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Published: December 16, 2009

The Internet has exploded since its birth in 1990, when Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. Back then, a limited number of hosts were “packet-switching” data across networks, a cyborg social network that allowed us humans to gather and share information on virtually any topic.

In the beginning, the types of information and ways that it could be shared were limited. Simple data sets, in text format, eventually gave rise to books, in Javascript. Scientists communicating lab results via telnet led to grandma ‘Skyping’ Brittney for her birthday. Today is so different than yesterday, and who knows what tomorrow will bring. Let’s take a look at how you can explore the Internet in 2009.

UB Libraries is, of course, our preferred Web site for scholarly information. Through the libraries’ homepage, you have access to journal articles, dissertations, data sets, maps, encyclopedias, art and books that would cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to access on your own.

In answer to skyrocketing journal subscription costs, digital repositories are becoming the norm across many universities and colleges across the globe. Some examples include MIT, Cornell and SUNY. For a more complete listing, see The Directory of Open Access Repositories.

If books are more your information style, try Google Books. You’ll be surprised how much content is available online. Approximately 75 percent of Stephen King’s “Under the Dome” (2009) is available for viewing through Google Books.

Social networking has exploded since the start of MySpace in 2006. Today, people keep in touch through popular sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. There also are special interest groups, like Yahoo groups, and almost every organization and news Web site has a bulletin board or forum that allows people to connect and share information. Other ways to share bits and pieces of ourselves include YouTube, Flickr and Library Thing.

Successfully managing all the information that we now have to juggle has become one of life’s major goals. Fortunately, there are so many Web sites out there to help us. CNN Money allows you to keep track of your stocks by creating an investment portfolio. For those of us looking to maintain a clean house, My Chores allows you to chart out household tasks and assign them to team members, and offers scheduling advice for overlooked chores like cleaning the fridge. For even more family organization, try Cozi: Family Life/Simplified, where you can schedule soccer practice, create grocery lists, save a recipe and then download it all to your handheld device of choice. Finally, Google Maps allows you to download a business’ contact information, map and directions to your phone, car or GPS system. So if you’re meeting Aunt Sally for breakfast at the Original House of Pancakes in Williamsville, you can easily send her directions through that new Blackberry she got for Christmas.

Those of you who read this column regularly may recognize the title of this week’s column. It was the title of the very first Electronic Highways article, written in 1993 by UB librarian Gemma DeVinney. Gemma has been the driving force behind this column for the past 16 years, and has worked tirelessly to recruit fellow librarians for E.H. She is retiring at the end of this month. On behalf of all the librarians who have contributed to the column over the years, we say “thank you” for pushing us out from behind the reference desk to spotlight what we offer the UB community.

—Cynthia Tysick, University Libraries