I DO intend to give a http://books.google.com a try . . . as there are
many kinds of inquiries for which I can imagine it would be very useful.
   Ultimately the choice of a search tool depends both on what's available
and on what we're looking for in any given instance : there are lots of
times when a quick web search and even Wikipedia snages the discrete
bit of information one is seeking - other times when the search has to
be more challenging.  And sometimes the latter require a trip to the
archive or library . . .    I didn't mean either to dismiss this new
tool or to suggest that one size fits all.  (And one of the features
that is really nice is the ability to do subsequent searches WITHIN the
frist batch of results so taht you can eventually refine a huge number
of 'hits' to those that get at what you're seeking.)
   VA-HIST folks of a certain age will remember the late Waverly Winfree
of the Virgnia Historical Society, who once commented to me that "books
come and go, but a good index is forever" . . . .

Have a good weekend.
Jon Kukla

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