Google Custom Search Engine

Presented by David BickfordDirector, Arizona Health Sciences Library

at the Phoenix Biomedical CampusOctober 21, 2015

Topics to be Covered

• Introduction to Google Custom Search Engine (Google CSE)• A familiar example of Google CSE• A less familiar example of Google CSE• Creating your own Google CSE• Linking to Google CSE• Embedding Google CSE on your own site• Potential Applications of Google CSE

Introduction to Google CSE

• Launched nine years ago: October 2006• Name shows its age. Who says “search engine” any more?• Not heavily publicized to end users• Allows Google search within a defined subset of World Wide Web

A familiar example of Google CSE

Search for word or phrases on a specific site

Results look like Google results but filtered

Results link directly to content on specific site

A less familiar example of Google CSE

Searching within a specific subject domain

Results filtered to library-selected sites

Creating your own Google CSE

• Must be signed into Google account• Google CSE address: https://cse.google.com/cse• First step is to select sites to search• Second step is to decide on a “Public URL” vs. “Get Code”

“New search engine” screen

Selecting sites to search

Creating the CSE

Successful creation of a CSE

Public URL: Avoid top search box; search in center.

Results filtered to selected sites

Embedding Google CSE on your own site

Pasting Google CSE code into LibGuides

Potential Applications of Google CSE

• Searching a library or organization’s own web site• Enhancing a blog’s internal search function• Providing a filtered, subject specific search for students• Indexing a specific set of journals or newsletters• Streamlining a journal club’s search for articles• Showing differences between professional and consumer literature