Big libraries are neat – the idea of having so much information (and entertainment) available in one place is just inherently attractive. The trouble is, big libraries can also be overwhelming, and so Google Books has tried to make its own virtual library a little more accessible by creating a list of available magazines.
Jeffrey Peng, a software engineer, put together the list. It’s available in either a “cover view” or a list view that provides more text and information. Users can sort the magazines according to how much of them can be seen by the non-paying public, too.
Admittedly, this doesn’t sound huge. But stick with us a moment. Just shy of 100 magazines are available through Google Books, and although that number isn’t overwhelming, it is unwieldy. Magazines are meant more for enjoyment than heavy research, so it makes sense to be able to browse a list rather than rely on a search function.
Furthermore, this development may signal that additional magazines will soon become available through Google Books.
Then here’s the other significant thing about the list: Peng wrote on the Inside Google Books blog that it was created in response to user requests (specifically, perhaps, a Facebook group with 45 members). So this is a nice example of someone within a multibillion-dollar corporation listening to what “the little people” want.
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