Paper Presented during International Conference on What’s next in libraries? Trends, Space, and partnerships held during January 21-23, 2015 at NIT Silchar, Assam. It is being jointly organized by NIT Silchar, in association with its USA partner the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

1. SMART MOBILE
(SMARTPHONE) AND ITS
IMPACT ON THE USE OF
LIBRARY RESOURCES
DR. CH. IBOHAL SINGH & LAITHANGBAM NEPOLEAN SINGH
DLIS, MANIPUR UNIVERISTY

2. SYNOPSIS
INTRODUCTION
PAST STUDIES
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDIES
SMARTPHONE AND MILLENNIAL GENERATION
METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE CHARECTERISTICS
MANEFISTATION
FINDING AND DICUSSION

3. INTRODUCTION
 Wireless communication has emerged as one of the fastest diffusing media
on the planet fuelling an emergent mobile youth culture
 ICT has made such an impact on society that most people won’t leave
home without their smartphone, this is why the most life-changing pieces
of technology for many has been the smartphone
 Smartphone has also evolved as the fastest ICT devices to penetrate
mankind.

4. PAST STUDIES
Some of the remarkable studies conducted in the recent past on the use of
smartphone in various dimension of library related activities and services
 Goh and Lewis (2008) studied about library services using SMS
 Choi (2008) discussed about the development and application of mobile
technologies in South Korea Library
 Woodcock,Middleton and Nortcliffe (2012), Paterson and Low(2011), Resse
(2011) all highlighted the use of smartphone by student in educational use
 Aharnony (2013) has talked about the need of inclusion of mobile
technologies, and emphases the importance of this issue to the future of
libraries in library and information programs

5. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are:
 To survey the user of Manipur University Library having Smartphone;
 To identify the Post-Graduate students and their information needs;
 To determine their mode of access to use library resources and
smartphone; and
 To ascertain the degree of use of library resources and smartphones by
them.

6. SMARTPHONE AND MILLENNIAL
GENERATION
 SMARTPHONE
an all-in one, portable device that combines the functions of a cell
phone with the functions of a computer and usually has an operating
systems or platforms. Or just a phone capable of Multitasking
 MILLENNIAL GENERATION
refers to the person which grew in the 1990’s and 2000’s generation

7. METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE
CHARECTERISTICS
 The study adopted a structurally designed questionnaire to collect the data. A total of
200 questionnaires were distributed to the entire post-graduate departments of
Manipur University.
 Data were collected during March to April 2014. A total of 162 out of 200 respondents
returned the questionnaires giving a response rate of 81%.
 Of the total 56.18 % are male and 43.82% are female, while 59.8% of the respondents
are 4th semester students the rest 40.12% are from 2nd semesters. The response
received from the 162 post-graduates student of Manipur University are analysed using
tables and charts.

8. MANIFESTATION
1. Need for information
The purposes of the information need by the targeted respondent are shown in table 1.It indicates that
93.82%of the respondents need information for updating their knowledge. While 53.08 % of the respondents
need the information for preparations of examination and 49.38%, for classroom learning. On the other
hand 26.62 %of the respondents feel need for information for recreations and entertainment
Sl.no Purpose of information need No of respondents %
A For updating knowledge 152 93.82
B For classroom learning 80 49.38
C For preparation of examination 86 53.08
D For writing assignment 49 30.24
E For recreation/entertainment 48 26.62
F For preparation of project 58 35.80
T

9. 2.Modes of accessing information resources
When the respondents were asked to indicate their modes of accessing to the
information resources, 92.69% are found to prefer internet followed by smartphone, with
90.12% respondents. Again 71.60% respondents prefer reading different information
sources, 62.96% and 53.08% of the respondents prefer radio and television and visit to
library and information centre respectively. The data collected are shown in the table 2
below N=162
+ Sl.no
Modes of Accessing Information No of
respondents.
%
a
Smartphone 146 90.12
b
Reading 116 71.60
c
Radio and Television 102 62.96
d
Internet 156 96.29
e
Visit to Library and Information centre 86 53.08

10. 3. Use of library resources
Regarding the use of the library resources, reference sources/books are found to be highest (86.41%)
followed by journals and newspapers 60.49% each, internet based resources 41.97% respectively.
Table 3and figure 2 below show the situation of the use of the resources. N=162
Sl.no
Library Resources No. of Respondent %
a Reference sources/books 140 86.41
b Journals 98 60.49
c Thesis/dissertation 30 18.51
d Newspaper 98 60.49
e Internet-based resources 68 41.97
f Any other (please specify) 2 1.23

11. 4 Service and facility of library
Concerning services and facilities of the library it is found that 89% of the respondent
enjoy the photocopy/reprography the most, reference service by 67%, assistances from
library staff by 45.67%, library catalogue 11.11%, OPAC by 9.25%, INLIBNET and Digital
Library Consortium by 8.02% of the respondents. The details of the respondents are
shown in the table. N=162
Sl.no
Services and facilities of library No of Respondent %
A
Assistances from the library staffs 74 45.67
B
OPAC 15 9.25
C
Photocopy/reprography 114 89
D
Library catalogue 18 11.11
E
Reference service 108 67
F
Internet service 80 49.38
G
INLIBNET and Digital Library Consortium 13 8.02
H
Any other 3 1.85

12. 5 Use of Smartphone
All the users under the study use smartphone for different purposes as table
below shows. N=162
Sl.no Use of Smartphone Responses %
a Yes 162 100%
b No 0 0
Total 0% 100%

13. 6 Different Operating Systems of Smartphone
In here , it indicates the different Operating System (OS) of Smartphone used by the
respondents. The study reveals that maximum students use android, i.e. 59.3% of the total
respondents, followed by windows phone by 17.9 %, while 9.26% use Symbian, Asha by
7.41%, apple iOS by 3.09% and BlackBerry by 1.85% respectively. Table 6 indicates the
truth of the same. N=162
Sl.no Smartphone OS Respondent %
a Android 96 59.3%
b Window 29 17.9 %
c Asha 12 7.41%
d Symbian 15 9.26%
e Blackberry 3 1.85%
f Apple iOS 5 3.09%
g Any other 2 1.23%
Total 162 100

14. 7 Use of Smartphone for educational purpose
It is quite remarkable that cent percent of the smartphone users use the
devices for educational purpose also as the table below indicates. N=162
Sl.no Use of Smartphone for educational purpose Indications %
a Yes 162 100%
b No 0 0
Total 0% 100%

15. 8 Influence of smartphone on the use of library resources
Here In the table , it shows that 82.12% of the respondents consider that smartphone
influences to some extend on the use of the library resources followed by 16.7% to a great
extent. N=162
Sl.no Influence of smartphone on library resources indications %
a To a great extent 27 16.7%
b To some extent 133 82.12%
c Not at all 2 1.18%
Total 162 100%

16. 9 Smartphone and visit to library
When the users were asked if smartphone helps them from not visiting the
library, the response is quite remarkable as 52%, is in a favour of the preposition
.this indicates the truth that smartphone can be used as educational tool by
the respondents. Here table 9 below shows the situation. N=162
Can smartphone help, from not visiting the library Indications %
Yes 85 52%
No 77 48%
Total 162 100%

17. 10 Influence on meeting information needs
More than half of the respondents, i.e. 53.70 % agreed that smartphone helps
them to a great extent. Table below shows the fact which proves the influence
of the devices on meeting the information needs. N=162
Sl.no Level of use of smartphone indications %
a To a great extent 87 53.70%
b To some extent 75 46.30%
c Not at all 0 0
Total 162 100%

18. 11 Smartphone vs. library resources: feasibility analysis
From the table below, it is found that 76.54% of the respondent accepted
that smartphone is more feasible than library to get information while 23.46%
respondent choose library. This is a remarkable situation to be noted. N=162
Sl.no Smartphone vs. library resources: feasibility analysis indications %
a Through smartphone 124 76.54%
b Through library 38 23.46%
Total 162 100%

19. 12 Frequency of library visit after using smartphone
More than half of the respondents i.e. 56.17% consider that after using smartphone
library visit has been reduced, 9.26% stated that visit to library increase after using
smartphone. 34.56% answered that, there is no difference in the visit of library even after
using smartphone. The study clearly indicates that after using smartphone more than half
of the number of students are reduced in visiting library. N=162
Sl.no
Frequency of library visit after using
smartphone.
No of respondent %
a Increased 15 9.26%
b Reduced 91 56.17%
c Not different 56 34.56%
Total 162 100%

20. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
 Post-graduate students of Manipur University need information for updating their knowledge and they
use internet via smartphone and by reading different information sources.
 All the respondents were found to use their library. They use smartphone for their educational purpose
while 82.12% responded that smartphone influence the use of library resources and 52% responded that
using smartphone can help them from not visiting the library. 75.54% i.e. ¾ of the respondents are
satisfied with the smartphone in meeting their information needs.
 A good number of respondents i.e. 83.95% use educational applications on their smartphone to a great
extent, 16.05% to some extent.
 Again 43% of the respondents opined that both smartphone and library resources are equally useful,
while 25.31% consider smartphone as supplementary to library resources and 19.13% of them preferred
smartphone over library resources, whereas 11.73% preferred library resources more than smartphone.
 The study further indicates that after using smartphone more than half of the respondents, i.e. 56.17 are
reluctant to visit in the library, 9.26% of them increased the visit and 34.56% are found using both library
and smartphone equally to meet their needs.

21. CONCULSION
 Smartphone is considered to be the fast spreading technology to penetrate mankind. Like
internet, smartphone is also a vast ocean of information pertaining to almost all the subjects.
 The present study indicates that, almost all the respondents use smartphone and its
applications, in their academic purpose to enhance their higher education. The study also
indicates that most of the respondents prefer smartphone than library resources as it is fast
and precise.
 In recent years, smartphone has emerged as a powerful educational tool. Presently we are
living in knowledge society where information is the vital key. The study also reveals that both
smartphone and library resources are used by the students, so library needs to consider
smartphone as an integral part of library.
 Use of advanced technology would continue to increase among the information seekers
particularly the students in higher education. In this perspective M-library and library
applications of smartphone need to be introduced to attract the users

22. “
”
THANK YOU
L.NEPOLEAN SINGH
DLIS, MANIPUR UNIVERISTY
goldzild@yahoo.co.in