Internet Innovators

Gr 9 Up-More than 120 biographies in each of these titles showcase pioneers and current achievers in the world of computer technology and the Internet. Readers will recognize Steve Jobs, Charles Babbage, Bill Gates, and Ada Lovelace as appropriate inclusions in Computer Technology Innovators, and will be intrigued by interesting lesser-knowns such as Charles Simonyi, developer of Microsoft Office, and Helen Greiner, cofounder of iRobot. Internet Innovators focuses on dot-com developers such as Internet founder Vinton Cerf, Ebay's Pierre Omidyar, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, and Wikipedia's Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales. The volumes feature alphabetical access to entries, and individually authored 2,000-word essays on each person (students looking for quick information will find all of the figures briefly described in an appended biographical dictionary). Subsections cover "Early Life," "Life's Work," and "Personal Information" and offer black-and-white sketches instead of photographs. Some entries are supplemented with an inset box synopsizing pertinent information from the general essay, such as details about Arianna Huffington's sale of the Huffington Post to AOL in February 2011 for $315 million. In general, the narrative writing style will keep students engaged through the entire essay. While Computer Technology Innovators will be a key reference for budding engineers, mathematicians, and computer techies, Internet Innovators is more likely to appeal to business and marketing and communications students. Free access to Salem's online versions of the works accompanies the print volumes.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The alphabetical essays in these companion volumes provide detailed biographies of individuals who contributed to the development and expansion of the Internet. Fields of specialization include mathematics and logic; physics and engineering; computer software, hardware, and programming; Internet management, marketing, commerce, and security; social media; applications; news and entertainment; and ethics and policy. Internet Innovators features some lesser-known names (obvious exceptions include Mark Zuckerberg, Tina Brown, and Julian Assange), but subjects’ affiliations represent an array of most-visited sites: YouTube, Yahoo!, Google, Amazon, WebMD, and so on. There is even an entry for the hacking group known as Anonymous. The signed entries run around 2,000 words. Each starts with a list of facts, followed by a three-part essay covering the subject’s early life; his or her life’s work (arguably the most important part, discussing the individual’s contributions and impact); and personal life. An article-specific list of further-reading selections is also provided. In most cases, the book’s contributors are well matched to their subjects and provide detailed profiles and sufficient background information to establish the importance and relevance of their subjects, whether in technological, social, economic, or political context. Additional features include a time line covering 1957 to 2012, an annotated bibliography of 67 print titles, and a “Biographical Directory” of short yet satisfying summaries. Illustrations consist of pencil sketches of each subject, which will not photocopy very well. There are three indexes (category, company, and general). The preface indicates that selection criteria included each individual’s significance, his or her relevance to academic curriculum, and the appeal to the intended audience: high-school and undergraduate students. These volumes should serve as authoritative resources and are recommended for high-school, large public, and academic libraries. --Kathleen McBroom