Medical Library Tech Trends 2007

1. Cloud Architecture (Folksonomies and Tag Clouds)
The concepts of folksonomies and tagging will continue to affect the future growth of the Internet and Web services. The basic premise behind tagging is that users assign descriptors for a particular object (image, video, book, etc). This concept relies on the ‘wisdom of crowds’ which states that the combined knowledge of the ‘crowd’ is more accurate than any one particular expert. Tagging is essentially user based cataloging and that is enough to make even the most progressive cataloger cringe. However, there is an opportunity here to leverage the best of both worlds. Pairing the freedom of user based tags, with the structure of controlled vocabulary could help librarians understand user’s information discovery methods and at the same time, point users to more structured ontology will make for better cataloged records. After all, both librarians and users have a lot to learn from each other.

Links for more info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folksonomy
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_cloud
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

2. Collaboration Tools (Google docs, Zoho, etc)
Collaboration tools on the Web are quickly emerging as ways for groups of people to work together on a document regardless of their proximity or affiliation. Generally these tools do not require any special software, work in most browsers, and are free. Google docs and Zoho allows multiple people to work on word process and spreadsheets. For medical librarians this may help facilitate collaboration in professional organizations or situations where colleagues are not centrally located. For example, a group of ten energetic librarians working on the local chapters strategic planning document. In the past they might email a draft back and forth. If two librarians made a change at the same time, then someone would have to figure out where the documents differed and combine the two. Document version names could be unruly and unhelpful (stratplan.doc, stratplan2.doc, stratplan_bob.doc, stratplan10122006.doc, and stratplan10122006b.doc). These documents might be emailed back and forth amongst all of the members causing a great deal of confusion. Collaboration tools such as Google docs and Zoho allow for multiple people to access a document from a single location and automatically saves all versions of the document so that nothing is lost. There are also no constraints on software, although they can export to major formats such as Microsoft Word.

Links for more info
• http://www.google.com/google-d-s/intl/en/tour1.htm
• http://www.zoho.com/

3. Mashups
Mashups lie at the heart of the Web 2.0 movement. Basically a mashup is when one data source is combined with a second data source so that a tertiary product is created. If the source of data is open to the world, then often products are made that were never even conceived by the original producers of the data. There are many examples of this, but the some of the more common involve the use of Google maps and a different data source such as the mashup between Google Maps and CraigsList. What is exciting about this for medical libraries is the possibility of connecting to our cataloging, databases, or journals and combining them with Library services. Potentially this could produce tailored services to our patrons and user groups.

Links for more info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_(web_application_hybrid)
• http://pipes.yahoo.com/
• http://www.housingmaps.com

4. Open Source Software
The open source software movement has gained a lot of steam in the past few years. Off the shelf software is often limited to the amount of customization that is allowed. Today, open source software is not only free, but the code based is free as well. This means that programmers have access to the code and can alter it to specifically address user needs. Many open source projects are highly developed and supported by communities that care about the product. Look for more open source applications to be integrated with library services.

Links for more info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source
• http://sourceforge.net/

5. AJAX
AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. Why would you need to know that? AJAX represents a change in Web services that will have a dramatic impact on Internet users. Javascript was once a gimmicky language that let you run a picture slideshow or create mouse trails on your website. Today AJAX allows for a higher level of interaction between the user and the webpage. An example of this is Netvibes where users can alter and save the information displayed on the webpage. Real-time interaction with a webpage and the ability to modify and save that information is a huge move forward. Imagine a library homepage where users can login and customize what is displayed and where it is displayed. This is MyLibrary 2.0 and data could be gathered to help libraries develop more meaningful web interfaces.

Links for more info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_(programming)
• http://www.netvibes.com/

6. Electronic Medical Record
It is clear that the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) will have a significant impact on health care in the near future. What is unclear is the extent that library services will be integrated into the EMR. Certainly linkages between the EMR and library electronic resources will be important. Will literatures searches, consults, and other library services be made available? How can these resources be placed in the system so that they are at the point of need for the healthcare provider? I don’t know the answer to these questions, but I am sure that they will have a huge impact on our future.

Links for more info
• http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/
2005/07/24/EDGFVC9JFF1.DTL
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_medical_record
• http://dbmi.mc.vanderbilt.edu/trust/TRUST_for_patient_portals.pdf

7. Social Networks (MySpace, friendster, facebook)
MySpace, Facebook, and Friendster are examples of social networks that most librarians have heard of by this point. For many non-millennials these social networks may not represent a change in personal Web habits. However, how many medical and nursing students have MySpace or Facebook accounts? It is important for medical libraries to understand that these social networks are a means of communication and interaction for the millennial generation. In general, medical libraries have struggled to find useful ways to use of these sites to communicate with their patrons. From a larger perspective, is it appropriate for medical libraries create a Facebook or MySpace pages to communicate with their patrons. Or will this be seen as hooky attempt to “be cool”. Will this technology evolve into professional communities? Will there be a LibSpace community were library professionals connect and communicate with each other?

Links for more info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network
• http://www.myspace.com/
• http://www.facebook.com/
• http://www.friendster.com/

8. Streaming Media (YouTube, Podcasting, etc)
Both Podcasting and Youtube were buzz words in the 2006. Podcasting is already being integrated in many Library websites. Apple is partnering with iTunes to create iTunes University. YouTube has become the place where many Internet users begin to search for TV clips, music videos, almost anything that is video content. The lines between copyright and ownership are blurring. Many companies like Warner now allow mashups of user video content with their copyrighted music. Can libraries leverage the popularity and power of streaming media in 2007? This seems to have been on the library radar for several years now, but now the time seems ripe.

Links for more info
• http://www.apple.com/education/products/ipod/itunes_u.html
• http://news.digitaltrends.com/article11308.html

9. OS Wars
For years Microsoft Windows has dominated the computer market. However, recently Apple has dramatically increased its market share. Both companies have promising new products. For Microsoft there is the much anticipated new operating system Vista which is a huge shift from the XP OS. There is also a 2007 version of Office and a new tab-based Internet Explorer browser. Newer Apple Intel based computers can also run the Apple OS as well as Windows. Does mean ubiquitous computing for users in the future. Apple also made a huge splash by unveiling the iPhone at Macworld in January. The iPhone promises to be your iPod, smart phone, digital camera, and portable computing device. There is also a push by Apple to control your living room with iTV. The new Apple OS Leopard is said to be released in early 2007, but there is no exact date yet. What does all of this mean for medical libraries? Maybe not much in the short term, but certainly the technology that our users bring into their home will need to be supported for Library resources. One small impact that could affect medical libraries in the short term is the new file formats used in Office 2007. Older versions of Office need to have a compatibility pack download and installed to read the new format. Also, proxy servers, online journals, and CSS used on library websites could be impacted as libraries will need to consider and test for the new IE browser.

Links for More Info
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista
• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/suites/HA101757691033.aspx
• http://www.apple.com/macosx/leopard/index.html
• http://www.apple.com/iphone/

10. Second Life (avatars)
This may be a low impact on librarians, but a site that every librarian should be able to speak about to some degree. Second life is a Mass Multiplayer Online Roll Playing Game (MMORPG) although it is not ‘played’ like a game. Inside of Second Life users create digital lives where they can build houses, have jobs, interact with people, even spend money. It is an advanced form of Web 2.0. The interesting thing about Second Life is Info Island. Info Island is library that provides real library services like reference and book discussions. There is even a Medical Library.

Links for More Info
• http://infoisland.org/

Other things I wanted to add to my list but didn’t have room for:

• Expanse of Wireless Ubiquity (802.11 Wi-Fi, WiMAX, VOIP)
• Federation (IM, Searching)
• Visualization
• Mobile Web 2.0 devices
• Dynamic Programming Languages (Ruby and Groovy)
• Blu-Ray – HD-DVD