"Good intentions" for 2008 : New Year Resolutions

For 2008 my good intensions will focus on the subjects mentioned below.. Although many of the efforts will go into making and developing new tools for users from the library, the most important issue in 2008 will be, without a doubt, "being in contact": maintaining, improving and expanding a conversation between our users and library staff.

1. Expanding our range of Netvibes Widgets to other platforms. Offer Library Widgets as (re)search tools in various social networks, but also creating them inside our organisations intranet. Interoperability will be main target for our widgets. I have to find out how to how to build SharePoint widgets as well...
   
   
2. Building the Netvibes Universe into a Library Toolbox for sharing, instructions and tailor-made search and alerts options.
   
   
3. Integrating new communication tools in existing library services. We can not ignore cell phone technology and the massive growth of use amongst our users. Short text messages, and chat, but also Mobile webpages and search tools.
   
   
4. I think we wil try to create podcast and possibly even vodcast to enrich our course handouts, but also to give additional info to new resources & tools via short movies. Another possibilty would be to make recording of our courses to offer to contract partners and staff of affiliate hospitals.
   
   
5. I will keep on promoting the use of RSS and personal web start-page tools, but would really want to start something like Pennvibes inside our organisation.
   
   
6. The Library presence in Hyves will be more prominent. We will try and target UMCG departments, staff and students. I see Facebook as the most promising social network, but we must be prepared to take action in the new hospital website platform as well, towards possible patient groups as soon as they get the opportunity to interact with the hospital via the website.
   
   
7. The development of web-browser extensions will continue, mainly focussed on Firefox and the Grease-Monkey application. Alternative reference management software like Zotero will be explored.
   
   
8. Livetrix will be our main focus at the start of 2008. Special information meetings for larger groups will take place, among staff and students of the UMCG. We hope to closely work together with the Digital Library Department of the University Library of Groningen to make this most promising web 2.0 federated search tool even better.
   
   
9. Improvement and expanding the RUGLinks menu with a direct ordering technique is also one of our priorities. First we will try and create this from within Pubmed.
   
   
10. Virtual environments or Web3D developments will maintain our attention. Greater participation in Second Life in the Second Life Library project. Further development of HealthInfo Island, and exploring more possible benefits for the UMCG patient and staff community like educational, training, research, simulation and instructional use. My efforts will go also into expanding international cooperation and collaboration in creating quality health information services and into making them more widely available.
    
    

For now, this seems more than enough. Now, somebody, give me the time to do all this ... ;-)

Tags: widgets, gadgets, netvibes, social networks, igoogle, library, universe, mobile, cell phone, rss, personal start-page tools, hyves, livetrix, browser extensions, secondlife, virtual worlds, web3d