Gawker: valleywag, university of michigan

Google's siren song calls MBAs to Mountain View

Jackson West — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:40:00 EDT

Nearly a quarter of business school graduates surveyed said the number one company they want to land a job at is, unsurprisingly, Google — what with the pools, hair cuts, massages, legendary cafeteria and valuable stock. Other tech companies included Apple in fourth, Microsoft in twelfth and Amazon in 23rd place. For you managers of the future looking to get an interview with Steve Jobs, the school Apple recruits most heavily at is Stanford, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago. [Fortune] (Photo by Sam Pullara)

Librarians use Google, and Google uses them

Tim Faulkner — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:28:14 EDT

Some large libraries are rejecting Google and Microsoft's programs to scan their book repositories for Web searching. The stated reason libraries are wary is largely because both companies restrict access to the data to individual search results — a notion that most librarians say they're opposed to on principle, preferring universal access to their stored knowledge. Come on. Their true motives are an open book.

Some libraries remain attracted to the programs because the technology giants subsidize the costs of book scanning. Many more libraries opt to partner with the Open Content Alliance, which shares the cost with its partners and allows open access to their results for all search engines. But the Open Content Alliance, created by Brewster Kahle who also started the Internet Archive project, is focused exclusively on out-of-copyright titles, forcing several libraries to hedge their principles with the search providers because they can't afford book scanning on their own limited budgets.

And one library, the University of Michigan's, clearly has money on its mind.

Jack Bernard, a lawyer for the University of Michigan, defends Google's program:

We have not felt particularly restricted by our agreement with Google.

Of course, the university was one of the first academic libraries to sign onto Google's book scanning program in 2004 and is the benefactor of several donations by Michigan alumnus Larry Page. Likewise, Google's employing graduates in the college town of Ann Arbor. No one would be shocked if the Michigan university one day inherited a substantial multibillion-dollar endowment from the loyal alumnus's estate. It isn't going to risk that future over mere intellectual ideals.

When the university and town of Ann Arbor stand to benefit a great deal more than just subsidizing costs of book scanning, the academic principle of universal access to knowledge quickly flies out the window. Now that's school pride.

Michigan's version of Silicon Valley features advertising drones

Tim Faulkner — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:55:57 EDT

Indiana University isn't the only Midwestern university hoping for some search-engine magic to boost its tech image. The University of Michigan is pleased as punch that it persuaded famous alumnus Larry Page, the Google cofounder to build an Ann Arbor campus in 2003. Most of the hires, naturally, are recent University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State graduates. U of M president Mary Sue Coleman gushes, "Attracting companies like Google is absolutely critical to the transformation of the Michigan economy... To see this be a reality and to look at the energy here in the office ... It really is a dream come true.'' To anyone, that is, except the bulk of the workers in Google's Ann Arbor annex.

While Google's rapidly growing Ann Arbor campus is a boon to the local economy and recent grads enjoy all the benefits endemic to Google, like copious free food, the reality of working in Google's Michigan offices involves the deadeningly repetitive, manual work associated with Google's booming ad business. The campus is home to Google's AdWords operations. That fabulous Googly job? For most, it involves approving text ads and answering phone calls.