In a recent post Peta outlined some of the new things that had been happening here on LINT. Recently I improved the Australian Library Blogs search and enabled it as an OpenSearch plugin.
What does this mean?
It means that you can search the list of Australian Library Blogs without visiting the website first. Those of us that have been using the Firefox internet browser will be familiar with the search bar in the top right hand corner of the browser window. Now when you visit LINT you’ll see that the icon for the search bar gets a green tinge to it, similar to the image below.
The Firefox 2.0 Search Bar
If you’re using Internet Explorer 7, it also has a search bar. It is also located in the top right hand corner of the browser window. Now when you visit LINT you’ll see that the drop down arrow gets an orange tinge to it, similar to the image below.
The Internet Explorer 7 Search Bar
When you click on either of these icons a list of installed search engines pup-up. At the end of the list will be two new entries “Australian Library Blog Search” and “Search LINT”. Clicking on one of these entries will install the plugin into your browser. You can then search our list of Australian Library Blogs without having to visit LINT first. Although we still encourage you to visit and participate! The “Search LINT” entry allows you to restrict your search to just the LINT website.
Clicking on the icon again will bring up the list of available plugins and you can change it to one of the others to do a search.
Please let us know what you think of this addition to LINT. We appreciate your feedback. You can leave a comment, or you can email us at librarian<@>librariesinteract.info.
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November 13, 2006 at 21:56
I’ve been playing with OpenSearch plugins, too. They’re deceptively easy to write.
I’m currently investigating the various ways in which easily extensible services, like Google Personalised Home, can benefit libraries. I’m also hacking together some quick’n'dirty modules that take advantage of them (easier access to ezproxy resources, anyone?). Who else has done stuff like this?
November 13, 2006 at 22:23
If you haven’t played with Google Personalised Home, and how it’s useful, go to http://www.google.com/ig and have a play.
Try adding the gadget (a Libraries Australia search gadget that I hacked together in the 30 minutes since I posted the last comment):
http://www.deiectus.com/gph/libsaust.xml
Disclaimer: I would like to point out that the NLA has no authorised or endorsed this gadget in any way, shape or form. I may even have broken copyright laws in creating in. If a legal representative of the NLA asks me to remove the gadget, I will do so immediately.
That being said, it was pretty easy to put together. I wrote a couple of gadgets for my library over the past week (they’re not ready to see the light of day, yet).
November 14, 2006 at 07:44
I understand that the NLA will be launching their downloadable search box in the near future. So Bloggers and Libraries will be able to easily add it to their websites.
I like the idea of the take-it-with-you search options like openSearch and the Google widget. You don’t have to visit a site first to be able to search its content - you can do it from anywhere, or from where it is convenient for the user.