I have now arrived at Thing #12 which means that I am more than half-way there. This item brings up the possibilities of creating your own search tool, and this topic interests me greatly as a web designer and as a librarian. In the past I have used the Google Custom Search engine application to create a customized search for various websites that I have developed. This application allows you to set it to search many sites, or just one site. Google also makes it really simple to generate gadget code to insert a search bar right into your site. So, when I saw that the CSM Learning 2.0 project discusses Rollyo, I decided to compare it to Google's search app. I am interested in DIY and crafting, so I created a mini search engine on that topic using both of these applications. You can search via gadgets below.

Select...DIYSearch The Web

I tried them both but liked the fact that the ads (ironically) are less obtrusive in the Google search option. Also, in case you didn't know, if you use the Google gadget on a non-profit or educational site, you can have an ad-free version. Rollyo does score some points for having a "Rollbar" which can be popped right into your bookmark bar, but I'd say that Google wins just for sheer ease of use, and for keeping the ads separate from the results.

Either way, these tools are great for educators to create web subject guides for their students. It's also a great way to organize information. These applications allow users to move beyond bookmarking, and search quickly across a number of similar sites. This is a great area to explore for use in and outside the classroom.

Thing #12.....check.