Improve Your Searches Using Google Features

You type in the Google search box and hope for the best. Tsk, tsk. There is so much more you can do to refine your search results and save yourself a bit of time. So let's take a quick look at library specific feature that will help you get the most from your Google experience.

Search Box Quickies

These are some of the things you can do to get your answer quickly without having to find a specific web site. There are many tools that can help you survive the Ready Reference desk whammo of the day. This is just a sample:

• To get a definition of a word type define, press the space bar and then your word.
• Use it as a calculator, if you know basic math just type in the formula and press search. Your answer will appear before your eyes.
• To find a restaurant in a certain zip code type the kind of food, press the space bar and then the zip code. Google will show you a list of the area restaurants with a map, the name of the restaurant and their web site. You might think it is important but I have people asking me all the time where can I go for a taste of Yak.
  

So if you are very busy spend a little time on the Google web search page and learn a few quick tips that will help you find what you need more efficiently.

Those of you who will be sitting at the Ready Reference desk will absolutely want to embed these skills to memory.