6a: Using Internet Search Tools

I generally only use two internet search tools: Google (www.google.com) and Prospector (http://prospector.coalliance.org/screens/opacmenu.html). I use these two not only because I am comfortable and familiar with them, but also because I have never failed to find adequate information for a paper or project while using them. I like Google because it is exceedingly simple, it allows for advanced searches, and it has a vast amount of information. On the flip side, however, Google can sometimes provide too much information, and it is difficult to weed through all of the fluff to find information that might be useful. Prospector, likewise, is simple, and it is very effective for locating resources. It would be very frustrating to find a great resource but be unable to use it because it's from a library in Grand Junction, for instance; Prospector eliminates this problem by having the resource sent to a convenient place from which the user can access it. There is nothing that I do not like about Prospector.