psql: Is it possible to run a query from a *sql file?

[Running PG 7.4.7-5 on GNU-Linux Debian Sarge]

Hi all,
I'm wondering if it is possible to run a query from a .sql file, so as
to automate certain searches from console.
I've been unsuccessfully trying something like this simple one:

------------
\! echo "insert key: ";read key; export $key;
SELECT autore, titolo, editore FROM bibl WHERE autore like '%[$key]%'
------------

Most likely the answer is 'no', as psql is an 'interactive'
application.
There seems to be no communication between the shell (where you digit
the key) and psql: the key vanishes somewhere ... ;(

Regards,
    Ennio

BTW: Somebody knows where does pgaccess store its queries?

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