[Web4lib] Interesting uses of WorldCat affiliate tools and search extensions

[K.G. Schneider]

For a report I'm writing, I'm hunting around for interesting and
successful uses of end-user-oriented WorldCat affiliate tools and search
extensions (or interesting and UNsuccessful deployments...), such as:

* WorldCat Search Box. Creates a WorldCat search box on home pages,
blogs, and other websites; available preconfigured in two sizes, but (I
think) can be tweaked for other configurations. Requires (free) WorldCat
registration.  

* WorldCat links with embedded search terms. OCLC provides syntaxes for
deeplinking to WorldCat results, suitable for embedding in courseware,
etc. 

* Other things: a Firefox browser search extension and a Yahoo! toolbar
for Internet Explorer that allow WorldCat searches from browser
toolbars, and a Google toolbar for either Internet Explorer or Firefox
that links directly to WorldCat results when it detects ISBNs on web
pages.  

(Interesting uses of xISBN, WorldCat registry search/detail, or the
OpenURL Gateway also welcome, but not as central.)

I see some of these tools on various library websites, and use a couple
of them myself, but I'm looking more carefully for the benefits/payback
of these tools beyond "yup, it's on our website" or "I use it myself." 

Writing under the umbrella of biblio-officialdom I am -- 

Karen G. Schneider
Research & Development
College Center for Library Automation
http://www.cclaflorida.org
Voice: 850-922-3159
AIM/Email: kschneider at cclaflorida.org