Tools & Widgets
In order to support scientists and scholars in creating and re-using research information and making it accessible, SURFshare encourages the development of “widgets” for them.
Widgets are small applications that a researcher/scholar can place on his/her desktop or dashboard for use in his/her daily work environment. SURFshare aims to provide widgets that scientists and scholars can use to call up specific information associated with publications, data, and/or experts in their discipline. The widgets take the information primarily from repositories and other open access sources, providing easy access to them, perhaps with links.
In April 2009, SURFshare invited computer science students to help develop widgets (for more information, go to www.surffoundation.nl/widgetwedstrijd).
Another tool which is being developed is the 'expert finder'. This searches for experts based on a text output.