 26 Background Checks that Cost Money . 27 Finding the Famous . 29 Who’s Behind that Web Page . 30 Protecting Your Privacy . 32 Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are! . 33 Chapter 3 News on the Net ..................... 35 Web News Metaportals . 36 vii viii The Librarian’s Internet Survival Guide Breaking News . 38 Streaming News . 39 Blogs . 40 Choose Your News: News Aggregator Sites . 42 News Search Engines . 46 Directories of Online Newspapers and Archives . 47 News Magazines . 49 News Evaluation . 50 News of the Past . 51 All the News that Fits the Web . 53 Chapter 4 Quality Reference Resources on the Web ........................... 55 Single Subject Portals . 59 Guides Aplenty . 67 Chapter 5 Internet Sites for Kids .............. 69 Web Starting Points for Kids . 72 Search Engines for Kids . 73 Homework Help on the Web . 73 Child’s Play . 82 Protecting Kids . 86 From Soccer Mom to Super Internet Librarian Mom . 88 Chapter 6 Free Full-Text Resources ........... 91 The Great Books Movement and the Internet . 91 Handmade or Book Trade? . 93 Directories of Literary Electronic Text Archives . 93 Online Collections of Literary Electronic Text . 94 Individual Authors . 99 Poetry . 101 Concordances . 102 Literature in Languages Other than English . 102 Contemporary Nonfiction . 104 History and Law . 105 Full-Text Articles on the Open Web . 109 Full Up to Here with Full-Text Online? . 112 Contents ix Chapter 7 Health and Medical Information Online ................. 115 General Medical Information . 117 Disease Directories . 120 In-Depth Resources and Literature . 122 Other Medical Resources . 123 Cancer: What Is It Good For? . 126 Clinical Trials . 127 Quack Attack . 129 A Long Struggle . 130 Chapter 8 Minding Your Money on the Web .......................... 133 Financial Portals and Portfolios . 134 Business News and Commentary ...................... 136 Online Resources for Stock Trading . 138 Mutual Funds . 139 Bonds . 139 Financial Planning . 140 “How-To”Sites . 141 Company Information ............................... 143 Fraud Watch . 145 Free vs. Fee . 147 Chapter 9 Let’s Go Cyber-Shopping .......... 149 Consumer Advice . 149 Hunter or Gatherer? . 151 E-Coupons . 157 E-Commerce and Security . 159 All Shopped Out . 161 Part 2 The Librarian as Information Technician: Working with the Medium and the Machines .......... 163 Chapter 10 Managing Web-Based E-Mail ..... 165 I Want My E-Mail . 167 Free E-Mail Directories . 169 Quality Free E-Mail . 171 Choosing a Screen Name . 172 x The Librarian’s Internet Survival Guide Attach This . 174 Spam Management . 177 What About Chat? . 179 Mr. Post Ma-a-an . 181 Chapter 11 Tips for Teaching the Internet ............................ 183 The “Beginner Mind” . 184 Active Learning . 185 The Part Where You Talk . 185 The Part Where They Work . 188 A More Formal Route . 190 Educational Resources . 190 Glossaries . 192 On the Fly, One-on-One Training . 193 Those Who Can, Do ... and Teach, Too . 197 Chapter 12 Making and Maintaining Do-It-Yourself Web Pages ......... 199 A Different Approach . ..