Ways of Searching Libraries Australia

Did you know that you don’t need to log in to Libraries Australia Search at http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au to search?

Here are some other ways to search:

Facebook

If you are a Facebook user, why not check out the new Libraries Australia application? Simply log in to your Facebook account and then click on the following URL:   http://apps.facebook.com/librariesaustralia  

This will take you to the Libraries Australia Facebook page. From there you can access the Libraries Australia application, which provides access to Libraries Australia searches within your Facebook account.  Become a fan. Install it on your profile. Share it with your friends.  

Using URLs

This information is provided for developers and it is not assumed that general users will be implementing this functionality.  The description below documents how to construct search URLs to search the Libraries Australia Search application. In each case the text entered between the angle brackets <> must be URL encoded (see http://www.blooberry.com/indexdot/html/topics/urlencoding.htm for how to URL encode text):
Please note, that support is limited to this information as we do not provide programming advice.

Basic search against the default databases:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&termlist=<terms>
For example:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&termlist=space+time

The precision of the search can be improved by using quotation marks to execute a phrase search rather than a simple keyword search.
For example:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&termlist=”space+time”


Basic search against selected databases:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&target=<dbids>&termlist=<terms>

The list of database ids is: nbd, freenbd, pictaust, apaft, apais, arrow, sinica, bl, cisti, cuhk, copac, hkust, loc, oclc, snuc, tepuna, hku, waseda, auth.
Multiple database ids can be supplied and must be separated by '|'. If the user does not have access to a particular database then it is ignored.
For example:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&target=arrow|pictaust&termlist=space+time
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=search&target=rlgnoncontrib&termlist=space+time


Command search against the default databases:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=cmdsearch&cclterm=&lt;terms>
Where terms is the Common Command Language (CCL) query.
Note: the equals has been converted to %3d. Also as in the case above it is also possible to search particular databases by supplying the target attribute.
For example:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=cmdsearch&cclterm=tw%3dspace+time


Advanced search against the default databases:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=advsearch&index1=<index>&relation1=<relation>&term1=<terms>&operator1=<operator>&index2=<index>&relation2=<relation>&term2=<terms>&operator2=<operator> &index3=<index>&relation3=<relation>&term3=<terms>

Where index, relation and operator are the values displayed on the advanced search page. Also as in the case of the basic search it is also possible to search particular databases by supplying the target attribute.
For example:
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=advsearch&index1=Title&relation1=all+of+these&term1=space+time
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=advsearch&index1=Number+(eg.+ISBN)&relation1=starts+with&term1=083687286X
http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au?mode=advsearch&index1=Title&relation1=all+of+these&term1=time&operator1=and&index2=Subject&relation2=starts+with&term2=space

For basic and advanced search it is also possible to supply limits. It involves adding "&limit-<name>=on" to the URL. The limit names are: aci, onlineres, govpub, confpub, inlib, books, journals, newspapers, manuscripts, theses, maps, compfiles, oralhist, music, musicsnd, pictures, film, braille, lpbooks, talkbooks.

Use an OpenSearch protocol compliant client

Libraries Australia is now compliant with the OpenSearch search protocol and is registered as an OpenSearch source at A9.com. You can use an OpenSearch compliant client to search Libraries Australia or even build your own service that includes Libraries Australia as a OpenSearch target.

You can add Libraries Australia and Picture Australia to the Search Engines list in Firefox 2 or Internet Explorer 7. When you connect to Libraries Australia from your browser, both services will be listed in the Search Engines list within the browser toolbar. You can select either database, type your query in the search box beside the Libraries Australia or Picture Australia icon and then link straight through to your results.

XML and HTML results

It is possible to construct, using OpenSearch, a query that returns results in XML or HTML.

The OpenSearch description file is here: http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/nbd-osd.xml

Here is a Libraries Australia search for "cat" with an RSS XML response: http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/apps/kss?action=OpenSearch&searchTerms=cat

Here is a Libraries Australia search for "cat" with an HTML response: http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/apps/kss?action=Search&mode=search&target=freenbd&termlist=cat

The National Library of Australia is encouraging Australian collecting institutions to support the OpenSearch protocol through its federated search project

Using a Z39.50 Client

Set up a connection file for searching different Libraries Australia databases via your own z39.50 search protocol compliant client. Details can be found at http://www.nla.gov.au/librariesaustralia/manuals/laz3950.html

Search Box on Your Website

You can add a search box to your Website that will enable you to add your search terms and be dropped into LA Search to view the results.

A page that explains, displays and allows users to retrieve the LA free search box can be found at http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/searchbox/

This page is linked to from the right hand side of the free search page and the left hand side of the subscription search page, with the text “Add Libraries Australia Search to your own website”.

Follow links from Google Scholar

When searching in Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com/ ), you will find some records that have a link to Libraries Australia. Click on the link and be taken into Libraries Australia Search.

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