It's Official: Google Shuts Down Several Specialty Search Tools Including Two That Focused on Government Materials
As we first mentioned on Monday, Google’s specialty search tools including two that focused on government material, Uncle Sam and USGov.Google.com, are no longer available.
We have now CONFIRMED that both of these specialty search tools (aka limited, focused or vertical search) along with four others are NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Their URLs now redirect users to a Google homepage. Most of these services has been available for more than a decade.
Search Engine Land has details in a post written by INFOdocket’s own Gary Price.
Three other resources that we like for government info are:
1. Search.USA.gov (powered by Bing) remains available. A Spanish language version of Search.USA.gov is also available.
2. Explore GovDocs (via the Government Documents Center, University of Michigan)
3. BrowseTopics.gov (via FDLP and Oklahoma St. University)
Filed under: News, Patrons and Users
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.