Firefox Extensions: Customizing your online "home!"
Are you tired of digging through ads to find the real content on a website, or being bombarded by flash animation that just won't stop? Would you like to be able to highlight text on webpages, and then go back next week and still see your highlights and notes? How about being able to import citations for all of your search results in IUCat (or any other website) at the click of a button?
Firefox extensions can help you create an online working environment that meets all your needs. In this workshop we will:
- learn how to find extensions
- learn how to install extensions
- find out about extensions that will:
- help you make your online home more comfortable
- Organize your online research
- Accessorize your browser
- manage your extensions
How to find extensions
There are three main ways to find extension:
- Go to Tools >> Add-ons >> Get Extensions
- Go directly to https://addons.mozilla.org/
- Find site-specific add-ons at your favorite site
How to install add-ons
If you are installing add-ons from the official mozilla site, click on the "install now" button, this will open a dialog, it will count down then you will be allowed to click the "install now" button.
Make your online environment more comfortable
- Ad Block Plus
Ad Block Plus allows you to selectively block images on a webpage so that you can enjoy the visual content of a site without having to view annoying ads.
- Flashblock
Flashblock gives you control over which flash content you see and don't on a website! Want to enjoy the Flash movie, but not the banner ads?? No problem! - Repagination
Do you get tired of flipping from page to page while sifting through search results or browsing online catalogs? Repagination will allow you to make all of the pages into one continuous page.
Organization is Key!
- FoxMarks
Do you find yourself searching for pages you know you have bookmarked at home? Foxmarks lets you synchronize your bookmarks between all of your computers! - Diigo
Often researchers spend a lot of time and paper printing of online pages so that they can have the flexibility of traditional research, highlighting, note taking, bookmarking etc. Now you can do it online, and go back it weeks or months later and still see all of your notes! - Sirsi Library System Easyview
Do you find it frustrating to get a variety of call nos. when searching IUCat because you have to go into each record? Now you can see all the detailed record information right from the search results screen - Zotero
Zotero is an online citation manger that is effortless to use and can easily be imported into the heavy hitters like Reference Manager and Endnote!
Accessorize!
- Google Tools
- Games
- Add a little color!
Manage your extensions
- Go to Tools >> Add-ons
- Check for updates
- Disable
- Uninstall