So why am I announcing this challenge?  I see this as an opportunity to share cool application ideas that will enhance a user’s product experience as well as increase the product’s return on investment by delivering content in a customized format.  I should also mention I have agreed to be one of the judges who would very much like to hear those creative ideas that we all think about and don’t have an opportunity to implement!

This post is really an invitation for librarians, information professionals, and interested users to put on their creative hat and think about what applications (apps) they might want to see developed that would support and enhance the search and discovery of information.

Elsevier recently announced this event entitled “Apps for Library Idea Challenge.” Take a moment to visit the site to learn about the prizes being offered but most importantly your idea could get built into a real app on SciVerse and ultimately change the way in which a user approaches his/her quest for “specific” published literature.

Participants are invited to submit their ideas for apps that would complement the SciVerse Hub (ScienceDirect, Scopus) and improve how one utilizes these resources to get more out of them including a better user experience and outcome.  

Selected app concepts will be shared at Apps for Library Idea Challenge  and open to feedback from peers and interested folks.  The finalists will be announced on September 26 with a comment period from this date until October 24.  The voting period would take place from October 17 until October 28.  The winners would be announced in November.  A panel of judges would select one winner and the community at large would vote to select the second winner! 

So let’s get started — Let the CHALLENGE begin!

Donna Gibson, Director of Library Services and Idea Challenge Judge