Lancaster library's directory

• Infouno : The UK Metasearch - Infouno is a metasearch returning only 'UK relevant sites'. It enables you to Save your searches, Refine them (Find More Like This) and includes a very useful Preview facility (>>quick look>>) which gives you a 'mini view' of the site before visit, to show you if you're on the right track.
• ujiko - ujiko looks like some sort of computer game (and acts like one in that as you perform more searches it moves up from 'Level 1' and adds more gadgets). Its a bit gimmicky but produces some good results. If you hover over a result it gives a tiny preview. Hover in the middle and it shows subject links and alternative searches you can click on and it gives you the chance to 'Click & customise' to refine your results.
• Clusty - Clusty the 'clustering search engine' This search tool offers clustered results for a selection of searches. Its most useful feature in the left hand pane where the cluster results are shown is the 'Sites' tab where you can filter your results by type of domain (commercial, charitable, educational, official, etc,).
• KartOO visual meta search engine - KartOO visual meta search engine, employs the 'Mind Map' approach to searching. Search results are displayed as a graphic, and as you move your mouse possible search links are highlighted, whilst the left hand pane displays a tiny site preview and alternative search topics. Kartoo is a particularly useful starter if you are doing a broad subject search or are not exactly sure what you're looking for!

Alphabetical

• AltaVista - AltaVista was one of the first very search engines. With the proliferation of search engines, its not as popular as it once was, but still proves useful. Whilst with many search engines you can not always be sure how they'll respond to the use of Boolian searching, Altavista has always been '100% Boolian'.
• Clusty - Clusty the 'clustering search engine' This search tool offers clustered results for a selection of searches. Its most useful feature in the left hand pane where the cluster results are shown is the 'Sites' tab where you can filter your results by type of domain (commercial, charitable, educational, official, etc,).
• Cluuz Search - The Cluuz search engine is different from traditional search engines in that we don't only show the links to result pages but we also show entities (people, companies, organization, phone numbers, concepts, etc.) and images that are extracted from within the search results. It is like peering into the documents to see ahead what is important. This helps you find the results that you are looking for faster.
• Eco-Find - Eco-Find is an Environmentally Friendly search engine. Basically, a monitor requires more power to display a white (or light) screen than a black (or dark) screen. It has been estimated that a black Google search page (which millions have open on their PCs any time of the day) would save 750 MwH per year! Eco find is a 'black google' which maintains some, but not all of google's original features. It can also be very restful on the eyes after a long days searching!!
• Fazzle - One of the best and most flexible metasearchers. Note the Tabs, the Buttons (including a Boolian option) and [Preview], and make sure to try out its Advanced Search and Personalize.
• Google Accessible Search - Are you looking for web information on behalf someone who may be visually impaired? This version of google finds pages that are accessible for them.
• Infouno : The UK Metasearch - Infouno is a metasearch returning only 'UK relevant sites'. It enables you to Save your searches, Refine them (Find More Like This) and includes a very useful Preview facility (>>quick look>>) which gives you a 'mini view' of the site before visit, to show you if you're on the right track.
• KartOO visual meta search engine - KartOO visual meta search engine, employs the 'Mind Map' approach to searching. Search results are displayed as a graphic, and as you move your mouse possible search links are highlighted, whilst the left hand pane displays a tiny site preview and alternative search topics. Kartoo is a particularly useful starter if you are doing a broad subject search or are not exactly sure what you're looking for!
• People - Search.com - Search for people by name, nickname, or username.
• SortFix - Improve your Search - Search using Google with more accuracy from the SortFix interface and its Power Tools. (See the You Tube Tutorial Video in 'Searching the Internet').
• Trovando - Multi-Meta - Trovando is an incredibly useful Multi search, that allows you to quiz a number of engines in turn. The secret of getting the best out of Trovando is to enter your search and then DON'T CLICK THE SEARCH BUTTON (this a really hard habit to break!!). INSTEAD click on the name of the search engine you want to use. Results will open from that site but, if you're not happy with those, all your choices are still available at the top of the screen. Just click on another! Also note that if you change Tabs at the top (from Web to Images or Reference) the searches you're offered changes showing sources that specialise in that category.
• ujiko - ujiko looks like some sort of computer game (and acts like one in that as you perform more searches it moves up from 'Level 1' and adds more gadgets). Its a bit gimmicky but produces some good results. If you hover over a result it gives a tiny preview. Hover in the middle and it shows subject links and alternative searches you can click on and it gives you the chance to 'Click & customise' to refine your results.