Revision as of 10:57, 15 September 2005

Extending the capabilities of various web browsers so that they are better able to integrate with library content.

NOTE: Much of this content originates, with permission, from Gianluca Drago's excellent Maldura Toolbar - Firefox Extension page. Additional material from Richard Akerman Science Library Pad - Firefox extensions category, and RA's Furl - Firefox Extensions category.

Bookmarklets

Bookmarklets are pieces of JavaScript code. These should in theory work in any browser that supports JavaScript. NOTE: JavaScript should not be confused with Java. Despite the (intentionally confusing) names, these are two completely different programming languages. JavaScript was originally, and much more usefully, named LiveScript.

Making Bookmarklets

Bookmarklets from webreference.com

Library-Related Bookmarklets

• The most famous bookmarklet, and the one which launched the idea of better browser integration with libraries, is Jon Udell's LibraryLookup.

• Peter Binkley's Google Scholar OpenURLs bookmarklet

General Bookmarklets

• www.bookmarklets.com has lots to try out.

• Jesse's Bookmarklets Site has lots too.

• SlayerOffice

Firefox Quick Search Keywords

Quick Search Keywords can be used to make bookmarks you can invoke with a keyword, and even pass a parameter to. The original documentation appears to be offline, but it is available from the Internet Archive: Bookmark Keywords.

In a default Firefox install, you will find pre-created quick searches in Bookmarks->Quick Searches.

Search Plugins

A search plug-in allows you to access a search engine right from your browser, without having to go to the engine's page first. On Mozilla, you can access plugins via the Sidebar or the Location Bar. On Mozilla Firefox you use the search box on the toolbar.

• Mycroft. Advanced Mozilla-Search Plugin Documentation

Library and Academic Search Plugins

I don't know how to make JavaScript links in MediaWiki (necessary to add direct links to search plugins).

• Library Search A collection of search plugins that search online library catalogs. To request a search plugin for your library, go to the Requests page.
• Academic Search Plugins
• RedLightGreen search plugin
• Ann Arbor District Library search plugin
• You can find Yahoo and Google search plugins for WorldCat at the bottom of Open WorldCat-enabled Web tools
• Several for Colorado libraries have been created by Michael Sauers.

Toolbars and Sidebars

Library or institutional toolbars/sidebars that work in browsers to give fast, easy access to catalogs, databases and other useful resources.

Library Toolbars

• FastJack - Stanford Graduate School of Business, Jackson Library toolbar

• HALBar toolbar for The Appalachian School of Law Library.

• Barra Maldura - Una estensione per Firefox (Firefox only, in Italian) Toolbar for the Maldura Library, University of Padua (Italy).

• SBArra - Una barra di strumenti per le ricerche bibliografiche (Firefox only, in Italian) Toolbar for University of Padua Library System (Sistema Bibliotecario di Ateneo - SBA).

• Yahoo! OCLC Toolbar (Internet Explorer only).

• The KnowItNow Toolbar a service of the State Library of Ohio (Internet Explorer only).

• HCPL Toolbar Harris County Public Library Toolbar.

• Greene County Public Library Toolbar

• HS/HSL Web Toolbar Health Sciences & Human Services Library (Internet Explorer only).

• Shrewsbury Public Library Toolbar

• e-klummes toolbar (Firefox only, in Danish)

• Sjøkrigsskolens bibliotek (in Norwegian)

• Tyngsborough Public Library toolbars (Internet Explorer only):

1. Patrons toolbar (file exe)
2. Staff toolbar (file exe)

• Lansing Public Library Toolbar

• Jackson Library Toolbar - Walter Clinton Jackson Library (Firefox only)

• Libraries@Mason Toolbar

• LibraryBar for the New York Public Library and the Morris Automated Information Network. (Firefox only)

Academic, Search, Other Toolbars

• BioBar A toolbar for browsing biological data and databases (Mozilla/Firefox only).

• PubMed A toolbar that increases your ability to search information in NLM Medline database trough PubMed interface (Mozilla/Firefox only).

• Die HdBG-Toolbar – das Werkzeug für Historiker und Archäologen Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte.

• MyAthens Toolbar can be used to access Athens-authenticated resources.

• NeedleSearch The NeedleSearch toolbar lets you bookmark search engines.

• SwitchProxy Tool SwitchProxy lets you manage and switch between multiple proxy configurations quickly and easily.

Commercial Search Engines

• PubSub Sidebar
• A9
• (also see Yahoo OCLC toolbar in Library Toolbars section)

Other Browser Extensions

• Peter Binkley's Google Scholar OpenURLs Extension (Firefox only).

• Openly Informatics OpenURL Referrer for Google Scholar and COinS (Firefox only).

• COinS Browser Extensions for Your Library

• LibrarySearch "when you select text in the browser and right-click, a new context menu appears (Look up selection) that allows you to select which library/resource you would like to pass your selected text to search". From Wayne Graham.

• Evergreen An open source Integrated Library System (ILS), written in Xul, developed and maintained by the Georgia Public Library Service (Firefox only).

• Mozilla Amazon Browser A Rich Web Application to search products on Amazon-branded sites, written in Xul (Mozilla/Firefox only).

• OPAX A prototype XUL OPAC user interface, built on the functionality and appearance of the Mozilla Amazon Browser (Mozilla/Firefox only).

• ResearchBuddy Will help you capture quotes on webpages, with citations.

• The Wikipedia extension for easy editing of this page!

• Various Y!Q Firefox extensions for Yahoo contextual searching.

• More extensions at Mozilla Update.

• More extensions at Extension Room.

Code Generators and Other Tools

Tools to automatically generate code for you.

• LibraryLookup bookmarklet generator Info here

• Make Search Bookmarklet tool

• Extension Developer's Extension An extension to make life easier for extension developers. A Meta-extension if you will.

• Firefox extension install generator If you need help updating or creating an extension for Firefox, you can use this helpful CGI.

• Greasemonkey compiler, converts Greasemonkey user scripts into full-fledged Mozilla Firefox extensions.

• DevBoi, a sidebar extension for Mozilla and Firefox that offers easy access to XUL documentation and reference manuals.

Programming Resources

Websites, Books, Forums on creating web browser extensions.

Websites about Firefox Programming

XUL (XML User-interface Language) the cross-platform language behind Mozilla and Firefox interfaces.

• XUL Tutorial at Xul Planet All you need to know about Xul user interface. A must read.
• Firefox Toolbar Tutorial The best Firefox extension tutorial, at Born Geek. Step after step you will be guided in creating a Google toolbar
• Dev : Extensions Extension development documentation project at MozillaZine. Includes: Getting started with extension development for Firefox 1.5 and later (Mozilla 1.8 branch)
• Application Extensions Packaging Extensions, Deployment of Extensions and Themes, Updating, Versioning and Compatibility at mozilla.org
• Creating a Mozilla Extension Tutorial at mozilla.org
• The XPToolkit Architecture The most comprehensive (yet often out-of-date) guide to XUL widgets, at mozilla.org
• Devmo Site dedicated to providing solid information, documentation, and community for Mozilla and Firefox developers of all types
• Extensions Main Page at Mozilla Developer Center. Includes: Building an Extension A tutorial about building extensions for Firefox 1.5 (Mozilla 1.8 branch)
• XulFr.org All about Xul, Mozilla, Firefox and Thunderbird — and a Xul tutorial (French language)
• Firefox Extension Tutorial A short and simple Firefox extension tutorial
• How to create Firefox extensions Another good and often cited Firefox extension tutorial
• Lazy Programmers (LP) Guide To Creating A Firefox Mozilla Extension Another Firefox extension tutorial
• Créer une extension Another short Firefox extension tutorial (French language)
• XML User Interface Language (XUL) The home page for Mozilla XUL documentation at mozilla.org
• Mozilla Tutorial English French Xul, Mozilla Tutorial with clear examples (English and French language)
• XUL A short introduction to Xul at Everything2
• XUL Programmer's Reference Manual A reference manual at mozilla.org
• Writing an Extension for Firefox A look at installing a really simple extension into Firefox that adds a "Hello World" menu item to the Tools menu, on Brian Duff's weblog
• Creare estensioni per Firefox - livello 1 A Firefox Extensions tutorial (Italian language)
• Come creare una estensione per Firefox A Firefox Extensions tutorial (Italian language)
• Construye tu propia extensión para Firefox con Zootropo http://zootropo.f2o.org/archivos/2004/06/21/construye-tu-propia-extensin-para-firefox-con-zootropo/ http://zootropo.f2o.org/wiki/doku.php?id=construye_tu_propia_extension_para_firefox Two pages, one Firefox Extensions tutorial (Spanish language)
• The Xul Periodic Table Examples of all widgets — Boxes, Buttons, Checkboxes, Lists, Menubars, Trees ...
• Multi-Part Tutorial on creating XUL + PHP apps
• Creating Rich Applications with Mozilla, XUL, and AMP Technology a live presentation by Jay Sheth.
• Free GUID generators http://www.hoskinson.net/webservices/guidgeneratorclient.aspx http://kruithof.xs4all.nl/uuid/uuidgen A GUID is a unique identifier for your extension. You definitely need one.
• Extension Developer's Extension As the Author says "An extension to make life easier for extension developers"
• Extensions Firefox/Signer Une Extension How to sign an extension (French language)
• So you want to sign your XPI package? How to sign an extension
• Enabling Extension Updates "This tutorial will show you how to keep your users up to date with your latest version automatically." A must read for localization
• Writing Mozilla Extensions This DemoExt extension has the goal "to provide the simplest amount of functionality necessary to demonstrate how to make a localized, cross-platform extension that works with Firefox and Mozilla Suite." It helped me in figuring out how to localize text strings in javascript files
• The Future of Mozilla Application Development Among other things explains how to add a custom button for your toolbar to Firefox
• Firefox Toolbar Tutorial - How to make your own toolbar in Firefox/Mozilla
• Developing Firefox Extensions with GNU/Linux Very long tutorial.

Books on Mozilla/Firefox

• Creating Applications with Mozilla by David Boswell, Brian King, Ian Oeschger, Pete Collins, Eric Murphy. ISBN 0-596-00052-9. Available under the terms of the Open Publication License.

• Rapid Application Development with Mozilla by Nigel McFarlane. ISBN 0131423436. Available under the terms of the Open Publication License.

• Firefox Hacks by Nigel McFarlane. ISBN 0596009283.

• More Mozilla and Firefox Books

Discussion Forums

• XUL Forums The place to talk about XUL at XulPlanet
• Extensions - MozillaZine Forum The forum about Mozilla/Firefox Extensions on MozillaZine
• Extenzilla A forum about Mozilla/Firefox Extensions (Italian language, registration required)

News and Feeds

News and feeds from browsers developers that worth a read

• Planet Mozilla News feeds aggregator from Mozilla/Firefox developers' blogs

Software Tools

• Bluefish for code editing in Linux
• Jedit for code editing in Windows and Linux
• The Gimp for raster artwork
• Inkscape for vector artwork
• Wink for screencasts

Journal Articles and Conference Presentations

• Wusteman, Judith. "About XML: from Ghostbusters to libraries - the power of XUL." Library Hi Tech 23.1 (2005): 118-129.

• Lauke, Patrick. "Mozilla Firefox for Rapid Web Development." Ariadne 42 (2005).

• Chudnov, Daniel, Richard Cameron, Jeremy Frumkin, Ross Singer and Raymond Yee "Opening up OpenURLs with Autodiscovery." Ariadne 43 (2005).

• XTech 2005 Presentations: XUL - Mozilla's XML User Interface Language by Ben Goodger, lead engineer for Mozilla Firefox.

• Janes, Joseph. "The Right Tool for the Right Job" American Libraries December 2003: 84-85

Specific Blog Postings and Mailing List Messages

• More on Jon Udell's LibraryLookup Bookmarklet The Shifted Librarian, 2002
• Toolbar Tidbits /usr/lib/info, 2003
• Firefox search extension for OPACs? code4lib Mailing List, 2005
• Harris County Public Library - Internet Explorer Toolbar The Distant Librarian, 2005
• A Library Toolbar LibrarianInBlack, 2004
• Library Technology for the New Year TechnoBiblio, 2005
• All I Want for Christmas is a Library Toolbar LawLibTech
• The user interface that isn't Lorcan Dempsey
• Stitching services into user environments - intrastructure Lorcan Dempsey's weblog
• Reference wish list Digital Reference, 2005
• PL Toolbar Tame the Web
• Firefox extension for Maldura Library Science Library Pad, 2005
• more on Firefox sidebars Science Library Pad, 2005
• Toolbar Goodness Linux Librarian
• Harris County Public Library Creates Toolbar for Online Customers LISNews, 2005
• Stanford toolbar BiblioAcid, 2005
• One New Thing: Library toolbar! One New Thing, 2004
• lii.org Toolbar Free Range Librarian
• Toolbar Tidbits, Toolbar Tidbits (Google Cache version) LibraryCog: Library Systems Stuff
• Harris County Public Library - Internet Explorer Toolbar SEMLS Tech Watch, 2005
• OUseful Firefox Library Toolbar 0.1
• OUseful - the Jackson Library Toolbar
• More Library Toolbars OUseful Info
• LibrarySearch Firefox Extension July 22, 2005

Weblogs (sometimes) covering this topic

• Science Library Pad - Firefox extensions, SLP - Bookmarklets

• Gianluca Drago's blog Foxes in Library

• Lorcan Dempsey's weblog

• The Shifted Librarian

Demos

• Screencasts about the Maldura toolbar by Gianluca (Flash format):

1. Installazione (280KB, 45s)
2. Utilizzo (1700KB, 2m+45s)
3. Funzioni Avanzate (1700KB, 2m+45s)

• MyJack toolbar screencast by OUseful Info