Mobile phones and libraries: experimenting with the technology Kate Robinson: Head of Academic Services, University of Bath

1. QR codes and their applications
for libraries
Kate Robinson
University of Bath Library

2. Will students do anything for
chocolate?
Will students do anything
for chocolate?

3. Who is using QR codes?

4. ‘Big in Japan’ but what about Bath?
• 12-15% are aware of
them
• 2% have used them
• 92% have a camera
phone

5. It lets you jump between the
physical & the virtual

6. Art?

7. How to use QR codes
QR Code Reader
• you may have a QR Code Reader
already installed
• or, you can install a free one by
searching online for QR Code
Reader and the make/model of
your phone
Make your own codes with a
Mobile Code Generator
• select the content type you need,
i.e., a web site
• enter the information, i.e.,
http://www.bath.ac.uk
• click on Generate
• save the QR code as an image to
your machine

8. Playing (with technology)
• JISC bid/money
• Seeded conversations
• Generated ideas
• Created opportunities

9. Ideas for Library use
Linking:
• floorplans to podcasts
• Subject Librarians
offices/business cards to
webpages
• information literacy
events to timetable
information/resources
• catalogue records/class
numbers to your phone

10. The technical bit
“It’s a doddle to add”

14. Lessons learnt
• Motivating
• Supporting
• Evaluating

15. What Next?

16. More on QR
CSI clip:
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P-
DntIQi2e8
Educase reports:
net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI70
46.pdf
www.educause.edu/ELI/2009Horizon
Report/163616
Andy Ramsden’s blog:
blogs.bath.ac.uk/qrcode/
Using & creating your own:
www.bath.ac.uk/barcodes/

17. No – but that
means there’s
some left over
for the
Librarians…