New, web-based version of "Librivox Explorer" now available

dvimont · Post by **dvimont** » August 6th, 2017, 11:41 pm

A new, minimalist version of "Librivox Explorer" (a desktop application that I put out several years back) is now available in your browser (with a "responsive" design that should make it just as viewable on your smartphone or tablet as it is on your desktop):
https://libexp.herokuapp.com/

While it offers only a fraction of the functionality that the desktop version of Librivox Explorer had, my hope is that some will find it a useful tool for browsing the wonderful Librivox collection.

This is my first public announcement of the site, so we'll soon find out how much traffic it can bear before things might start to slow down.

As is always vital with these type of "third party" endeavors, it is important to accentuate that this new website is not an official Librivox endeavor. Any communications with regard to it should be directed to the email address displayed in the footer of every page on the site. I have been in touch with some of the LV admin staff to be sure that no aspect of the design of this new site will cause them any unintended grief. The new site makes minimal direct access to resources on the Librivox website; all cover-art images are pulled directly from the Internet Archive.

Happy browsing!!

p.s.: For any techies interested in the back-end code (Ruby and Sinatra), you can check it out on Github: https://github.com/dvimont/flatiron-bootcamp-sinatra-portfolio-project

dvimont · Post by **dvimont** » August 7th, 2017, 12:03 am

BTW, if you'd like to go straight to the "Random browse" page (my personal favorite), you can bookmark the page:

https://libexp.herokuapp.com/audiobooks/random

Every time you go there, you'll be presented with 30 randomly selected audiobooks from the Librivox collection.

Elizabby · Post by **Elizabby** » August 8th, 2017, 1:42 am

Hi Daniel! Nice to see you around here again!

I'm still thinking about "Midsummer Night's Dream" with music, if you would still be interested in doing that? I'm not enough of a musician to BC it alone...

dvimont · Post by **dvimont** » August 9th, 2017, 12:48 am

Hi Elizabeth,

Actually, I'm just doing a quick "drive-by drop-off" of this new website before I engage in some intense (60-80 hour workweeks) data engineering work for the next few months, starting in early September. After than, my hope/intention is to get back into both early music and Librivox early next year. Will PM you when I'm in a situation to get active again.

Thanks,

Dan

dvimont · Post by **dvimont** » August 13th, 2017, 5:03 am

Made one enhancement recently to the new website ( https://libexp.herokuapp.com/ ): When you click the "NEW" button, you will be shown the 120 most recently released audiobooks in the collection (instead of a measly 48).

Post by **kayray** » August 13th, 2017, 7:51 am

This is really cool and useful!

Is there a way to search?

Is there a way to filter group vs. solo?

dvimont · Post by **dvimont** » August 15th, 2017, 6:06 pm

kayray wrote:This is really cool and useful!

I'm glad you find it useful!!

kayray wrote:Is there a way to search?

My intention was to add a search bar in the header section, but alas, I ran out of time for this project. Since I'm now intensely engaged in a completely unrelated huge project for at least the next 3 to 4 months, the addition of a simple "search" facility (which would simply hand things off to Google for the search, just like the old Librivox Explorer on the desktop did) will have to wait. Sorry!

kayray wrote:Is there a way to filter group vs. solo?

Once again, this was on my "to do" list, but did not have time to implement it. Note that when you are presented with a grid of audiobooks after clicking on any of the category buttons from the main page, an icon is displayed to the left of each title, showing it to be solo (a single head icon) or a group work (three little heads icon).

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK!!