1. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a computing device having a processor and a memory perform a method for generating references to online content items in a web-browsing application, the method comprising: receiving a search query in the web-browsing application; presenting a plurality of online content items associated with the search query; receiving a first preference indicator associated with a first one of the plurality of online content items; generating a first reference to the first one of the plurality of content items associated with the preference indicator; storing the first reference in association with a virtual workspace, wherein the virtual workspace is accessible from a plurality of applications other than the web-browsing application; generating one or more representations of the first reference, wherein at least one of the one or more representations includes resized images of an original picture, reformatted pictures that use a less-memory-intensive file format, thumbnail images of standard format and size, or thumbnail images specifically suited to the individual reference; generating a display area in association with the web-browsing application, the display area presenting the one or more representation of the first reference; subsequent to generating the display area in association with the web-browsing application, receiving a request from a target software application other than the web-browsing application that access to the virtual workspace is desired, wherein the request is automatically received upon initiation of the target software application; and recalling the display area generated in association with the web-browsing application and presenting the display area in association with the target software application, wherein a user is able to interact with the one or more representations while utilizing the target software application.