Google AutoLink funnels users to Amazon

[Thomas Dowling]

With the Web4Lib subscriber list hosed over the last couple days, I'm
sure a lot of people already saw this and just couldn't share with the list.

The beta version of Google Toolbar 3
(<http://toolbar.google.com/T3/index> - still IE-only) includes a
feature called AutoLink.  AutoLink scans pages for addresses and offers
a link in the toolbar to Google Maps.  It also looks for Vehicle ID
numbers and shipping numbers from the USPS, UPS, et al.  It also looks
for ISBNs and provides what appears to be a hardwired link to
Amazon.com, labelled "Show Book Info".

So in your catalog, OpenURL resolver, A&I databases, online syllabi,
etc.(also, of course, book pages at barnesandnoble.com and other book
retailers) -- wherever there's an ISBN, the toolbar will prominently
offer to escort users away from your pages and over to Amazon.

Cheers.


-- 
Thomas Dowling
tdowling at ohiolink.edu