Internet Book: A "Must" Read

Although How to Find Agricultural Information on the Internet, written by Mark Campidonica and published by UC's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is primarily designed for agriculturalists, it's a great resource for any novice Internet user. The book lays out the basics of obtaining and making productive use of Internet access, especially for those interested in information retrieval for research or business. Email and the World-Wide Web, as the two most widely-used services, receive the most attention, complete with cautions, guidelines, and tips for making the most of professional mailing lists, Web searches, and information itself. The book's straightforward, friendly, and informative style makes it possible to read it from cover to cover, either as a first introduction or a guide to exploring the Internet.

Real-life examples depict farmers and other agricultural professionals looking for and retrieving information, addressing the hazards of "flaming" (being chastised on a mailing list by fellow subscribers), and distinguishing between information and graphics protected by copyright and those in the public domain. The section entitled "Understanding Web-wide Search Tools" describes the difference between the two most common types of search tools, Web spiders and indexes, and offers tips on making the most of keyword searches. Very rarely is the book's information so focused on agriculture that its advice can't easily be extended to other fields. It's a definite must for anyone who is new to the Internet or would like to learn more about it.

The book's editor, Jill Shore Auburn, was until recently the associate director of the UC Davis-based Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP). She is now national program leader for sustainable agriculture for the USDA. Auburn initiated SAREP's award-winning Web site for sustainable agriculture, one of the first Internet sites geared to farmers and other agriculture professionals.

The online version contains about 20% of the text of the printed version, as well as ordering information.