New Year’s resolutions for your databases
You’ve all probably been making lists or reading lists of new year’s resolutions that you should make, like get more sleep, eat less sweets, exercise more, but those are all about your personal life. What about your work life? What about your databases? The beginning of a new year is always a good time to consider making some changes and / or doing some clean up. Here are some suggestions from the Andornot Team:
- Consider a database make-over
- Expand the types of material that you include in your catalogue, e.g. add websites, YouTube videos, blog posts, etc.
- Go to the web.
- Expand your database selection – add databases for reference requests, a staff directory, FAQs, corporate archives
- Think about knowledge management – add more databases and get input from library staff and organization staff
- Think about retirement – upgrade or convert to a system that will be more future friendly for your replacement
- Get training
- Get outside help to assist with your make-over, going to the web, training, etc.
- Go outside the box, i.e. just don’t use the basic Inmagic query screens and forms – use ones from Andornot
- Add an RSS feed to your database
- Add a blog to your web site and link to records in your databases
- Add canned searches
- Add a onebox search for a quick search link to your databases from anywhere else on your website
- Consider making your databases mobile
- Consider OneSearch for searching multiple databases at the same time
- Change field labels from 2 letter ones (oh so ‘80s’) to full words
- Add full text fields for summaries, full text of imported documents, table of contents
- Switch to Genie if you are using an old Library Module system
- Consider a web hosting option if your IT folks cannot accommodate you
- Consider a content management system where you can add other content to your website and not have to rely on your organization’s webmaster to update your information
Just think about how much better your database can be. Contact Andornot if you like to consider any of the above options in 2011.