> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Greasemonkey, Silkworm and xISBN
- URL: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/greasemonkey-silkworm-and-xisbn/
- Published: 2005-06-19T23:09:44.000Z
- Updated: 2015-11-12T19:59:41.000Z
- Author: Lorcan Dempsey
- Tags: #MPOW, Systems

[![silkworm.png](https://www.lorcandempsey.net/content/images/wordpress/lorcan/silkworm-thumb.png)](/lorcand/lorcan/silkworm.png)[xISBN](https://www.oclc.org/research/researchworks/xisbn/default.htm?ref=lorcandempsey.net) is [another](https://blog.oclc.org/lorcand/archives/000695.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net) [web service](https://looselycoupled.com/glossary/web%20services?ref=lorcandempsey.net) we provide. It takes an ISBN of an item as input and returns ISBNs for other items in the same [work-set](https://www.oclc.org/research/projects/frbr/algorithm.htm?ref=lorcandempsey.net). So, it is a way of finding ISBNs for multiple editions, translations or other versions of the same work.  
It has proven to be [popular](https://outgoing.typepad.com/outgoing/2005/05/xisbn%5Fextension.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net) in several applications areas. For one that can be easily tried out at home, check out our [FRBR Bookmarklets](https://www.oclc.org/research/researchworks/bookmarklets/default.htm?ref=lorcandempsey.net).  
One of the parties to use it has been Talis in their Silkworm initiative. In particular, they have a [greasemonkey](https://greasemonkey.mozdev.org/?ref=lorcandempsey.net) application which takes an ISBN on a page, augments it with alternative ISBNs using xISBN, and then carries out other actions on the ISBNs. See the walkthrough demo \[[Silkworm Threadster](https://silkworm.talis.com/examples/index.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\] and a more general presentation \[[ppt](https://silkworm.talis.com/%5Fdownloads/pps/2005%5F05%5F14%5Fresearch%5Fday%5F008.pps?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\] – from which the above image is taken – discussing it.