Search Tools - Specialized: Searching the Hidden/Invisible/Deep Internet/Web

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Scope

• The Hidden or Invisible or Deep Internet/Web are upwards of 1 trillion (or more) documents, other files, and, even, Web pages that are not directly accessible by conventional search tools
• The "hidden" content typically consists of files and documents in:
  • Databases that can only be reached through a query (database search-and-retrieval) interface. Most of the accessing these databases requires some kind of license and/or permission and, consequently, a login and a password.
  • Virtual corporate networks, which may have upwards of a 100,000 or more Web pages each and other files intended for only employee, intra-company, or inter-company access.
  • Formats that can not be readily read or accessed across the Internet.
  • Formats whose contents can not be easiily indexed by most Search Engines.

Ways of Accessing Hidden Intenet Files -- Get library cards everywhere you can

• Different libraries (academic and public) provide access to varying combinations of common and not-so-common databases.
• Consequently, it is worthwhile to get a card at any and every library that you can.
• You can often get a "community" card at many academic libraries, particularly community college ones. It ususally does not cost anything and allows you to check books out of that libraries.
• 4-year colleges, particularly private ones, are usually more restrictive or will not allow non-students to have a library card. For example, San Jose State University, charges $100/year for a community card, though this may change with the integration of the San Jose Public's King Library with SJSU's Clark Library.

Ways of Accessing Hidden Intenet Files -- Use specialzed tools for searching the "deep" web

• Direct Search
  • An excellent effort by George Washington University librarian Gary Price to identify and provide search access to hidden Web resources.
  • http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~gprice/direct.htm
• Lycos: Searchable Databases
  • Provides access to thousands of resources not readily accessible by Search Engines
  • http://bos-fe7-4.bos.lycos.com/Reference/Searchable_Databases/
• InfoMine
  • Provides access to thousands of resources not readily accessible by Search Engines
  • http://infomine.ucr.edu
• The Invisible Web Directory
  • http://invisible-web.net/
• Invisible Web
  • Provides links to thousands of sites that have databases or other resources not readily accessible by Search Engines
  • http://www.invisibleweb.com/
• CompletePlanet
  • Claims that it provides links to over 100,000 databases and specialized search engines..
  • http://completeplanet.com/
• Google
  • This Search Engine is now indexing the contents of PDF format (Acrobat) and DOC (Microsoft Word) files, something that was not done previously by any Search Engine.
  • http://www.google.com
• Bright Planet & Deep Query Manager (client-side application)
  • Claims that it provides links to over 35,000 databases and specialized search engines..
  • Deep Query Manager is a client-side application for searching invisible web resources.
  • http://www.brightplanet.com

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