A beary personal use of Book Search

Posted by Katharine Lu, Book Search Support Team

Whether it’s finding a moonwalking bear or researching Shakespeare, we’re known for a broad range of searches here at Google. But Miriam Midkiff of Spokane, Washington uses Google Book Search for a very specific reason – discovering her family’s history.

Miriam became interested in genealogy after visiting relatives in Michigan when she was twelve. She’s since devoted her career to teaching and writing for a genealogical society, and recently discovered how Google Book Search can help illuminate her understanding of her own ancestors. The Google Book Search index contains pamphlets, directories and other printed documents that can be useful for historical searches like Miriam’s.

Among her discoveries on Google Book Search, one surprising find was the role that a relative played in helping a bear to fame for a unique talent. Let's just say this happened before the time of the moonwalk, but not so long ago that a bear couldn't be strapped to roller skates. Watch this video to get the story from Miriam:



If you’ve already looked up your name on Google (unthinkable we know), why not try it on Google Book Search? We can't promise that you'll be regaled with tales of novelty bear acts, but you might find something equally unexpected.