Extreme Searcher's Guide
According to Hock, "The wealth of resources that the Web provides to the world is nothing short of amazing, and Web searchengines are arguably the most effective tool the serious searcher has for accessing this wealth." Hock says he wrote The Extreme Searcher's Guide to Web Search Engines: A Handbook for the Serious Searcher, second edition, to help information seekers make more effective use of the major search engines, Web directories, and metasearch tools, including AltaVista, Excite, Fast Search, Google, HotBot, Lycos, Northern Light, Yahoo!, Dogpile, ixquick, MetaCrawler, and ProFusion.

As a bonus for readers, Hock maintains The Extreme Searcher's Web Page, which features links to search engines, updates, and important news for users of Web search tools.

In her foreword, cybrarian and writer Reva Basch said: "Pursuing the extreme means knowing how to milk every ounce of performance from your equipment, be it a snowboard, a surfboard, a mountain bike—or a search engine. Ran Hock's book will help you reach and maintain the edge."

According to the announcement, Hock is one of the foremost experts on search engines and online searching. He is the principal of Online Strategies, an Internet training firm that specializes in creating and delivering customized courses for online researchers. Hock is a sought-after speaker and a regular contributor to leading information industry periodicals.
 

International Business Information on the Web
Written by Lanza, an experienced international business researcher, and edited by Searcher magazine's Barbara Quint, International Business Information on the Web: Searcher Magazine's Guide to Sites and Strategies for Global Business Research is the first ready-reference guide to using the Internet for worldwide business research, according to the announcement. It is also the premiere title in a new series of Searcher magazine books.

"With this book, Web searchers will be well-equipped to tackle the international challenges that come their way," Quint said. "It sets the pace for the Searcher series, which will feature expert tips, techniques, strategies, and recommended resources for online searchers." According to Quint, many of the books in the series will be supported by companion Web sites that can be updated to add reader value, as is the case with International Business Information on the Web.

Lanza said, "Researchers can use this book to evaluate foreign industries and companies, identify global business trends and opportunities, find overseas buyers and suppliers, investigate potential partners and competitors, uncover international market research, and much more."

International Business Information on the Web covers resources for Global Research, Central & Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, The Middle East & North Africa, Canada & Mexico, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia & the Pacific.

In support of the book, the publisher has launched the International Business Information (IBI) Directory on the Web, which includes links to over 1,000 recommended sites. Web searchers who have purchased the book can use the IBI Directory as a starting point for their international business research projects. To keep up with shifting Web resources and to extend the value of the book to readers, the IBI Directory will be periodically updated by the author and publisher.

Lanza is the president and owner of Global InfoResources, Inc., which provides business research services to a domestic and global clientele. She has written for various industry publications, including Searcher, Database, and The Information Advisor. She also speaks frequently at events or industry meetings such as the annual conference for the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP), Special Libraries Association (SLA), Open Source Solutions, and Internet Librarian. Lanza is also the International Specialty Scan editor for The CyberSkeptic's Guide to Internet Research.
 

The OPL Sourcebook
The OPL Sourcebook is a comprehensive handbook and directory for small and one-person libraries (OPLs). It covers organizational culture, customer service, time management and planning, budgeting, accounting, technology, collection development, education, outsourcing, and other key management issues.

Taking an international approach to reflect the growing number of OPLs worldwide, author Siess provides a brief history of the OPL movement; shares tips, techniques, and case studies; discusses knowledge management strategies for OPLs; and offers practical advice geared to help OPLs thrive in an increasingly digitized (and downsized) future. The directory section includesorganizations, publications, vendors and suppliers, discussion lists, and Web sites. The book concludes with an annotated bibliography and an index.

"Often called a solo librarian, an OPL is the only librarian (or professional librarian) in a library or information center," Siess said. "Most OPLs work in special libraries, serving a specialized or limited clientele, with specialized or limited materials and services." She points to corporate libraries, law libraries, prison or jail libraries, and hospital libraries as some typical types of OPLs.

According to Siess, the challenges OPLs face differ significantly from those of librarians working in larger organizations. "The OPL does everything, from acquisitions to cataloging to circulation to reference—even dusting the shelves and vacuuming the library, if necessary ... there are no peers with whom to share problems, ideas, or to commiserate with when things get tough. It is a challenging position, but also a rewarding one." In focusing on solutions for the solo librarian, Siess feels her book fills an important need.

According to the announcement, Siess is recognized as one of the world's leading experts on solo librarianship. She was the first chair of SLA's Solo Librarians' Division, founder of the Agricultural Economics Reference Organization, and a member of the first People-to-People Citizen Ambassador delegation of Information Management and Special Librarianship to the Republic of South Africa. She is the editor and publisher of The One-Person Library: A Newsletter for Librarians and Management, and the author of a previous book, The Solo Librarian's Sourcebook.
 

Source: Information Today, Inc., Medford, NJ, 800/300-9868, 609/654-6266; https://www.infotoday.com.