Beyond Google:  Search Engines to Help You Find the Best Info. on the Web

Based on the article:
Valenza, Joyce "New Searching Tips." Classroom Connect Newsletter 9:4 (2002): 4-7.

Google (www.google.com)
Google is an excellent search engine and is used by millions. It identifies heavily linked-to sites and puts them at the top of the results list. Google also allows you to search for images and current news and includes a subject directory. However, as good as Google is, you shouldn't limit your search to one search engine. Below are others that may be new to you--and may give you even better results!

Access Power Library
Access Power Library is one of the best sources of information available here at Keystone. Power Library includes such databases as EBSCOhost, SIRS, and GaleNet; you can search high-quality, full-text magazines, newspapers, and reference materials quickly and easily. Just click on the Power Library icon on the desktop of any computer in the District, or click on the icon here! This link works only from a school computer!

Did you know that you can also use Power Library at home? Anyone who has a public library card has free access.  Just go to the Knox Public Library site at http://www.knoxpubliclibrary.org/ and click on the Power Library icon. You will be asked to type in the bar code number from the bottom of your library card.

Subject Directories
Use a subject directory when you are beginning your search and don't know a lot about the topic.  Subject directories link you to websites chosen by humans (not by software, as some search engines find websites), and these humans are often experts in their fields.

• Librarians' Index to the Internet (http://lii.org)
• INFOMINE (http://infomine.ucr.edu)
• Academic Info (http://www.academicinfo.net)
• About.com (http://about.com)
• KidsClick! (http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!) Especially for elementary students!
• Yahooligans! (http://yahooligans.com) Another search engine for younger students.

The Invisible Web
The Invisible or Deep Web consists of subscription databases that generally can't be accessed through search engines. You can, however, find these rich materials by using the following special search tools.

• Invisible-web.net (http://www.invisible-web.net)
• Invisible Web.com (http://invisibleweb.com)
• Genius Find (www.geniusfind.com)
• Librarians' Index to the Internet (http://lii.org)
• Incy Wincy (http://www.incywincy.com)

Horizontal Searching
Horizontal search tools automatically organize your "hits" into categories, helping you eliminate irrelevant sites. For example, sites on Washington, DC, will be separated from sites on George Washington. Traditional search engines are vertical tools, as they give you long lists of hits to sort through. You might start with a horizontal search engine to become familiar with your topic and then move on to a vertical search engine like Google to complete your search.

• Vivisimo (http://vivisimo.com)
• Teoma (http://teoma.com)
• Turbo10 (http://turbo10.com)


Back to KHS Homepage | KHS Library