Google Books

Hi People,

Firstly, before I ramble on in my own weird little way about Google Books on this fine Saturday (this fine Saturday I'm working I'll hasten to add), I'd like to say: it never occured to me that people from the other side of the world would read this.

Which in hindsight maybe it should have. So. To those in England, Germany, India, South Korea, and the United States: Hey, hope my blogs have been enjoyable to read. If you've seen my first posts you'll know I'm doing this as staff development by taking part in 23 things (if you don't know what 23 things is, go to our ol' buddy Google and google it).

If you're a fellow countrymen/women (for people concerned with PC): In the famous words of Robin Hood : Men in Tights, 'Lend me your ears!'. I hope you have also enjoyed the read so far and am enjoying a leisurely Saturday.

Now, Google Books.

I actually find Google Books quite enjoyable. You can pretty much type in any book title (I know, I've tried), and you will get a hit. You will get the whole book if copyright has ended, every second page if it hasn't.


Libraries, well reputed, famous University libraries have thrown their weight behind Google books, and I can see why. It's immensely useful, especially when I'm trying to track down the exact correct title of a textbook for a lecturer but it's not right in the reading list. So Google has helped my life easier, which is always pleasant.

You can read whole books for free, which is fantastic (coincidently, while I'm on the subject: Wikipedia has a free content online library called Wikisource and is fabulous - I've spent the last few days reading the complete poems of Wilfred Owen), and very easy to read.

I have added some digitised books per 23 thing's orders, and I quite like the options that Google gives you involving the book: you can zoom in and out, view one or two pages at a time, bring the whole book up in thumbnails, crop, copy the link, add it to your favourites, or read, or to read....it almost feels endless.

Well. I'm going to eat a Tim Tam and then go on to do my next task.

- library earthling