This will be the eighth post today, possibly a record. Not that I was trying… there were just too many interesting bloggable items, and for once there was enough time to post them all.

In addition, and the purpose of this post, I did some work on the back end of the blog:

• Updated to the latest version of WordPress
• Installed a decent blog statistics program
• Upgraded to a more powerful search tool

The last is something that might directly benefit you, the reader. The small search box is now more than simply a keyword search tool. You can:

• Search using wildcards (i.e. librar* to find library, librarian, libraries, etc.)
• Search for phrases (i.e. “web browser”)
• Use Required and Excluded terms in your search (+support -staff to get posts with the word “support” but not the word “staff”)

As this blog approaches its 500th post, finding information in past entries becomes more important, as well as more challenging. Tags are decent for rough groupings, but a good search tool becomes critical. Hopefully this upgrade makes LibrarySupportStaff.org a bit more useful.

For those of you using the Firefox web browser (and if not, why?) here is an add-on that is currently impressing me to pieces : Add to Search Bar.

It isn’t flashy, or obvious, but it does one thing that makes it highly recommended in the library world : you can visit an OPAC search page, right-click in the search box, and add that search to your built-in Firefox toolbar. It’s that easy.

I have tested it on Millenium and Voyager with 100% success. I don’t know how it will handle other OPACs or search tools, but the ability to search my workplace’s collection without having to go through the multiple layers of our web site will save a great deal of time and effort.

Add to Search Bar web site.

found via ResourceShelf

MasterKey is an interesting prototype of a new meta-search engine.  I like search tools that generate metadata (in the form of subjects, authors, etc. to narrow one’s search) on the fly.  Vivisimo was the first of these that I encountered, and MasterKey is an excellent example of how to do this in a usable manner.

One thing that needs to be addressed, however:  once you have narrowed your search results, there doesn’t seem to be any straightforward way to go back to a broader set of results, short of modifying the info in the search box.  One has to expect to be able to back up and explore other areas with as much ease as narrowing the search in the first place.

from Catalogablog

Worldcat.org is arriving, starting next month, and OCLC is letting bits and pieces of info out about it.  If they make the interface open enough for people and/or organizations to make adaptations, this could be a big deal in the library world.

Imagine having a Google-like search box that will locate any item available in a library throughout the world, as long as at least one OCLC member library has cataloged it. Now imagine (and I hope this can/will be done) connecting the power of your local library (item check-outs, interlibrary loan, etc.) to this vast catalog.

This already exists, but not in an easily accessible way.  To use Worldcat, you either have to log into OCLC FirstSearch (ask your public or community college library for their login/password), or use Google or Yahoo’s “Find in a Library” method known as Open WorldCat (which contains a limited set of WorldCat records).  Neither are well-known, and neither are straightforward enough for the instant recognition needed for widespread adoption.

This will be different, if it is as open as it seems.  Sites (including LibrarySupportStaff.org, assuming that OCLC’s info matches my interpretation of it) can install the search box and initiate searches.  The results will go to the “Find in a Library” page that will let one determine which local area libraries have that item.

If it is as easy as that, then this will be a big deal.  If it is set up in such a way as to let the sites modify the search in creative ways, then this will be bigger than anything in recent library memory.  If it is locked down or limited too much, the risk is loss of usefulness, and it may go nowhere fast.

August will be an interesting month…