I *love* my new copy of The Invisible Web: Uncovering Information Sources Search Engines Can't See, ISBN 0-910965-51-X, by Chris Sherman and Gary Price. In case you haven't had a chance to buy, borrow, or read it yet, here's a quick overview of this excellent book that's packed with great information for librarians and researchers.
The first two chapters are dedicated to some basics such as:
* the early days of the Internet and the Visible Web
* early search tools and Web navigation
* how search engines and other finding tools work
* search engines v. subject directories
* the difference between browsing and searching
Chapter three presents an excellent overview of 'specialized and hybrid search tools', discussing targeted directories, focused crawlers, vortals, metasearch engines, value-added services, and 'alternative' search tools such as browser agents, clint-based search tools, and Web rings.
In chapter four we delve into the Invisible Web: we're given a definition, told why search engines can't see the Invisible Web, and get an overview of the four types of invisibility:
* the opaque Web
* the private Web
* the proprietary Web
* the truly invisible Web
Chapter six tells us when and why to use the Invisible Web -- here are some of the reasons for selecting an Invisible Web resource over a general-purpose search engine or directory (from pages 93 and 94):
* the specialized content focus of Invisible Web resources makes for more comprehensive results (eg. databases made available by government agencies and academic institutions)
* the specialized search interface makes for more control over search input and output
* increased precision and recall
* Invisible Web resources often are maintained by organizations that are the unquestioned authority on a particular subject
* the answer may not be available elsewhere
We're also given tips on when to use the Invisible Web (page 95-96):
* when you're familiar with a subject
* when you're familiar with specific search tools
* when you're looking for a precise answer
* when you want authoritatve, exhaustive results
Subject areas in which we'd be much better off searching the Invisible Web resources for answers include:
* public company filings
* telephone numbers
* customized maps and driving directions
* clinical trials
* patents
* out of print books
* library catalogs
* authoritative dictionaries
* environmental information
* historical stock quotes
* historical documents and images
* company directories
* searchable subject biographies
* economic information
* award winners
* job postings
* philanthropy and grant information
* translation tools
* postal codes
* basic demographic information
* interactive school finders
* campaign financing information
* weather data
* product catalogs
* art gallery holdings
Other topics included in chapter six are what you won't find on the Invisible Web, how to keep current, and building your own toolkit of resources.
The first two chapters are dedicated to some basics such as:
* the early days of the Internet and the Visible Web
* early search tools and Web navigation
* how search engines and other finding tools work
* search engines v. subject directories
* the difference between browsing and searching
Chapter three presents an excellent overview of 'specialized and hybrid search tools', discussing targeted directories, focused crawlers, vortals, metasearch engines, value-added services, and 'alternative' search tools such as browser agents, clint-based search tools, and Web rings.
In chapter four we delve into the Invisible Web: we're given a definition, told why search engines can't see the Invisible Web, and get an overview of the four types of invisibility:
* the opaque Web
* the private Web
* the proprietary Web
* the truly invisible Web
Chapter six tells us when and why to use the Invisible Web -- here are some of the reasons for selecting an Invisible Web resource over a general-purpose search engine or directory (from pages 93 and 94):
* the specialized content focus of Invisible Web resources makes for more comprehensive results (eg. databases made available by government agencies and academic institutions)
* the specialized search interface makes for more control over search input and output
* increased precision and recall
* Invisible Web resources often are maintained by organizations that are the unquestioned authority on a particular subject
* the answer may not be available elsewhere
We're also given tips on when to use the Invisible Web (page 95-96):
* when you're familiar with a subject
* when you're familiar with specific search tools
* when you're looking for a precise answer
* when you want authoritatve, exhaustive results
Subject areas in which we'd be much better off searching the Invisible Web resources for answers include:
* public company filings
* telephone numbers
* customized maps and driving directions
* clinical trials
* patents
* out of print books
* library catalogs
* authoritative dictionaries
* environmental information
* historical stock quotes
* historical documents and images
* company directories
* searchable subject biographies
* economic information
* award winners
* job postings
* philanthropy and grant information
* translation tools
* postal codes
* basic demographic information
* interactive school finders
* campaign financing information
* weather data
* product catalogs
* art gallery holdings
Other topics included in chapter six are what you won't find on the Invisible Web, how to keep current, and building your own toolkit of resources.
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