Learning 2.0: Assignment #19

I have to admit feeling a bit Web 2.0-ed out at the moment. Lots of cool tools -- some useful, some not -- but too much clutter to dig out the gems. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, by The Web 2.0 Awards Short List and how simple it was to click on a category and find that someone had done the searching work for me. Particularly when it comes to topics I don't personally find interesting, I think this list will be very helpful on the reference desk or when completing other work-oriented tasks. At the very least, it's a start in the right direction.

In keeping with my healthcare subject specialty, I explored Healia, a health-specific search engine. A couple of years ago, I checked out Healia in its early stages and found it promising. What I love about it now is that you can type in your query, then narrow it to a specific audience or need. In particular, my heart went a-flutter when I saw the "HONcode Sites" option as it eliminates semi-questionable sites that lack peer review (e.g., about.com).

I'm still partial to MedlinePlus as a first portal for health information, but Healia looks like it might be a close second.