The document discusses the importance of mobile technologies in libraries, outlining the skills and knowledge needed by m-librarians, including IT skills, user focus, and familiarity with mobile software. It highlights various mobile library services and content, such as e-books and QR codes, while emphasizing the need for high-impact, low-cost solutions. The document also suggests utilizing free resources and adapting to user needs, presenting examples of successful mobile implementations in various libraries.

1. Experimenting with mobile
technologies in libraries
Jo Alcock
@joeyanne

2. Why should you get serious
about mobile web?
2011 even moreso!

4. What skills do m-librarians need?
• IT Skills
• Personal traits
• User focus
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Research and development
Kate Davis and Prof. Helen Partridge at #mlib11

5. What knowledge does an m-librarian need?
• Different mobile devices
• Basics of using mobile
software
• QR codes
• Location services
• Augmented reality

6. Mobile technologies in libraries
• Library content on mobile
devices (books, articles)
• Library services from
mobile devices (enquiries,
statistics, collection
management, circulation)
• Mobile specific content/
services (location services,
QR codes, augmented
reality)

7. Library content on
mobile devices
E-books, electronic articles, digitised materials...

15. Library services from
mobile devices
Enquiry support, finding resources, circulation,
collecting statistics, room booking...

16. SMS
enq
uiries
State Library of Ohio

17. SMS
tips
University of Huddersfield Library

18. Mob
cata ile
logu
e
Keele University Library

19. Rov
enq ing
uirie
s
University of Warwick Library

20. Mob
circ ile
ulat
ion
DC Public Library

21. Loa
mob ning
ile d
evic
es
Creekview High School Library

22. Col
libra lectin
ry s g
tatis
tics
University of Warwick Library

23. Col
libra lectin
ry s g
tatis
tics
North Carolina State Library

24. Other experiments
• Room booking by mobile (incorporating QR
code outside room to check availability and
book if free)
• Paperless online weeding (using iPad in the
stacks to colour code stock as "dusty" and
withdraw from catalogue if necessary)

25. Mobile specific
content/services
QR codes, location services, augmented reality

26. London School of Economics Library

27. Charles Darwin University Library

28. The Wallace Center/Rochester Institute of Technology

29. Staffordshire University Library

30. University of Huddersfield Library

31. University of Bedfordshire Library

32. Delaware District County Library

33. Aberystwyth University Library

34. University of Bedfordshire Library

35. Oak Park Public Library

36. University of Warwick Library

37. University of Sheffield

38. Miami University, Ohio

39. Great, but...
=

40. Some of this doesn't cost money!
• QR codes
• Location apps (e.g.
Foursquare, SCVNGR)
• Barcode scanning apps
• Open source software
• Some mobile OPACs*
• Refworks/EBSCO*
*free with existing subscriptions

41. What do we need to do?

42. What do users want?
Charles Darwin University Library

43. Points to take away
• Aim for high impact, low cost
• Don't over invest
• Utilise free resources
• Animoto (video creation)
• bit.ly (URL shortener with
statistics)
• ZBar (barcode reader)
• Kaywa (QR code generator)
• Be flexible and adaptable to user's
needs

44. Resources available:
http://www.delicious.com/tag/cofhemobapps