The UCD Mobile Library has seen achievements in providing a mobile app, mobile catalog, and QR codes to access information. Plans are to continue developing mobile access as over 50% of web access is from handheld devices by 2012. The mobile website focuses on essential information like hours, contacts, and the catalog. Statistics show mobile use is trending upward, though challenges remain in display issues and determining user needs from analytics. Future work will further analyze statistics to improve the mobile experience.

1. The Mobile Library at UCD:
Achievements & Plans
Samantha Drennan Josh Clark
Head of Library Information Technology Outreach Librarian
An Leabharlann, An Coláiste
UCD Library
Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath

2. Overview
• Achievements to date
• Plans… our approach
• Mobile Library website
• Statistics: Desktop v Mobile

3. Achievements
• UCD Mobile App
– Library Catalogue
– Map
– Open Hours
• Mobile Catalogue
• Mobile Web
• QR Codes
used to provide additional information on Library
services
• iPad for Library Roving Service

7. Connecting with our users…

8. Plans…
• Mobile devices are connecting everything
• In 2012 over 50% of all Web access was being done
via handhelds*
• Gartner predicts that by 2013 mobile phones will
overtake PCs as the most common Web access device
worldwide
• By 2015 over 80% of the handsets sold in mature
markets will be smartphones
• Mobile Strategy
• Continue to develop…
* Ericsson study

11. The Mobile Website
• 2010 – 2011: New library website
designed & implemented in a CMS
environment
• Chose to pare mobile version down
to essential information

12. The Essentials
– Opening hours
– Library branch info
– Contacts
– Assistance while in the Library (IT,
borrowing info)
– Off-campus access queries
– Visitor info
– News
– The Library Catalogue

15. Branding
•Impetus to have consistent look and
feel
•All web components to blend
generally with website scheme

17. Some Statistics
Pageviews
September 2011 – August 2012
mobile main homepage % mobile
homepage
15,423 829,215 1.8
October 2012
mobile main homepage % mobile
homepage
4,390 115,850 3.7

18. Pageviews – Opening Hrs
September 2011 – August 2012
mobile main website % mobile
9,740 47,229 17.1
October 2012
mobile main website % mobile
2,292 4,995 31.5

19. Total Mobile Visits
September 2011 – August 2012
Visits to ANY TOTAL visits % mobile
page from a
mobile device
19,787 630,409 3.14
October 2012
mobile main website % mobile
4,966 83,269 5.96

20. Statistics - conclusions
•A slight upward trend in mobile
access
•Some webpages well-used in this
environment (essential info)
•Need more analysis of statistics to
determine where our opportunities lie

21. Challenges
• The display issue
• Some pages are mirrored, some
not
• Branding
• Are mobile users making an
impact?

22. THANK YOU
Samantha Drennan
Head of Library
Information Technology
email: samantha.drennan@ucd.ie
Josh Clark
Outreach Librarian
email: joshua.clark@ucd.ie