#18 - Search What You Like

This week's lessons are not linked very well thematically - we look at custom search engines today and at the broader themes of 2.0 tomorrow. It is with this in mind that we've decided to skip our regularly scheduled weekly podcast and head straight to the lesson-at-hand.

Today's lesson: search what you like

Do you have a group of websites that are your favorites? Or a set of online resources that are similar in scope, that you frequently use to answer homework or reference questions? If you answered yes to either question, a custom search engine may be the tool for you - they search the websites you tell them to search. Nothing more.

In today's lesson we'll be looking at two services - Rollyo and Google Custom Search Engine.

Rollyo

First off, the originator - Rollyo.

It's easy to use - you go to their website, you set up a profile, you add the websites you want to search, you get a permanent URL for your new search engine (these are called 'search rolls'). You can even invite friends or colleagues to add sites to the search engine. Or add a search box to your blog.

The drawback? Rollyo is funded by sponsored search results - you'll see these in your results.

There are hundreds of interesting Rollyo search rolls out there already. These range from the library-centric (Library Organizations, Public Domain eBooks), to the politically-charged (the left and the right), to the utterly obsessive (Everything Star Wars), to just about anything else.

Google Custom Search Engine

And then there's this little software company in California - it's called Google. Google has a relatively new service they're calling the Google Custom Search Engine. The concept is the same - you set up an account, create a custom search, add sites to it, and receive a permanent URL for easy access. Their service carries a pleasant benefit for we Learning 2.0 participants - you can use the same Google ID you've already set up for blogging.

Some existing search site examples include an Independent Film Search, a Wine Search Engine and quite a few others.

But which one should you use? That's what today's Discovery Exercise is all about - it's a custom search engine show-down...

Part 1: Compare the results

We've created a 'KCLS & Neighbors' search in Rollyo and Google - both search the KCLS website as well as those of neighboring library systems (SPL, Sno-Isle, and Tacoma Public).

1. Head over to our Rollyo Search Roll (this will open in a separate window) and try a few searches. On what? How about library card applications or branch locations or gaming programs.
   
2. Head over to our Google Custom Search Engine (this will open in a separate window) and run the same searches.
   
3. Which did you like better?
   

Part 2: Make Your Own

Choose the custom search tool you like best and create your own.

If you choose Rollyo:

1. Register
   
2. Create a search roll for any subject you like.

If you choose Google Custom Search Engine:

1. Sign in with your Google ID and set things up
   

In both cases:

Create a post in your blog about your experience and link to your search roll. Can you see a potential use for tools like this?

And that, everyone, is all for today - have fun searching.

Next up: More 2.0 than you ever imagined...