RR Anderson, Cultural Arts Specialist for Hire
May. 7, 2008 at 4:39pm
Topcat vs. Tacoma Public Library
!amcoat enigami, ONLINE
It is a small obscure thing, but often I have wished upon a star for the ability to link directly to a book housed within the virtual card catalog of the Tacoma Public Library.
For Example
If a bibliophile/library advocate wished to write a blog post about a book he just read AND the book happens to be available at the TPL he has no way to link directly to a page like this...
this is a tragedy for the online book/library enthusiast.
A Call to Action..
anybody find a work around or hack to this need? Thank you.
 by NineInchNachos on 5/7/2008 @ 5:20pm | making hack progress with firebug... similar to the Tacoma Daily Index hack--turning form 'posts' to 'gets' |
by NineInchNachos on 5/7/2008 @ 5:24pm | oh yeah... that's the sweet spot |
 by izenmania on 5/7/2008 @ 5:34pm | nice... I did some investigating of my own and found this: topcat.tacomapubliclibrary.org/uhtbin/cg...
Grabbing the displayed url, then going back to the search results page and finding the contents of first_hit and last_hit. Then add those, search_type=search and VIEW^1 (where 1 is replaced by the item's location in the result list) |
 by Erik on 5/7/2008 @ 5:38pm | oh yeah... that's the sweet spot
Must you control the entire internet? |
by izenmania on 5/7/2008 @ 5:43pm | Slightly easier version:
1) do a search, click on an item 2) copy the url 3) add ?first_hit=1&last_hit=3 (numbers don't seem to matter as long as first_hit < last_hit 4) find the record's index in the search (at the top it should say "record 2 of 3 of search", for example) 5) add &VIEW^2, where 2 is the record number from above |
by NineInchNachos on 5/7/2008 @ 5:50pm | nice |
by izenmania on 5/7/2008 @ 5:58pm | 6) Tell TPL that TopCat is a ridiculously non-intuitive and difficult to navigate system. Mention to them friends or relatives who stick to using their TPL card at King County libraries because the search is much more usable. As a side effort, ask why 1. they have such an arrangement with King County, 2. Pierce County has such an arrangement with King County, but 3. TPL and PCLS have no such arrangement. |
by Erik on 5/7/2008 @ 6:04pm | A much improved Avatar izenmania. |
by NineInchNachos on 5/7/2008 @ 6:05pm | there is strange cache issue happening with the referal links though... have you checked your neverwhere link? the image and content vanishes.. ? |
 by Dmitri on 5/7/2008 @ 6:09pm | TPL's website is simply awful. When you search for an author, and then link on one of that author's books and place a hold, you can't go back to the author to look at other titles on that original search, without starting over. King County's is better; Pierce County's is better (of course). TPL's is wretched. Awful. Terrible. Just not very good.
That's why I go to Federal Way so often. |
by izenmania on 5/7/2008 @ 6:34pm | A much improved Avatar izenmania.
I figure it's more recognizable. I'm much more likely to be seen making that face in public than wandering around with no glasses and pants on my head. |
 by thriceallamerican on 5/8/2008 @ 8:57am | why...TPL and PCLS have no such arrangement.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but I believe I remember hearing just the other day that TPL and PCLS were working out a reciprocal lending agreement...maybe already have? |
by izenmania on 5/8/2008 @ 9:06am | As far as I know there is not one in place... I couldn't walk in there and use it right now. But I'm glad to hear that they are (theoretically) working on it. I grew up having both cards, and it was great. |
by NineInchNachos on 5/8/2008 @ 9:56am | all our beautiful query string urls are broken today... is it cookie / session related? Is this happening on their server? Is there no work around?
oh Tragedy! |
 by morgan on 5/8/2008 @ 10:09am | Yes, it's session related. They have the same issue with their building index. REALLY frustrating! Since their tech guy just left for a gig with Seattle Public Library, now might be a good time to work with TPL for a better (more usable at least) solution. Anyone? |
by thriceallamerican on 5/8/2008 @ 10:10am | Re: TPL/PCLS reciprocal borrowing... I knew I wasn't insane. |
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RR Anderson is one of the most curious characters in the UFO lore and the history of underground cartooning. He fought bizarre underground beings in the caves of Alaska, was wounded by a laser before it was invented, and had a background with the clandestine branch of the Tacoma Cartoonists Society.
For seekers unafraid to be discernibly turgid in a time of drastic change, we recommend:
Links:
TV Tacoma | All STARS
Discover Tacoma
The Melon Online
Dockyard Derby Dames
Bog the Dog
Alaska Robotics
Student Protest/Activists Thing
Spud Goodman
Holistic Forge Works
Webmaster/Cartoonist Resume
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Tacoma Public Library Search
"may the great winged turtle flap her wind upon us all" ~ Dr. FA Neekburn, 1889
