|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
a.s.
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 1:39am
Post #1 of 19
(787 views)
Shortcut
|
|
anyone addicted to Google Book Search yet?
|
Can't Post
|
|
***raises own hand 
Now, there's probably a lot of you who caught on to the coolness of Google Book Search before I did, so do not gloat. But for those who haven't found it yet, I have to say it's great: I have now spent hours and hours and HOURS there looking up old stuff that interests me.
The history of the project is fascinating itself. But one only has to realize that several wonderful university libraries and other large library systems (Harvard, the University of Michigan, Princeton University, the New York Public Library, Oxford and Stanford among them) are cooperating with Google to "digitize" old public domain books to be floored by the endless possibilities:
The combined collections at these extraordinary libraries are estimated to exceed 15 million volumes.
For instance, any of you fellow public health nurses out there (I know there must be one or two!!), you can read Lavinia Dock and Adelaide Nutting's Histories of Nursing from the early twentieth century. You can read NIGHTINGALE for heaven's sake, in the original if you want.
~~(a little hero worship, sorry)~~
For those getting ready for the upcoming Beowulf discussions, there are several full view translations dating back to the 1830s. Wouldn't THAT be challenging (I'm sticking with my paper copy of Heaney, but some of us might be up for the challenge!!)
Anyway, I recommend Google Book Search as highly entertaining. Let me know if you find a really cool search. Right now, I'm off to search "cooking" "1850-1900" "full view books". Here's a cool title for preparing a St. Patrick's day feast:
The edible mollusks of Great Britain and Ireland, with recipes for cooking them, by M.S. Lovell, published in London in 1867.
Gosh I love the internet.
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Everybody's wondering what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worried 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
No one knows for certain, and so it's all the same to me:
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
~~~~Iris DeMent
|
|
|
Alnilam
Rivendell
Mar 17 2007, 1:47am
Post #2 of 19
(579 views)
Shortcut
|
I don't think I want to go near that. I'd be lost in it forever looking at all the different books and such. I would need a long paid vacation.
It sounds really interesting.
And you definitely have heard of it before I did.
Alnilam's Realm
From the Old TORN Boards: Top 5 Browsers/OSs:
1. Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.5 using Windows 98 (1568)
2. Microsoft Internet Explorer V6.0 using Windows 98 (890)
3. Microsoft Internet Explorer V6.0 using Windows 98 (464)
4. Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.0 using Windows 98 (175)
5. Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.5 using Windows 98 (136)
|
|
|
Altaira
Superuser
Mar 17 2007, 2:05am
Post #3 of 19
(585 views)
Shortcut
|
I'm not addicted yet... no, really I'm not. Let's just say I spent the last 20 mins there and only just, JUST scratched the surface (and JUST managed to drag myself away).
I didn't know about it either. Thanks, a.s. 
Koru: Maori symbol representing a fern frond as it opens. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new, positive beginnings.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the boards that are given to us"
"I take a moment to fervently hope that the camaradarie and just plain old fun I found at TORn will never end" -- LOTR_nutcase
TORn Calendar
|
|
|
a.s.
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 2:32am
Post #4 of 19
(574 views)
Shortcut
|
I'm not addicted yet... no, really I'm not. Let's just say I spent the last 20 mins there and only just, JUST scratched the surface (and JUST managed to drag myself away).
uh, I am apparently unable to get off the Google Book Search web site. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven already. Just perusing the titles is giving me a thrill. How about this one, I mean, who can RESIST!!!???
The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge , London, 1842.
I can imagine the 12-step program for search addicts now...wait, let me just look up history of 12-step programs.
back momentarily....or sometime...
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Everybody's wondering what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worried 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
No one knows for certain, and so it's all the same to me:
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
~~~~Iris DeMent
|
|
|
Annael
Immortal
Mar 17 2007, 2:49am
Post #5 of 19
(578 views)
Shortcut
|
I love Google Scholar.
Only a real man would dare do his morning power walk in a puffy shirt.
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
|
|
|
Ugly Troll
Rivendell
Mar 17 2007, 3:35am
Post #6 of 19
(565 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I love having access to books online!
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
Unfortunately, it is VERY hard on the eyes to read a novel length text on a monitor.
|
|
|
Aerin
Grey Havens
Mar 17 2007, 3:53am
Post #7 of 19
(563 views)
Shortcut
|
|
It's come in handy for reference work.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I've never sought it out, but some of my Google searches have turned up pages in books that are part of that collection. Very nice! My eyes aren't up to extended reading of scanned pages on the screen, but it's great for looking up specfic information.
|
|
|
Finding Frodo
Tol Eressea
Mar 17 2007, 5:28am
Post #8 of 19
(571 views)
Shortcut
|
Since I found this:
She's a bicycle, bicycle girl,
With hair of the loveliest curl;
She's fresher than clover,
My heart she rides over --
She's a bicycle, bicycle girl!
From Lyra Cyclus; Or The Bard and the Bicycle.
Hmm, what else shall I look for?
Where's Frodo?
|
|
|
Penthe
Gondor
Mar 17 2007, 5:38am
Post #9 of 19
(551 views)
Shortcut
|
|
I'm avoiding it so I can have some semblance of a normal life. /
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
|
|
|
JRandomRohirrim
Rohan
Mar 17 2007, 10:49am
Post #10 of 19
(561 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Oh my! What a good time to be unemployed!
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
I LOVE old books; I'm a history nut, and one way to understand the attitudes of a time is to read a book tied to that time. This will give me lots more material to go play around with.
Boycott New Line!
http://www.boycottnewline.com
|
|
|
a.s.
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 1:14pm
Post #11 of 19
(565 views)
Shortcut
|
It's like having a wonderful old used book store in your own home, minus the dust and mess!!
a.s. (muttering about having to get groceries and errands today instead of randomly searching Google Books)
"an seileachan"
Everybody's wondering what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worried 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
No one knows for certain, and so it's all the same to me:
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
~~~~Iris DeMent
|
|
|
RosieLass
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 3:17pm
Post #12 of 19
(553 views)
Shortcut
|
But I can see myself spending a lot of time there now!
I've used the online books page at http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/ and I've looked up stuff at the Gutenberg Project. Especially when I'm bored at work...
Children’s Interpretations of the Bible
Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt during the day, but a ball of fire during the night.
The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
Christians have only one spouse. This is called monotony.
http://mallika.vox.com/
|
|
|
Elven
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 6:43pm
Post #13 of 19
(556 views)
Shortcut
|
Now you've done it LOL!
I'll never get any sleep!
I have just started collecting old books, and am currently reading about the Lords and Ladies of the Italian lakes - the Sforza-Visconti families  1900's edition - OMG!!
I live in a town where there are more antique books than new ones ... thousands upon thousnads of them!!!!
I can spend 4 hours in one section just looking!
Life will never be the same 
 Elven x
"Never wash your name in hot water Elvenesque - it shrinks!" said the Gaffer.
Tolkien was a Capricorn!
..All we are saying ..Is Give Pete A Chance" ...
|
|
|
diedye
Grey Havens
Mar 17 2007, 10:05pm
Post #14 of 19
(548 views)
Shortcut
|
|
|
|
Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 17 2007, 11:16pm
Post #15 of 19
(538 views)
Shortcut
|
Much too close to bed-time to even attempt it. I dare not. Maybe another time, in daylight!
|
|
|
wolfranger
Bree
Mar 18 2007, 10:41pm
Post #16 of 19
(555 views)
Shortcut
|
This is awesome! And to think I'd never heard of it before. The first thing I looked up: Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy, which I very recently snuck into a library of which I KNOW I don't have access to read. Thanks a.s.!
Cheers,
wolfranger.
"People at first though it obscurely religious, but when Rodia was rediscovered in Northern California after having disappeard for some years he turned out to be violently anti-religious, though he did not offer any other explanation of the towers' inscriptions and symbols." Howard Becker, Art Worlds. (Referring to the Watts Towers in Los Angeles.)
|
|
|
a.s.
Valinor
Mar 19 2007, 12:01am
Post #17 of 19
(560 views)
Shortcut
|
|
be careful!! It's powerfully attractive
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
at least, I seem to have spent way too long this weekend randomly looking up old "stuff". Like I started thinking about what "Gothic language" texts Tolkien might have had access to in the Bodleian library, since their nineteenth century public domain works are all being digitized...
whoo. That was an hour right there!
BUT!! unfortunately that led to another page at the Bodley, which is their Digital Library Projects page....
a.s. (apparently stuck in endless "look up old stuff on the web" mode)
"an seileachan"
Everybody's wondering what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worried 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
No one knows for certain, and so it's all the same to me:
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
~~~~Iris DeMent
|
|
|
wolfranger
Bree
Mar 19 2007, 7:46am
Post #18 of 19
(535 views)
Shortcut
|
It's so hard to get access to the Bodleian these days... It's like having it be a public library!
"People at first though it obscurely religious, but when Rodia was rediscovered in Northern California after having disappeard for some years he turned out to be violently anti-religious, though he did not offer any other explanation of the towers' inscriptions and symbols." Howard Becker, Art Worlds. (Referring to the Watts Towers in Los Angeles.)
|
|
|
Carcharoth
Rivendell
Mar 24 2007, 3:04am
Post #19 of 19
(612 views)
Shortcut
|
...something else to ensnare me. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
