The relationship between public libraries and Google: Too much information

Authors

  • Vivienne Waller Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i9.2477

Keywords:

information, Google, public libraries, Internet

Abstract

This article explores the implications of a shift from public to private provision of information through focusing on the relationship between Google and public libraries. This relationship has sparked controversy, with concerns expressed about the integrity of search results, the Google Book project, and Google the company. In this paper, these concerns are treated as symptoms of a deeper divide, the fundamentally different conceptions of information that underpin the stated aim of Google and libraries to provide access to information. The paper concludes with some principles necessary for the survival of public libraries and their contribution to a robust democracy in a rapidly expanding Googleverse.

Author Biography

Vivienne Waller, Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology

Research Fellow, Institute for Social Research

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Published

2009-08-22

How to Cite

Waller, V. (2009). The relationship between public libraries and Google: Too much information. First Monday, 14(9). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i9.2477