Mobile technologies in libraries: information
sharing event 8 May 2012 #mlibs Barriers and challenges to accessing subscription e-content on mobile devices Alison McNab @AlisonMcNab Session hashtag: #MobiContent

Breakout sessions at UKSG 2012
Mobilising your e-content for maximum impact Context Ruth Jenkins & Alison McNab Publishers / Librarians / End-users 190 delegates signed up Barriers and challenges Introduction then delegate input: •Post-it pointsabove Examples of / Twitter •Themes •Discussionsession became focus group Breakout

What did the librarians think?

What did the librarians think?
 Access & authentication  Variety of different (off-campus / international)  devices  Content:  apps  discovery / discovery tools  interfaces  evaluation  versions  platforms  Both librarians and end-  Infrastructure issues users may need guidance -IT support and support  All need opportunities to  Integration evaluate and experiment  Licensing issues  Metrics?

Conclusions  “Phones too small,
tablets too expensive”  Separate apps for each publisher are a retrospective step  Who are the experts?  Responsive design  Optimal solution: a mobile website wrapped inside an app? See: J. Anderson & L. Rainie The Future of Apps and Web (Pew Internet: March 2012) http://bit.ly/KfE7F3

Thank you! Alison McNab De
Montfort University AMcNab@dmu.ac.uk #MobiContent