CiteBite

You're heard of deep linking, which is one way of directing someone to a specific page in a web site. But often you want to point to a passage or quotation somewhere on that page. In that case, you need Cite Bite.

I've created a CiteBite link to show you an example of the end result. Click on this link - http://pages.citebite.com/e1i5f5c5s3yyr and you'll be taken directly to the passage I highlighted on CNN. There's no searching and reading the entire page to try to locate the specific section of interest.

It's very easy to create a Cite Bite page. You don't have to install anything. Just visit Cite Bite, and cut and paste the URL and quotation into the appropriate boxes; Cite Bite will create a link that you can send on to others. Like it? Then I'd recommend installing the bookmarklet or Firefox extension so that you can create a Cite Bite in just one click. (Don't forget to turn off your pop-up blocker.) Keep in mind that your Cite Bite will take 30 seconds or so to create; the response isn't instantaneous.

The concept is simple and useful. I would imagine that any researcher could use Cite Bite on a daily basis to make it a little easier to deliver just the necessary piece of information.

[Spotted on Steven Cohen "Library Stuff Revisited" column, Information Today, Feb. 2007]