Where Did Google Get Its Value?

Google's extraordinary success is usually attributed to innovative technology and new business models. By contrast, this paper argues that Google's success is mostly due to its adoption of certain library values. First, Google has refused to adopt the standard practices of the search engine business, practices that compromised service to the user for the sake of immediate corporate profit. Instead, Google has implemented many policies and design principles that correlate directly to established library values. Second, Google has implemented systems that replicate (or substitute for) valuable library functions. With these steps Google has introduced some traditional library practices and values to the Internet environment, and there can be little doubt that they have contributed enormously to its success.