I personally have been a fan of Google for about as long as the search engine has been around, and view it as another practical tool to help our patrons.
One of my favorite features, I regularly use the language tools translation as I attempt to teach myself Spanish. Right now I'm reading "Clic, Clac, Plif, Plaf: Una Aventura de Contar," by Doreen Cronin, who wrote "Duck for President." It's a counting book showing what all the animals do when the farmer is asleep.
There are other search engines out there, and I wouldn't speak badly of them. In fact, Ask.com received some good play in 2007 among serious researchers for its more intuitive responses to general questions.
But I'm not alone in my personal fandom, and Google has happily created a whole section of its website devoted to library workers and a short film based on tips and suggestions from library workers on how to use their website. Feel free to check out that and other related videos to pick up tips on how to "research like a pro."
The thing about Google that grabs my attention is their constant effort to be creative. It's not their endless search for new technology and services to bring to users, or even the fact that they sponsored the first private space voyage (XPrize Foundation). No, for me it starts with the little logos they come up with for special days and holidays.
If you go through the About Google link, you can find the entire index of the holiday logos and "Google Doodles," multi-day themed logos for events like the Olympics. You can also read about the artist who has made most of them possible. So in honor of the Easter holiday is this gem from 2000 featuring a Java applet game where you can make the bunny spell out Google in Easter Eggs.
Hope yours is a hoppy event.
