[Web4lib] Google search results question

[Sloan, Bernie]

A couple of weeks ago I ran into the following scenario:

When I did the following search: "service perspectives for the digital
library" (quotes included) I got "Results 1 - 10 of about 2,030". But if
I went to the final page of results (and clicked on "repeat the search
with the omitted results included") there were really only about 275
results.

I sent a note to Google and they fixed it. I thought it was an anomaly.
But this weekend I ran into the following scenario:

When I did the following search: "ask a librarian" (quotes included) I
got "Results 1 - 10 of about 5,850,000". But if I go to the final page
of results (and click on "repeat the search with the omitted results
included") there are really only about 995 results. A much bigger
discrepancy than the first one I reported.

I've reported this one to Google too. Anyone else ever notice big
discrepancies like this?

Bernie Sloan
Senior Information Systems Consultant
Consortium of Academic & Research Libraries in Illinois
616 E. Green Street, Suite 213
Champaign, IL  61820-5752

Phone: (217) 333-4895
Fax:   (217) 265-0454
E-mail: bernies at uillinois.edu