CoryDunne.com

Pretty Search Results

Jan 11, 2011 BiblioCommons

Something that I do quite commonly is link to a search result. This might be linking to a collection, linking to a subject heading, linking to multiple subject headings, or linking to something that is heavily faceted.

This can often leave a less then desirable title on the page. Take this example. I started with an Advanced search for language of Italian. I’ve then faceted by format DVD, and by Italian as a primary language (as opposed to English materials with Italian subtitles).

This is a pretty cool link to have on a page for newcomers, or a page for ESL patrons. You’ll notice though, that the page’s title ends up being the initial advanced search string: language:”ita”. Not very useful.

To make this more user friendly, all you need to do as append a title parameter to the URL. Your browser will likely replace spaces with %20 characters automatically, so you’ll want to visit the page before using it for a link. Here is the end result of the example search, with a nice title.

For me, it’s always been the small details that make or break a website’s design, but for some, this bit of accessibility will make a world of difference for their experience. This quick one will help with both of those for your site!