JMU Libraries Offers LibX Toolbar
by Cheri Duncan

Now it’s easy to access LEO, the library catalog, while searching the Web using the FireFox browser, through the use of a customized plug-in called JMU LibX.  Once you install LibX on your computer, you will be able to more easily integrate LEO searches into your Internet research on Amazon, Google Scholar, and other internet resources.

LibX was originally developed at Virginia Tech by Annette Bailey and Godmar Back as a method of providing direct access to a library’s resources through the FireFox browser. JMU Libraries staff created a version of the FireFox LibX extension for use with JMU resources.  The JMU LibX makes finding items in the JMU collections quicker and more convenient.  With the JMU LibX toolbar, users can easily search for books or articles in the JMU Libraries’ collections whenever they are using the FireFox browser, while other LibX features enable the user to connect to an item in the Libraries’ LEO catalog from Amazon, Google Scholar, or other sites.

After installing JMU LibX, the user will see a toolbar like the one below that provides a number of options for searching JMU’s collections.

The main search box allows the user to search LEO for books and other items, the Periodical Locator for journal titles, Check for Full Text@JMU for known journal articles, and Google Scholar.

The LibX toolbar also allows the user to drag and drop terms from the webpage they are currently visiting into a search of either LEO or Google Scholar. 

In addition to the custom toolbar, LibX also adds functionality to the right-mouse-click menu, allowing the user to search highlighted terms in LEO or Google Scholar, as you can see in the example below.

LibX also adds a purple and gold M favicon, , to certain sites, such as Google Scholar and Amazon. 

When a user clicks this favicon, LibX performs a search of the book or other item in LEO.

JMU Library staff are currently working to create similar extensions for other web
browsers.  For more information on JMU’s LibX, please go to the Libraries’ LibX page. Additional information on the FireFox LibX product and a list of participating libraries may also be found on the LibX website.