Information trapping : real-time research on the web /

With the rapid growth of Web technologies and the online information explosion, locating current, specific information can be frustrating. One potential solution is information trapping, used to continuously monitor live (or rapidly changing) information. Calishain (creator of ResearchBuzz ) offers a timely, useful overview. She covers the fundamental technologies (e.g., RSS feeds, page monitors, e-mail alerts) and includes specific examples. Readers need little prior knowledge of the subject. Every chapter includes pointers to relevant Web sites, and the book itself is linked to a Web site with additional information, e.g., on using mobile devices for information trapping. The author covers the construction of queries to get the most appropriate information. Separate chapters discuss trapping government information and trapping multimedia; both can be somewhat complex. Once one has developed the traps, the next step is learning to filter and organize the information, to avoid being overwhelmed with data. Calishain offers concrete tips on this subject and on when and how to publish one's findings. She also provides several illustrative case studies. This reviewer particularly liked the "so what" tests that are applied in various chapters. This well-written book should be valuable for those who wish to move beyond traditional Web searching to locate additional useful information. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels. M. B. DuBois Illinois Central College