Google Scholar and Its Competitors: Accessing Scholarly Resources on the Web

While Google Scholar is a popular and widely used search-tool, its validity has caused considerable concern within the library community. Google Scholar and its Competitors, written by Ingrid Hsieh-Yee of Catholic University of America, introduces the recent trends in scholarly communication, and examines their effects on digital access to scholarly resources. The book outlines the databases, features, functionalities and weaknesses of major search engines like Google Scholar, Microsoft Live Academic, Yahoo Search, Ask, as well as those of specialized search engines, subject databases, aggregators, online catalogs, digital repositories, and subject portals. It also explores the potential implications of Google Scholar and its competitors for information seekers and libraries, and explains the role of user-generated content in scholarly communication.