Custom Search Engines

Missed the podcast this week --I realize I look forward to hearing how my library co-workers have found creative ways to apply new technologies to library uses.

Didn't see all that much difference between searching on Rollyo and Google except format and, as mentioned, the sponsored results on Rollyo but not on Google. I searched for "teen gaming" and "best books". I actually liked the screen "look" for Rollyo a little better, but I chose to create my custom search engine in Google because I am already signed up with Google, use Google regularly and thought it might be more useful in the long run.

I was going to do a library related search engine on "readers advisory" sites, but actually there seems to be little need for a custom search engine like that because it is a pretty straightforward search -- I get a whole list of good sites right away. Instead I created Bead Favorites Search Engine, where I can look for beading/jewelry/wire working supplies without looking through pages of sites I don't want. And, trying it out afterwards it turned out to be very useful...much more useful than just having my favorite sites in "Favorites" or on del.icio.us because I can search the contents of all the sites with one click.

I can see that the custom search engine feature can be useful for those of us with passions (loved the Wine Search engine!) and for those areas where it is difficult through a general search to pinpoint just the useful sites. Good, as usual, to learn about web features...it will allow me to be aware of possible future uses!