The Library in Your Pocket: Mobile Trends for Libraries

The Library in Your Pocket: Mobile Trends for Libraries Meredith Farkas Norwich University http://www.flickr.com/photos/williambrawley/4310319103/

What is a mobile device? <ul><li>Handheld computing device. </li></ul>http://userpages.umbc.edu/~nohe/Indicium/Ref/RUDI_KROLLOP.JPG

Types of mobile devices: PDA <ul><li>Personal Digital Assistant </li></ul><ul><li>Originally designed for organizing one’s appointments and contacts </li></ul><ul><li>Next most became able to connect to the web </li></ul><ul><li>Now, most are phones as well </li></ul><ul><li>Examples: Palm, iPhone, Blackberry, iPod Touch. </li></ul>

Types of mobile devices: Smartphone <ul><li>Mobile phone that also has computing functionality. </li></ul><ul><li>Many PDAs are also smartphones. </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/frerieke/4103923606/

Types of mobile devices: Web-enabled cell phone <ul><li>Smaller form factor, much smaller screen for browsing. </li></ul><ul><li>Most people who have </li></ul><ul><li>one don’t have a data plan </li></ul><ul><li>so don’t use web </li></ul><ul><li>functionality. </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/hendry/2270400837/

Ultra-mobile PCs, netbooks, smartbooks, etc. <ul><li>Very small PCs with full keyboards </li></ul><ul><li>Examples: EEE PC, Cloudbook, Dell Inspiron Mini Note, Lenovo IdeaPad </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/1877130857/

RIM iPhone Android Windows Mobile Symbian

Why should you care about mobile devices? <ul><li>4.1 billion SMS messages being sent daily </li></ul><ul><li>Over 276 million wireless users (source: CITA Wireless Industry Survey, 2009). </li></ul><ul><li>32% of Americans have used a cell phone or Smartphone to access the internet this year (source: Pew, April 2009). </li></ul><ul><li>The mobile device will be the primary connection tool to the internet for most people by 2020. (Source: Pew, Dec. 2008). </li></ul>

Why should you care about mobile devices? <ul><li>2009 NMC/Educause Horizon Report named mobile devices one of the major trends in education with an adoption horizon of one year or less. </li></ul><ul><li>More than half of undergraduates own an internet-capable mobile device (source: ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and IT, 2009) </li></ul><ul><li>94% of students send & receive text messages (source: Ball State University, 2009). </li></ul>

Where educational institutions stand <ul><ul><ul><li>Source: Educause. (2009). Spreading the Word: Messaging and Communications in Higher Education. http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EKF/EKF0902.pdf </li></ul></ul></ul>

Mobile Trends

The app boom <ul><li>Apps – programs for smartphones. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Games, productivity software, social networking clients, news clients, etc. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Some come pre-installed, most are downloaded from the Web. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Some free, many $$$ </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Apps built for individual mobile platforms (Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile, etc.). </li></ul><ul><li>Forecast: $1.6 billion in app sales for 2010 (Yankee Research Group, March 2010). </li></ul>

App bust on the way? <ul><li>HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript – offers the ability to run web applications regardless of O/S and without plugins </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Includes native support for video and other media. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Apple keeps a tight lid on what can and can’t be offered through the iTunes store. Some carriers have similar limits. </li></ul><ul><li>Google Voice app was rejected from the iTunes store, so Google bypassed them by making a web-based version using HTML5. </li></ul>

Mobile social software <ul><li>Three types </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Social software that can be used on mobile devices </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Social software designed primarily for mobile devices </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Social software specifically designed for mobile devices </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Most are location-aware </li></ul></ul></ul>

Twitter <ul><li>Microblogging – sharing information in 140 characters or less </li></ul><ul><li>People “follow” your Twitter feed and get updates of your news and that of their other friends chronologically </li></ul><ul><li>Hugely popular </li></ul><ul><li>Can use via web, cell phone, desktop apps, IM, etc. </li></ul>

2D Barcodes http://www.flickr.com/photos/clevercupcakes/3985603967/

2D Barcodes <ul><li>QR (Quick Response) codes – most common. </li></ul><ul><li>Microsoft entering barcode realm with Tag </li></ul><ul><li>Scan to access information or take action </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Pull up text content </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Dial a phone number or send a txt </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Pull up a web page </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Pulls up images or video </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Pulls up a poll or survey </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Need a QR code reader. </li></ul>

QR Codes <ul><li>View demo </li></ul><ul><li>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgyC8liCfg&NR=1 </li></ul>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/markcph/4427533643/

QR Codes <ul><li>Very big in Japan, growing in use in Europe. Not big in U.S. yet. </li></ul><ul><li>In U.S. mainly see on products, </li></ul><ul><li>sometimes museums. </li></ul><ul><li>Google is putting QR codes at </li></ul><ul><li>local businesses with link to the </li></ul><ul><li>business’ Google Place page. </li></ul>

QR code generators and readers <ul><li>Generators </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Kaywa http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>QR Stuff http://www.qrstuff.com/ </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>i-nigma http://www.i-nigma.com/personal/Create.asp </li></ul></ul>

<ul><li>Readers (multiplatform) </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Kaywa http://reader.kaywa.com/getit </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Quickmark http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/download.asp </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>i-nigma http://www.i-nigma.com/GetReader.asp </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Beetagg http://www.beetagg.com/ </li></ul></ul>

Location-aware mobile technologies <ul><li>Uses GPS, compass, RFID, etc. to determine where a user’s orientation to other people, places, things, etc. </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/psd/21055837/

RFID and mobile phones <ul><li>Allows devices to interact over short distances </li></ul><ul><li>iPhone 4G may be RFID-enabled </li></ul><ul><li>Use your phone as your library card, credit card, etc. </li></ul><ul><li>Interact with RFID-enabled objects http://vimeo.com/4147129 </li></ul>

Location-aware apps - Zillow <ul><li>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJfrdcbfXsc </li></ul>

Location-aware apps – Around Me

Location-aware apps – AAA Discounts

Location-aware apps - Loopt

Location-aware mobile games

Foursquare

Other location-aware mobile games <ul><li>Gowalla http://gowalla.com/ </li></ul><ul><li>Whrrl http://whrrl.com/ </li></ul><ul><li>MyTown http://www.booyah.com </li></ul>

Augmented Reality <ul><li>Blending data with what you see in the real world. </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/turkletom/4325703868/

Augmented reality: The future is here! <ul><li>http://commoncraft.com/augmented-reality-video </li></ul>http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotologic/3862190141/

Acrossair <ul><li>Lots of different apps built on top of this augmented reality browser (nearby tweets, New York Subway, nearby bars, etc.) </li></ul><ul><li>http://www.youtube.com/acrossair </li></ul>

Layar <ul><li>Allows developers to build layers of data on top of the live video on your phone. </li></ul><ul><li>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64_16K2e08 </li></ul>

Yelp

TwittAround <ul><li>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vbh7nHalCc&feature=player_embedded </li></ul>

Google Goggles

Other augmented reality tools <ul><li>Tat Augmented ID http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb0pMeg1UN0&feature=player_embedded </li></ul><ul><li>Lego store http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91fXp1P5aoY&feature=player_embedded </li></ul>

Library Services for Mobile Users

First, assess <ul><li>What mobile technologies do your patrons use? </li></ul><ul><li>How many access the web via a mobile device? Which one(s) are most prevalent? </li></ul><ul><li>What social technologies do your patrons use? </li></ul><ul><li>What library services would users actually want to use via a mobile device? </li></ul><ul><li>What library services can you make accessible via a mobile device? </li></ul>

Mobile Library Content

Library Website <ul><li>Questions to ask: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Do you create a separate mobile version of your site or just serve up a different style sheet based on the device? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Do you design for the most commonly-used smartphones or also design for web-enabled mobile devices (small screens)? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Do you use a detection algorithm to redirect mobile users to the mobile site or make them go to a separate URL? </li></ul></ul>

Design tips <ul><li>Break information into tasks and let users drill down to what they need (not too many clicks!). </li></ul><ul><li>Put most-used content at the top. </li></ul><ul><li>Minimize scrolling. </li></ul><ul><li>Icons and text links are better than either alone. </li></ul><ul><li>Shorten text to minimal amount needed. </li></ul><ul><li>Minimize the need to type whenever possible. </li></ul>

What to include on mobile website <ul><li>Depends on library and what users actually use. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Catalog search </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Databases/federated search if they have mobile interfaces </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Circ info (due dates, holds) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Room/computer reservations </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Reference info/widgets/forms </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Hours </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Links to useful mobile content </li></ul></ul>

Great mobile library websites

University of Minnesota

NCSU

Orange County Library System

Oregon State

Services to mobify your site <ul><li>Auto-generate device-specific versions of your existing website. </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Mobile Site Generator </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>MobileMicro (Mosio) </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Mobilizer from dotMobi </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>MyMobileWeb </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>HAWHAW </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Unity Mobile </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Google Mobile adapter </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Usablenet Assistive </li></ul></ul></ul>

Emulators/Simulators <ul><li>Allow you to view your page in various mobile browsers. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Opera mobile browser emulator , another Opera browser emulator </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>iPhone - iPhone developer kit </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Nokia </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Android </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Palm </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Windows Mobile </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Blackberry </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Mobi Emulator (multiplatform) </li></ul></ul>

Library apps <ul><li>Users can install and easily access specific library functions/info. </li></ul><ul><li>For smartphones. </li></ul><ul><li>A few examples </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Search IU (Indiana University) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Stanford iApps </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Harper County Public Library </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Adelphi University </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Rice University </li></ul></ul>

DC Public Library

University of Houston Libraries

Minuteman Library Network

Cornell University

Mobile catalog search <ul><li>WorldCat Local (Boopsie) </li></ul><ul><li>SirsiDynix (BookMyne) – for iPhone </li></ul><ul><li>III (AirPac) </li></ul><ul><li>Polaris (Mobile PAC) </li></ul><ul><li>LibraryThing (Library Anywhere) </li></ul><ul><li>Serials Solutions (Summon) – web-scale discovery </li></ul><ul><li>Build it yourself </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Create plain-text translation </li></ul></ul>

Content <ul><li>Here are some of the major vendors offering mobile interfaces: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>American Institute of Physics iResearch iPhone application </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>EBSCOhost Mobile </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Hoover's Mobile company information </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>IEEE XPlore </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Lexis/Nexis Get Cases and Shepardize </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>PubMed for Handhelds medical database </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Questia iPhone application (iTunes link) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Refworks Mobile </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Westlaw legal research database </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>EBL Ebook Library </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Google Books </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>OverDrive </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Safari Books Online </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Amazon Kindle for the iPhone (US Only) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Zotero </li></ul></ul>

Content: Special collections <ul><li>WolfWalk http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/wolfwalk/ </li></ul><ul><li>Duke Mobile Digital Collections http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHK3E4N7w6o </li></ul>

Content: Special Collections <ul><li>Use Flickr to show off historic photos </li></ul>

Content: Devices

Location-aware tools <ul><li>SmartLibrary (Oulu University, Finland) </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Map-based tool that helps users locate a specific bookshelf in the library. </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Mobile Oxford Portal (UK) </li></ul><ul><ul><li>“ Combines information from library catalogues with the location sensing incorporated into many mobile devices allowing users to find the nearest copy of a particular book.” </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Durham (UK) Technology-Enhanced Campus </li></ul><ul><ul><li>“ Using wireless technology to provide personalised and location-specific information to students within the campus area.” </li></ul></ul>

QR Codes <ul><li>Provide additional information on physical resources </li></ul><ul><ul><li>GeoHistorian Project http://www.rcet.org/dvcproject/geohistorian.html </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Read-alikes of popular books (Contra Costa County Library) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>QR codes in the stacks to take users to the mobile catalog (Columbus Metropolitan Library) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Historical images of buildings, locations, etc. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Pull up or bookmark a website with more info </li></ul></ul>

Augmented reality or RFID for mobiles <ul><li>Not happening in libraries yet. </li></ul><ul><li>Ideas </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Shows you what subjects are available on a particular bookshelf </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Scanning over a book takes you to a summary of the book and ratings/reviews </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Scanning over a device will bring up instructional content. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Going up to a journal will bring up the e-version </li></ul></ul>

Txt a call number

Txt a call number (cont’d) <ul><li>University of Bath and University of Huddersfield (UK) have QR codes in the catalog. </li></ul>

RSS to txt <ul><li>RSS feeds can be converted to SMS messages. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Library news </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Events (at different branches, for different populations) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>New books </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>New books in a specific subject or query </li></ul></ul>

Mobile Reference and Instruction

SMS reference <ul><li>Not limited by location (point of need) </li></ul><ul><li>Messages need to be short (150 characters or less) </li></ul><ul><li>Patrons may be charged for messages they send and receive </li></ul><ul><li>Only useful for brief transactions </li></ul><ul><li>IM reference can also be done on most smartphones (Mobile AIM, libraryh3lp, etc.) </li></ul>

Roving reference

Research Tips via SMS

Screencasts <ul><li>Movie taken of your desktop </li></ul><ul><li>Good for demonstrating library databases, website, etc. </li></ul><ul><li>Audio narration, captioning, highlighting, spotlighting, interactive components </li></ul><ul><li>Various export options (depending on software) </li></ul><ul><li>Example: http://library2.norwich.edu/guide/index.php/How_to_Use_Academic_Search_Premier </li></ul>

Podcasts <ul><li>MP3+RSS </li></ul><ul><li>Uses </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Research instruction </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Library/university/community news </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Book reviews </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Events </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Children’s stories </li></ul></ul>

Library tours UIUC Undergraduate Library Tour (iphone app)

http://library.duke.edu/support/renovation/tours.html

Instructional videos <ul><li>Library orientation video </li></ul><ul><li>How-to’s </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Use library equipment </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Get on the wireless </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Find things in the library </li></ul></ul>

QR Codes

http://splcen.blogspot.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5volt/2200733213/

http://hhhl.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/follow-the-code/

Other ideas for QR codes <ul><li>Send a text to the reference librarian </li></ul><ul><li>Library tours </li></ul><ul><li>Library scavenger hunts for orientation </li></ul>

Mobile Marketing

Twitter

Library announcements, news, events

Promote/recommend materials

Share relevant local info

Info for specific population

Interact with patrons

Librarians on Twitter <ul><li>Twitter is a great professional development and networking tool. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Build relationships with bright, tech-savvy librarians </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Learn about new resources </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Query the hive </li></ul></ul>

How to get a following on Twitter Be a filter for interesting info (link and retweet) Engage in conversation (@ people) Promote your content

QR Codes

Foursquare <ul><li>Add an entry for your library </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Tips </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>To-do lists </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Offer prizes for the most library visits (the Mayor) </li></ul>

Library promotions on foursquare http://www.flickr.com/photos/darienlibrary/4568096149/

Foursquare <ul><li>Add an entry for your library </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Tips </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>To-do lists </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Offer prizes for the most library visits (the Mayor) </li></ul><ul><li>Know who your power-users are and reach out to them via Twitter </li></ul><ul><li>Harvard: Encourage students to explore campus </li></ul><ul><li>UNC: Campus dining shares info via Foursquare </li></ul>

Foursquare business metrics

SMS Notifications <ul><li>News </li></ul><ul><li>Events </li></ul><ul><li>New books by subject </li></ul><ul><li>When a hold is available for pickup </li></ul><ul><li>Due dates/overdue notices </li></ul><ul><li>MUST BE OPT-IN! </li></ul>

Questions? Links and slides at http://meredithfarkas.wetpaint.com Gmail: mgfarkas Twitter/Flickr/FriendFeed/AIM: librarianmer