Rudaí23, thing #4: Befriending Google

The Case For Google

There's nothing like a twee image to excite the hearts and minds of librarians. Even more so when it attempts to counteract some 'obvious' falsehoods regarding our jobs and technological innovation. I'm sure most of us have faced that inevitable moment with a relative at a family Sunday dinner or an acquaintance on a night out when you are asked about the viability of being a librarian now that Google has made the role redundant.

There's a false 'either/or' understanding of this situation. I have been using Gmail on a daily basis for nearly ten years now, and I also utilise certain other integral parts of Google on a near-daily basis (the Search function, their mapping service, and YouTube, which I still don't see as a Google function) and other functions less frequently (Google Drive which can be hugely helpful, but at times incredibly frustrating).  As is the case with a lot of the Rudaí23 tasks, I find that I am looking at things online that I assumed I had a deep knowledge of, only to find new and exciting elements that can really help my presence online and my job.

Google as a social tool

I tend to associate Google as an individual resource: I contact people through email, I use Google Maps to find where I'm going, and I watch YouTube if I see an interesting link online or am reminded of some early 90s song from Seattle that I haven't heard since I was 15. But there is a social element to Google as well. I signed up to Google+ when it first came out, and was initially taken with its sleek design as well as with the 'invite only' setup they had at the beginning. It felt like you could really be yourself without worrying whether that person you 'friended' on Facebook that you don't really know would be reading all about the intricacies of your life. However, as time went by, I realised that even after they did away with the invites, nobody else seemed to be using it on a regular basis. I wasn't aware that Google have been threatening to close it down so, to be honest, this would put me off trying to connect with it again.

Google Hangouts

Rudaí23 mentions Hangouts, and it is a nice little touch. I was unaware that I had been using Hangouts sporadically since I had started using Gmail, but I didn't know about the videophone options and the potential to hold conferences online. I used Hangouts to talk to a friend who was online, and it did not seem to be any better or worse than similar services that are freely available. So, while I can see its potential, I would be hesitant to use it over other services such as Skype or Whatsapp as you are essentially limited to friends or contacts that have a Google account. Having said that, if Hangouts doesn't capture the world's imagination soon, I can see Google simply buying a successful company that does something similar. We'll all have Google accounts soon (whether you like it or not).

Google's lesser known functions

The Rudaí23 post alerted me to some functions of Google that I never knew about before. There is a Code link that I'm intending to check out in more detail when I have some spare time, and there is also a Survey one that may come in handy in the library where I work and, of course, Google Scholar. In an academic context, Google Scholar already holds a well-respected place in the mind of most dedicated students, and it's easy to see why. The referencing and citation links are incredibly useful, and if a student is already used to the Google interface, searching Scholar is incredibly intuitive. 

Google in your workplace

I have been involved in some user-testing where I work and it is very interesting to see (and hear) how students interact with their library website (and the internet in general). If a student is looking for something through Google and can't find what he or she is looking for, there is a worryingly high chance that they may assume that what they are looking for simply doesn't exist. For some students, Google represents all that is available, and that is a cause for concern when libraries have so many paid-for articles, ebooks, and other essential resources for the 21st century student that are not available on Google. And that's why I believe it's wrong to see Google as a threat to libraries and librarians. Knowing how to use Google, and all the little functions that most people don't know about, will help you to be a better librarian and help your users to get what they want.