Adding Search Providers to IE 7 and Firefox 2 Web browsers

OVERVIEW

IE 7 and FireFox 2 both offer new options for searching the Internet. You may have used Google or Yahoo search toolbars. Have you ever wished you could search your favorite database from a browser toolbar? This document will show you how you can customize your browser search box to include many search tools and library databases. Some examples of search tools that can be added to the search box:

• Commercial/consumer services like Ebay, UPS (search tracking numbers), Amazon.com, etc.
• Library databases including ASA, the Oxford English Dictionary, patents, IEEE resources, and ABI Inform business journals
• Local search engines such as the r25 events calendar, Lehigh Web search, and Lehigh news

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The browser search boxes are in the upper right hand corner of both IE 7 and Firefox 2 browsers (see Figures 1 and 2). There is a search input area and a pulldown menu for more options. To search the default search engine Google, just type in your keywords and click on the magnifier icon .

With both browsers you can add common search providers from a list of popular search engines by clicking on the pulldown arrow button. See Figures 3 and 4 for the location of the pulldown arrow (circled in red). When you click on the pulldown arrow you see more search choices. To select one, just click on it. Within the pulldown menu you can also add your favorite search engines with a "Find More Providers" option (IE 7) and a "Manage Search Engines" option (Firefox 2). Follow the instructions to select from browser-provided search engine options.

Note:In Figure 4, the Manage Search Engines option is not shown in FiIgure because the pulldown menu is too long.

HOW TO ADD LIBRARY DATABASES TO YOUR SEARCH BOX

Many Lehigh library databases are compatible with this feature (tested for on-campus only!) and you can add them for convenient search access.

To add a search provider to your Firefox or IE 7 Web browsers, go to a Lehigh-customized search plugin page hosted by searchplugins.net. This page lists available databases and search engines arranged in alphabetical order. Note that the list includes both library and non-library search tools/databases. If you are viewing the list In Firefox, library databases are indicated with an icon. Note that these databases require a username/password login and may not work off campus.

For each database you would like to add:

1. Click on the "i" link to the left of the database name.

Figure 5: Plugin List with arrow pointing to the "I" install link.

2. A Dialog box will appear. Click "Add Provider" (IE 7) or to add the provider.

3. You will now be able to select and search this database from the pulldown arrow on your search box.