#11 iGoogle

I have had fun setting up my iGoogle page - I deleted some of the default features and added others. I now have WorldCat search, Google docs, Google books, Google Reader, Google Maps (showing Fairhaven as the default map), World Clocks (where I have added the time in Seattle and California where my 2 sons live) and World weather (where I have added the weather for Seattle and Santa Clara in California), and ABC news. I dragged some of the gadgets around to have the important stuff at the top. It is certainly easy to use once you get the hang of it.

It could be useful for a library application as I could have links to our docs, RSS feeds, etc all in the one place. However, I'm not sure about its usefulness to the library in general, unless an iGoogle page could be set up so that all users logged in to our network could access it to look at the latest feeds, WorldCat search, etc.

Would I like to work at Google? - well, I have a son who works for Google and it is a great place to work - apart from a wonderful work environment they have excellent free meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not just a small selection of food, but a whole range of cuisine from steaks to vegetarian to Mexican to Asian, etc. At lunch time you can sit outside and enjoy the beautiful gardens and employees can bring the family too (even for dinner) - check out the photo below of me and the grandchildren playing at one of the outdoor eating areas at Google. Note the colours of the umbrellas - the Google colours! Also, free snacks and drinks are freely available around the offices. As Google is now a series of building complexes, bicycles are provided free to cycle from one building to the next. It seems to be a great place to work - but would they ever need a librarian?