Say no to Google?!?!

So I have been learning more about how search engines work. I may actually rethink some of my old assumptions. I used to use a PowerPoint with my students. It is published here:

https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dgg4jtdb_2f752w3gg&autoStart=true


This is what I said 2 years ago about search engines:
"They find sites that are the most popular or in which the search term is most often repeated. THEY DO NOT GIVE YOU THE “BEST” SITES, OR THE MOST ACCURATE AND RELIABLE SITES.
Companies pay web designers called “Search Engine Optimizers” to write their websites so that they will show up at the top of Google’s search results list."

I used to ask students to imagine a scientist working for a small university, who succeeds in finding a cure for cancer, and a pharmaceutical giant with money to pay the SEO. I then asked them to imagine whose page would rank higher of the search engines search results page.

Inevitably the students thought that the 'evil big pharmaceutical company' with its vested interest in treatment not cure with money for SEOs would rank at the top of the list.

I have been biased because of cynicism and distrust of large corporations.

So I watched a bunch of Google's webmaster tools videos about SEO and related topics. I am much clearer on how SEOs relate to Google and how much Google is doing to make sure the average Joe website creator is able to use these tools to improve their own websites. I also finally learned what PageRanking is. I may continue to direct students to Webpath Express through our library's OPAC, but I may not totally harsh on student googling either.

In any case I do need to continue to encourage students to look past the first page of search results, and to actually read the text provided with the link before clicking. Students need to google well. (So do I)


 In  my personal life a I am a Google and especially Wikipedia addict. No where else can I find out about the actor who is guest starring on this weeks episode of Doctor Who (or something similar).


I am wondering were we are as librarians on using Wikipedia as a resource. When I used to TOC I noticed many teacher assignments specifically forbade the use of Wikipedia period. Where are we on that now?