Google, friend to Genealogists

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Google provides some wondrous instantaneous fabulous easy searches.

Want to see a word in several dictionary formats and REAL FAST?
Type in: [define (word)]. That’s it!

To Google any holiday. Type in: [date (holiday) 2008 (or any year)], and there will be many websites with various methods to search and display dates. Remember when you used to have to go speak in to Granny's hearing aid to find out what date Easter was going to be this year?

One calendar website that seems quite handy is www.calendardate.com .
A direct link to that website’s listings of all of the holidays for the U.S in 2008 is at:
http://www.calendardate.com/year2008_holidays.php

Google also is heavily promoting the use of their own online personal Calendar. It is pretty cool for keeping your schedules, appointments, family & friends birth dates, etc. I have been experimenting with it some for scheduling meetings. I consider it still in my personal Beta testing category.

I am not a big fan of sharing personal information like that with the world. So it is still experimental for me. When I can figure out how to make sure private information is TRULY private, then I might trust it more.

Tell us what you think about Google Calendar.
Let us know what some of your favorite Google search uses are. Sharing is good.

genemisc

worldcat

Here is a very fast search site for books and other media that are available from libraries worldwide. It is part of the OCLC system and is located at the url of: http://worldcat.org

When you input a search term it will quickly come back with numerous items and when you put your zip code in it will show you which libraries nearest you have the item you searched for.

It will benefit you to use the “Learn More” button. Here is a partial blurb from their information catagory.

You can search for popular books, music CDs and videos—all of the physical items you're used to getting from libraries. You can also discover many new kinds of digital content, such as downloadable audiobooks. You may also find article abstracts and their full text; authoritative research materials, such as documents and photos of local or historic significance; and digital versions of rare items that aren't available to the public. Because WorldCat libraries serve diverse communities in dozens of countries, resources are available in many languages.