• General Information
• Dec 07 - Jan 08
• Issue: 218

What’s Up on the Web?

As we transition from one year to the next, “best of ” lists abound for web sites, but rather than focus on that theme, I will instead highlight a topic that has been and will undoubtedly continue to be on our minds as we ponder the future of libraries, and more broadly, information access: Google.

It recently came to my attention that cultural historian and media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan (pronounced vie-dee-uh-nahthun) is working on a new book entitled The Googlization of Everything: How One Company Is Disrupting Culture, Commerce, and Community… and Why We Should Worry. Currently an associate professor of Media Studies and Law at the University of Virginia, Vaidhyanathan most recently was an associate professor of Culture and Communication at New York University and has spoken at various conferences in our region including the SUNY Librarians Association (SUNYLA) annual conference at SUNY Geneseo in 2006 and the Nylink Annual Meeting in 2007.

What is interesting about this book (other than its subject) is that Vaidhyanathan has invited the public to share in the process of developing the book’s contents through his Googlization of Everything blog, located at http://www.googlizationofeverything.com/. Vaidhyanathan is a fellow at The Institute for the Future of the Book and this open approach to authoring his latest book is a project of the institute. Vaidhyanathan introduces the blog by addressing his motivation and objectives in writing the book. In his “Welcome to my book” entry, he sums up his motivation as follows: “Now, I am approaching this book as both a fan and a critic. I am in awe of all that Google has done and all it hopes to do. I am also wary of its ambition and power.” In his “Where is this book going?” entry, he elaborates on the main topic areas he hopes to address including Google’s impact on the “production and dissemination of cultural practice and knowledge.” He then presents his tentative chapter outline, the titles of which form the subject areas for blog entries.

Vaidhyanathan encourages discussion and debate by sharing his research including presentations, commentaries and articles about Google. For example, in one posting, he recommends and links to the article “How Google Works” by technology writer and consultant David F. Carr (published in Baseline, July 6, 2006) which describes the infrastructure that operates the Google search engine. In another posting, he recommends and links to “Future Reading: Digitization and Its Discontents” by Anthony Grafton (published in The New Yorker, November 5, 2007) where the focus is not on Google specifically, but rather, on the larger discussion about mass digitization efforts of which Google is mentioned as a participant. The article puts these current endeavors in the context of the history of books and recorded thought – all in support of the author’s thesis that digitization will not become the be-all and end-all of information access, but rather, will be a means of access alongside print media. This may not be a new idea, but the article is interesting, informative and thought-provoking nonetheless.

In his blog, Vaidhyanathan also posts items written by others that are critical of him. One commentator takes issue with how he is focusing on Google and feels that instead a careful examination of broader concerns (e.g., privacy) should be undertaken first. Another criticizes his writing as having a conspiratorial tone with respect to Google. In these instances, Vaidhyanathan responds appreciatively, and in his

responses, provides us with insights about his point of view.

At the very least, the Googlization of Everything blog offers us a resource for keeping abreast of Google’s development and for thinking about the larger issues pertaining to information access.

Best wishes for the new year!

[Ann Gunning, Member Services Librarian, Nylink]