An autocomplete service has been added to vLib forms that enable searching for appropriate information resources.

It’s available for resource title and publisher input fields at

http://vlib.mpg.de/start?view=metasearch&srv=locate
http://vlib.mpg.de/start?view=find-database&srv=browse
http://vlib.mpg.de/start?view=find-database&srv=locate

Just type any term (presently a minimum of three characters) to display a list of resources matching the input right below the form field.

To navigate through suggestions use the mouse or cursor up/down. To select an entry, click on it or press enter.

The service behind it has been designed to consider all title variants of a resource (or publisher name variants, respectively).

However, the list of suggestions actually shown contains display titles only (suggesting any title variants would be rather confusing and would unnecessarily bloat the list).

If you type some entry, and if matches are found, it’s obvious that some of the resource titles suggested do not seem to contain the string entered, for example:

This is because the term does not always match part of a vLib display title, but only part of the full or alternative title of the resource that is being suggested.

If you follow a suggestion, resource titles may be verified by opening the info window (by clicking the i-button):

In our example, resource info reveals that the resource was suggested because of its former name which is still recorded in vLib.

Any feedback (comments, etc.) is most welcome.