Everyone should check out the Rollyo website at www. rollyo.com. Rollyo, which is named for its’ catch phrase, “roll your own web site”,  is a Web 2.0 tool that allows the user to customize search engines by limiting the search to previously chosen web sites. This allows a user to only search those sites which are already known and trusted sources of information.  

The custom search engines created by Rollyo are called searchrolls.  Users can view and utilize searchrolls that have already been created by other users, making Rollyo a social site.  The main Rollyo search page includes popular areas, such as health, top news, or reference which can be searched using preexisting searchrolls.  These areas can be modified to one’s own personal preference.   Searchrolls list the sources being searched and can be edited for personal use.  There is also a starter kit of searchrolls that can be personalized. Creating a searchroll is a simple process.  One simply names the roll, enters up to 25 web sites, and then can categorize and tag the roll, if desired.  Searchrolls can be made public or private. 

How can libraries use Rollyo?  Rollyo would be a boon to reference librarians who could create themed searchrolls based on frequent reference questions.  This would allow librarians to search multiple web sites at once, while at the same time limiting “noise” from their results.  Libraries could offer their users searchrolls on various themes with the assurance that the sites included have already been vetted for accuracy and usefulness.  

Some library themed searchrolls have already been formed.  Click on the following link http://www.rollyo.com/explore.html?rollterm=library&x=3&y=5  to find some of these searchrolls, including search engines that focus on ”Library Orgs” or “library blog search.”   A search for librarian searchrolls also turns up such customized search engines as “Librarian 2.0″  Click on the following link to view these search results  http://www.rollyo.com/explore.html?rollterm=librarian&x=14&y=11