OpenSearch: add Libraries Australia to your browser

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

OpenSearch allows you to add Libraries Australia to the search providers list (top right corner) in Firefox and Internet Explorer. When you enter a term in the search box and select Libraries Australia our database is queried and the search results are displayed in the browser without having to go to LA Search itself. 

How to add Libraries Australia as an OpenSearch target to your browser:

Internet Explorer 8

  1. Browse to LA Search at http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/.
  2. Click on the triangle next to the magnifying glass in the search bar (top right corner of the browser window).
  3. Select Add Search Providers > Libraries Australia from the drop-down menu.
  4. A dialog box will pop-up in the middle of the screen – click Add in the pop-up box.

Adding Libraries Australia as an OpenSearch target to Internet Explorer

Firefox 3

  1. Browse to LA Search at http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/.
  2. Click on the triangle next to the icon in the search bar (top right corner of the browser window).
  3. Select Add “Libraries Australia” from the drop-down menu.

Adding Libraries Australia as an OpenSearch target to Firefox

It is possible to use OpenSearch to construct a query that returns results in XML or HTML. For example:

  • Libraries Australia search for cat to return RSS XML results: http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/apps/kss?action=OpenSearch&searchTerms=cat
  • Libraries Australia search for cat to return HTML results: http://librariesaustralia.nla.gov.au/apps/kss?action=Search&mode=search&target=nbd&termlist=cat

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