Forming your own regional support group

Do you want to form a support group for Greenstone users in your own country or region? Here are some activities you might consider.


 * Build a network of institutions in your region that are using Greenstone
 * Introduce Greenstone awareness and capacity building in the library and information science training programmes in the region
 * Exploit and encourage any existing support networks
 * Set up a website for Greenstone promulgation and support
 * Start an email list that provides regional support and help for Greenstone users in your own language (use the main Greenstone mailing list as a backup for difficult questions)
 * Undertake an inventory of Greenstone experts and collections in the region, and maintain it on the website
 * Organize a survey of existing and potential needs for Greenstone by institutions in the region
 * Consider a feasibility study of a regional Greenstone support organisation, identifying the human resources, equipment, financial and other operational requirements for its establishment and including a detailed implementation plan (business plan, implementation schedule and institutional/governance mechanisms)
 * Organize a meeting of Greenstone experts and potential sponsors in the region to discuss, modify as appropriate and adopt the feasibility study
 * Arrange to get the Greenstone interface translated into local languages.

It may be possible for you to obtain external funding for some of these activities. However, it should be clear from the outset that the Greenstone team has no sources of funding for this kind of thing in New Zealand, although we could certainly write a supporting letter if you were contemplating applying for external funding.