[OPLINTECH] Default Browsers & Search Engines

[Anthony Sims]

>From the patrons, I don't think they noticed.  From the staff, some of them switched over willingly, others begrudgingly, still others are too used to whatever browser/search engine they are using and don't want to change.

Anthony
Technology Coordinator
ext. 1024

From: Sam Lewis <slewis at worthingtonlibraries.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 1:51 PM
To: Anthony Sims <asims at logancountylibraries.org>; OPLINTECH (OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org) <oplintech at lists.oplin.org>
Subject: RE: Default Browsers & Search Engines

Caution: External Email

Thanks for sharing! I wonder, did you receive much feedback from patrons as part of this change? Or did they not really notice?

Sam Lewis
Systems Administrator


From: Anthony Sims <asims at logancountylibraries.org<mailto:asims at logancountylibraries.org>>
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 1:18 PM
To: Sam Lewis <slewis at worthingtonlibraries.org<mailto:slewis at worthingtonlibraries.org>>; OPLINTECH (OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org<mailto:OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org>) <oplintech at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech at lists.oplin.org>>
Subject: RE: Default Browsers & Search Engines

Hi, Sam!

I made our patron-available computers' default browser Firefox and set the search engine to DDG (even in Chrome) many months ago.  I believe both of them are much more secure.  I'm still working on getting the staff to do the same on their computers!

Anthony
Technology Coordinator
ext. 1024

From: OPLINTECH <oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org>> On Behalf Of Sam Lewis via OPLINTECH
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 1:09 PM
To: OPLINTECH (OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org<mailto:OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org>) <oplintech at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech at lists.oplin.org>>
Subject: [OPLINTECH] Default Browsers & Search Engines

Caution: External Email

With Google choosing to fall on its own sword and fully replace the search box<https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-search-as-you-know-it-is-over/> with an AI prompt field, has anyone considered (or moved forward with!) managing the default search engine and/or web browser away from Google and Chrome - for staff and patron computers? Perhaps to alternatives<https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-search-alternatives-no-ai/> such as DuckDuckGo and Brave?

Google has been the name of the game for search for so long, it is kind of sad to see it turn out this way, as sad as one can be for a multi-trillion-dollar corporation.

Sam Lewis
Systems Administrator
www.worthingtonlibraries.org<http://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/>
Worthington Libraries | 820 High Street | Worthington, Ohio 43085
P: 614.807.2619 | F: 614.807.2629
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