“Using Mobile Devices FOR Research.” (Cover story). Online. May 2010; 34(3):14-18. Peer Reviewed.
Originally published in Online. Republished here with permission.
Presented as a webcast for Western New York Library Resources Council on April 6, 2011.
Presented as a webcast for METRO on Aug 16, 2010.
Given as a webinar for Nylink Feb 19, 2010.
Presented at the Long Island Library Resources Council November 16, 2009.
Presented at the Law Library Association of Greater New York (LLAGNY) on May 1, 2009.
Previous version presented at NEASIS&T Mobile Mania, November 5, 2008.
Presented as a webcast for Western New York Library Resources Council on April 6, 2011.
Presented as a webcast for METRO on Aug 16, 2010.
Given as a webinar for Nylink Feb 19, 2010.
Presented at the Long Island Library Resources Council November 16, 2009.
Presented at the Law Library Association of Greater New York (LLAGNY) on May 1, 2009.
Previous version presented at NEASIS&T Mobile Mania, November 5, 2008.
Enhancing the Usability of Library System at CSIBER using QR Codeiosrjce
IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering (IOSR-JCE) is a double blind peer reviewed International Journal that provides rapid publication (within a month) of articles in all areas of computer engineering and its applications. The journal welcomes publications of high quality papers on theoretical developments and practical applications in computer technology. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and high quality technical notes are invited for publications.
Designing and deploying mobile user studies in the wild: a practical guideKaren Church
This tutorial was presented as part of Mobile HCI 2012 in San Francisco on the 19th September 2012. The tutorial aims to provide a practical guide to conduct mobile field studies based on the learning outcomes of the research I've been involved in while working as a Research Scientist in Telefonica Research, Barcelona. I cover how to design effective mobile field studies, the importance of mobile prototyping, the impact of various design choices on the study setup and deployment, how to engage participants and how to avoid ethical and legal issues. I've also tried to include listings of useful resources for those who are interested in conducting mobile field studies of their own.
More details: http://mm2.tid.es/mhcitutorial/
Karen Church
Research Scientist
Telefonica Research
www.karenchurch.com
@karenchurch
lecture presented by Chito N. Angeles for the 2nd Marina G. Dayrit Lecture Series 2014 on "Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers" on July 10, 2014 during the 18th Philippine Academic Book Fair at SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Cyberbullying, or humiliating and slandering people through Internet, has been recently noticed as a serious social problem disturbing mental health of Internet users. In Japan, to deal with the problem, voluntary members of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) manually read through the Web to spot cyberbullying entries. To help PTA members in their uphill task we propose a novel method for automatic detection of malicious contents on the Internet. The method is based on a combinatorial approach resembling brute force search algorithms with application to language classification. The method extracts sophisticated patterns from sentences and uses them in classification. We tested the method on actual data containing cyberbullying provided by Human Rights Center. The results show our method outperformed previous methods. It is also more efficient as it requires minimal human effort.
Mobile Search: A Force to be Reckoned With!Karen Church
This invited talk was given at ECIR 2013 Industry Day in Moscow on the 27th March 2013. The talk was on the topic of mobile search, a research area I've devoted the past 10 years to.
Recently the world has witnessed a revolution in terms of mobile web and mobile search usage. Mobile phones, once deemed as simple communications devices, now provide mobile users with access to a wealth of online content, anytime and anywhere. In 2012, the increasing presence of mobile devices caused desktop search to decline for the first time ever; a level of growth that simply cannot be ignored.
My aim is to take a nostalgic look back at the simple beginnings of mobile search and discuss how, why and in what ways mobile search has evolved over the past 8-10 years. I highlight patterns of mobile search usage and show how they not only differ from desktop search, but they are continually evolving. And instead of taking a single, data-centric viewpoint of mobile search, I also discuss user-centric studies, highlighting the unique needs, intents and motivations of mobile searchers. Finally, I share some thoughts about where mobile search is heading, the challenges that lie ahead and discuss some of the factors that I think are important when it comes to enriching the future search experiences of mobile users.
Karen Church
Research Scientist
Telefonica Research
www.karenchurch.com
@karenchurch
Use and Impact of Electronic Journals on the Users of VIT University, Vellore...inventionjournals
Today availability of e-resources in a university library is very common. They serve more than repositories for repositories for materials and knowledge and they are of an access point to acquiring knowledge and skills. But their proper and maximum use is a matter for discussion. Periyar EVR Central Library in VIT University subscribes to a number of electronic journals to satisfy the information needs of its users. The present study examines the existence of various e-resources and services are available at Periyar EVR Central Library in VIT University. The study also highlights different types of electronic resources used by students and faculty, the purposes and frequency of using electronic resources and the problems faced by the users while accessing and using the electronic resources in the library.
Implications of a Mobile Computing World for Academic Libraries and Their UsersRobin M. Ashford, MSLIS
2013 Snezek Library Leadership Institute - Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA - July 19, 2013 - Co-presented with GFU Dean of Libraries, Merrill Johnson.
This presentation provides an overview of how Chemistry available on Mobile Services is changing. The presentation focuses on Apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with some exposure of Android applications.
The presentation gives an overview of the concept of mobile apps, the use of the mobile app in different library services and few choices of mobile apps used in library and information services. EasyBib, LibAnywhere, ArticleSearch, ePRINTit
Mobile app, Reference Manager Mobile Apps and Home library apps are some of the mobile apps available for library and information services. To boost library service, the library and information professionals should acquire knowledge and skills to utilise these kinds of apps and should introduce them to their patrons.
Enhancing the Usability of Library System at CSIBER using QR Codeiosrjce
IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering (IOSR-JCE) is a double blind peer reviewed International Journal that provides rapid publication (within a month) of articles in all areas of computer engineering and its applications. The journal welcomes publications of high quality papers on theoretical developments and practical applications in computer technology. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and high quality technical notes are invited for publications.
Designing and deploying mobile user studies in the wild: a practical guideKaren Church
This tutorial was presented as part of Mobile HCI 2012 in San Francisco on the 19th September 2012. The tutorial aims to provide a practical guide to conduct mobile field studies based on the learning outcomes of the research I've been involved in while working as a Research Scientist in Telefonica Research, Barcelona. I cover how to design effective mobile field studies, the importance of mobile prototyping, the impact of various design choices on the study setup and deployment, how to engage participants and how to avoid ethical and legal issues. I've also tried to include listings of useful resources for those who are interested in conducting mobile field studies of their own.
More details: http://mm2.tid.es/mhcitutorial/
Karen Church
Research Scientist
Telefonica Research
www.karenchurch.com
@karenchurch
lecture presented by Chito N. Angeles for the 2nd Marina G. Dayrit Lecture Series 2014 on "Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers" on July 10, 2014 during the 18th Philippine Academic Book Fair at SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Cyberbullying, or humiliating and slandering people through Internet, has been recently noticed as a serious social problem disturbing mental health of Internet users. In Japan, to deal with the problem, voluntary members of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) manually read through the Web to spot cyberbullying entries. To help PTA members in their uphill task we propose a novel method for automatic detection of malicious contents on the Internet. The method is based on a combinatorial approach resembling brute force search algorithms with application to language classification. The method extracts sophisticated patterns from sentences and uses them in classification. We tested the method on actual data containing cyberbullying provided by Human Rights Center. The results show our method outperformed previous methods. It is also more efficient as it requires minimal human effort.
Mobile Search: A Force to be Reckoned With!Karen Church
This invited talk was given at ECIR 2013 Industry Day in Moscow on the 27th March 2013. The talk was on the topic of mobile search, a research area I've devoted the past 10 years to.
Recently the world has witnessed a revolution in terms of mobile web and mobile search usage. Mobile phones, once deemed as simple communications devices, now provide mobile users with access to a wealth of online content, anytime and anywhere. In 2012, the increasing presence of mobile devices caused desktop search to decline for the first time ever; a level of growth that simply cannot be ignored.
My aim is to take a nostalgic look back at the simple beginnings of mobile search and discuss how, why and in what ways mobile search has evolved over the past 8-10 years. I highlight patterns of mobile search usage and show how they not only differ from desktop search, but they are continually evolving. And instead of taking a single, data-centric viewpoint of mobile search, I also discuss user-centric studies, highlighting the unique needs, intents and motivations of mobile searchers. Finally, I share some thoughts about where mobile search is heading, the challenges that lie ahead and discuss some of the factors that I think are important when it comes to enriching the future search experiences of mobile users.
Karen Church
Research Scientist
Telefonica Research
www.karenchurch.com
@karenchurch
Use and Impact of Electronic Journals on the Users of VIT University, Vellore...inventionjournals
Today availability of e-resources in a university library is very common. They serve more than repositories for repositories for materials and knowledge and they are of an access point to acquiring knowledge and skills. But their proper and maximum use is a matter for discussion. Periyar EVR Central Library in VIT University subscribes to a number of electronic journals to satisfy the information needs of its users. The present study examines the existence of various e-resources and services are available at Periyar EVR Central Library in VIT University. The study also highlights different types of electronic resources used by students and faculty, the purposes and frequency of using electronic resources and the problems faced by the users while accessing and using the electronic resources in the library.
Implications of a Mobile Computing World for Academic Libraries and Their UsersRobin M. Ashford, MSLIS
2013 Snezek Library Leadership Institute - Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA, USA - July 19, 2013 - Co-presented with GFU Dean of Libraries, Merrill Johnson.
This presentation provides an overview of how Chemistry available on Mobile Services is changing. The presentation focuses on Apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with some exposure of Android applications.
The presentation gives an overview of the concept of mobile apps, the use of the mobile app in different library services and few choices of mobile apps used in library and information services. EasyBib, LibAnywhere, ArticleSearch, ePRINTit
Mobile app, Reference Manager Mobile Apps and Home library apps are some of the mobile apps available for library and information services. To boost library service, the library and information professionals should acquire knowledge and skills to utilise these kinds of apps and should introduce them to their patrons.
This presentation was given at #ICIC2011
While the internet has been revolutionizing our access to data and information via our computers, computers have been miniaturizing to the point where a smart phone offers capabilities that many desktops could not deliver less than a decade ago. Mobile browser technology and app-based delivery for software has now delivered into our hands further access to data via phones, pads and tablets. Whether it be in the form of chemical calculators, accessing publishers websites or public domain databases containing millions of chemical structures, mobile chemistry is here and is expanding in capability and coverage at a dramatic rate. This presentation will review the status of mobile devices and how they are being used to enable chemists.
Mobile devices are now mainstream handheld computers providing access to computational power and storage that a decade ago was available only on desktop computers. In terms of chemistry informatics the majority of capabilities that were previously found only on desktop computers is fast migrating to mobile devices making use of the combination of powerful visualization capabilities, fast cloud-based calculations, websites optimized for the mobile platforms, and delivering “apps”. This presentation will provide an overview of how access to chemistry continues to be made increasingly mobile and specifically on how the Royal Society of Chemistry is contributing to this computing environment.
State of the Mobile Landscape: Mobile Literacy and What It Means for Libraries Robin M. Ashford, MSLIS
Laura Zeigen, Oregon Health & Science University and Robin Ashford, George Fox University - Online NW 2012 Conference: http://www.ous.edu/onlinenw/2012/program.html (Full report link on last slide)
Description:
Mobile technologies are having a growing impact in libraries. Ebsco, Gale, WorldCat Local, and many other vendors are developing for the mobile market. We are in a period of transition; some libraries are providing extensive mobile services, while others are deciding where to begin. Librarians are developing mobile literacy skills to better serve users. Join us as we explore mobile in libraries, including results from a Pacific Northwest public and academic libraries mobile climate survey.
Kay Munro and Rosemary Stenson's breakout session on developing a mobile strategy for the library (based on their experiences at University of Glasgow).
American Association of Law Libraries 2010 annual meeting program J-2. This is part one. See co-presenter Jason Eiseman's portion here: http://www.slideshare.net/jeiseman/going-mobile-aall-mobile-apps-presentation.
Foresight strategies presented at the Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference in New Hampshire by Joe Murphy librarian and futurist December, 2015.
From a librarian to a foresight manager, Joe Murphy shares methods for planning the future through strategic foresight.
Joe Murphy's opening talk for the European Innovative Users Group meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland June 16 2014 at Queen Margaret University
Joe Murphy is a futurist. Joe spoke as a librarian working as Director of Library Futures with Innovative Interfaces.
Keynote in Pretoria, South Africa by Joe Murphy Librarian Futurist about tech trends, library futures, and questions to get through the noise to explore the impact.
Joe Murphy is a librarian and a futurist with experience in Yale Science Libraries, as Director of Library Futures for a software company, and later as a degreed futurist with an MS in Foresight and MBA.
My "distinguished speaker" presentation for the global online Library 2.013 conference.
"Library Futures & Tech Directions"
By Joe Murphy, Librarian. Director, Library Futures at Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
Joe Murphy, Librarian, Libraryfuture. Resume / concise CV.
This brief CV for Joe Murphy can be supplemented by the full version http://www.slideshare.net/joseph.murphy/cv-joe-murphy
“Refining Mobile Library Services.” My introduction to a Special issue of The Reference Librarian (volume 53, 3) dedicated to papers from the 4th Handheld Librarian conference held February 2011. Preprint. http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wref20/53/4
“Technology Trends.” Keynote by Joe Murphy for the Library 2.012 Worldwide Virtual Conference, a global conference spanning time zones and languages. October 3, 2012.
I spoke about “Transparent Tech Trends of 2012” for the Indiana Library Federation’s Reference Division Conference (with its conference theme of Tech Trends in Libraries: Seeing the Forest for the Trees.) on August 7, 2012 at the Noblesville Branch of the Hamilton East Public Library in Indianapolis, Indiana.
"60 Apps in 60 Minutes Redux: The Next 60 Apps You Need To Know."
Spotlight Session at the Special Libraries Association SLA 2012 conference in Chicago, update to last year's wildly successful session.
Co-presented with Scott Brown.
Featured presentation I gave about Surviving Rapid Tech Change at the Alabama Library Convention in Birmingham/Hoover, Alabama on April 26, 2012.
Program Description:
Libraries are constantly inundated with new technologies. This session covers the top tech areas to watch so we can be librarian rock stars in the information arena. Hear about the most important tech trends, how they are impacting libraries and the services that we provide, and how to implement them right away. Explore the current transformational trends in digital content and information access as we provide access to all.
Pushing the limits of ePRTC: 100ns holdover for 100 daysAdtran
At WSTS 2024, Alon Stern explored the topic of parametric holdover and explained how recent research findings can be implemented in real-world PNT networks to achieve 100 nanoseconds of accuracy for up to 100 days.
Communications Mining Series - Zero to Hero - Session 1DianaGray10
This session provides introduction to UiPath Communication Mining, importance and platform overview. You will acquire a good understand of the phases in Communication Mining as we go over the platform with you. Topics covered:
• Communication Mining Overview
• Why is it important?
• How can it help today’s business and the benefits
• Phases in Communication Mining
• Demo on Platform overview
• Q/A
Maruthi Prithivirajan, Head of ASEAN & IN Solution Architecture, Neo4j
Get an inside look at the latest Neo4j innovations that enable relationship-driven intelligence at scale. Learn more about the newest cloud integrations and product enhancements that make Neo4j an essential choice for developers building apps with interconnected data and generative AI.
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
Climate Impact of Software Testing at Nordic Testing DaysKari Kakkonen
My slides at Nordic Testing Days 6.6.2024
Climate impact / sustainability of software testing discussed on the talk. ICT and testing must carry their part of global responsibility to help with the climat warming. We can minimize the carbon footprint but we can also have a carbon handprint, a positive impact on the climate. Quality characteristics can be added with sustainability, and then measured continuously. Test environments can be used less, and in smaller scale and on demand. Test techniques can be used in optimizing or minimizing number of tests. Test automation can be used to speed up testing.
Essentials of Automations: The Art of Triggers and Actions in FMESafe Software
In this second installment of our Essentials of Automations webinar series, we’ll explore the landscape of triggers and actions, guiding you through the nuances of authoring and adapting workspaces for seamless automations. Gain an understanding of the full spectrum of triggers and actions available in FME, empowering you to enhance your workspaces for efficient automation.
We’ll kick things off by showcasing the most commonly used event-based triggers, introducing you to various automation workflows like manual triggers, schedules, directory watchers, and more. Plus, see how these elements play out in real scenarios.
Whether you’re tweaking your current setup or building from the ground up, this session will arm you with the tools and insights needed to transform your FME usage into a powerhouse of productivity. Join us to discover effective strategies that simplify complex processes, enhancing your productivity and transforming your data management practices with FME. Let’s turn complexity into clarity and make your workspaces work wonders!
zkStudyClub - Reef: Fast Succinct Non-Interactive Zero-Knowledge Regex ProofsAlex Pruden
This paper presents Reef, a system for generating publicly verifiable succinct non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs that a committed document matches or does not match a regular expression. We describe applications such as proving the strength of passwords, the provenance of email despite redactions, the validity of oblivious DNS queries, and the existence of mutations in DNA. Reef supports the Perl Compatible Regular Expression syntax, including wildcards, alternation, ranges, capture groups, Kleene star, negations, and lookarounds. Reef introduces a new type of automata, Skipping Alternating Finite Automata (SAFA), that skips irrelevant parts of a document when producing proofs without undermining soundness, and instantiates SAFA with a lookup argument. Our experimental evaluation confirms that Reef can generate proofs for documents with 32M characters; the proofs are small and cheap to verify (under a second).
Paper: https://eprint.iacr.org/2023/1886
Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity. Users of mobile devices desire to take full advantage of the features
available on those devices, but many of the features provide convenience and capability but sacrifice security. This best practices guide outlines steps the users can take to better protect personal devices and information.
20 Comprehensive Checklist of Designing and Developing a WebsitePixlogix Infotech
Dive into the world of Website Designing and Developing with Pixlogix! Looking to create a stunning online presence? Look no further! Our comprehensive checklist covers everything you need to know to craft a website that stands out. From user-friendly design to seamless functionality, we've got you covered. Don't miss out on this invaluable resource! Check out our checklist now at Pixlogix and start your journey towards a captivating online presence today.
GridMate - End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid...ThomasParaiso2
End to end testing is a critical piece to ensure quality and avoid regressions. In this session, we share our journey building an E2E testing pipeline for GridMate components (LWC and Aura) using Cypress, JSForce, FakerJS…
Alt. GDG Cloud Southlake #33: Boule & Rebala: Effective AppSec in SDLC using ...James Anderson
Effective Application Security in Software Delivery lifecycle using Deployment Firewall and DBOM
The modern software delivery process (or the CI/CD process) includes many tools, distributed teams, open-source code, and cloud platforms. Constant focus on speed to release software to market, along with the traditional slow and manual security checks has caused gaps in continuous security as an important piece in the software supply chain. Today organizations feel more susceptible to external and internal cyber threats due to the vast attack surface in their applications supply chain and the lack of end-to-end governance and risk management.
The software team must secure its software delivery process to avoid vulnerability and security breaches. This needs to be achieved with existing tool chains and without extensive rework of the delivery processes. This talk will present strategies and techniques for providing visibility into the true risk of the existing vulnerabilities, preventing the introduction of security issues in the software, resolving vulnerabilities in production environments quickly, and capturing the deployment bill of materials (DBOM).
Speakers:
Bob Boule
Robert Boule is a technology enthusiast with PASSION for technology and making things work along with a knack for helping others understand how things work. He comes with around 20 years of solution engineering experience in application security, software continuous delivery, and SaaS platforms. He is known for his dynamic presentations in CI/CD and application security integrated in software delivery lifecycle.
Gopinath Rebala
Gopinath Rebala is the CTO of OpsMx, where he has overall responsibility for the machine learning and data processing architectures for Secure Software Delivery. Gopi also has a strong connection with our customers, leading design and architecture for strategic implementations. Gopi is a frequent speaker and well-known leader in continuous delivery and integrating security into software delivery.
Encryption in Microsoft 365 - ExpertsLive Netherlands 2024Albert Hoitingh
In this session I delve into the encryption technology used in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Purview. Including the concepts of Customer Key and Double Key Encryption.
Building RAG with self-deployed Milvus vector database and Snowpark Container...Zilliz
This talk will give hands-on advice on building RAG applications with an open-source Milvus database deployed as a docker container. We will also introduce the integration of Milvus with Snowpark Container Services.
Goodbye Windows 11: Make Way for Nitrux Linux 3.5.0!SOFTTECHHUB
As the digital landscape continually evolves, operating systems play a critical role in shaping user experiences and productivity. The launch of Nitrux Linux 3.5.0 marks a significant milestone, offering a robust alternative to traditional systems such as Windows 11. This article delves into the essence of Nitrux Linux 3.5.0, exploring its unique features, advantages, and how it stands as a compelling choice for both casual users and tech enthusiasts.
Removing Uninteresting Bytes in Software FuzzingAftab Hussain
Imagine a world where software fuzzing, the process of mutating bytes in test seeds to uncover hidden and erroneous program behaviors, becomes faster and more effective. A lot depends on the initial seeds, which can significantly dictate the trajectory of a fuzzing campaign, particularly in terms of how long it takes to uncover interesting behaviour in your code. We introduce DIAR, a technique designed to speedup fuzzing campaigns by pinpointing and eliminating those uninteresting bytes in the seeds. Picture this: instead of wasting valuable resources on meaningless mutations in large, bloated seeds, DIAR removes the unnecessary bytes, streamlining the entire process.
In this work, we equipped AFL, a popular fuzzer, with DIAR and examined two critical Linux libraries -- Libxml's xmllint, a tool for parsing xml documents, and Binutil's readelf, an essential debugging and security analysis command-line tool used to display detailed information about ELF (Executable and Linkable Format). Our preliminary results show that AFL+DIAR does not only discover new paths more quickly but also achieves higher coverage overall. This work thus showcases how starting with lean and optimized seeds can lead to faster, more comprehensive fuzzing campaigns -- and DIAR helps you find such seeds.
- These are slides of the talk given at IEEE International Conference on Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshop, ICSTW 2022.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...Neo4j
Leonard Jayamohan, Partner & Generative AI Lead, Deloitte
This keynote will reveal how Deloitte leverages Neo4j’s graph power for groundbreaking digital twin solutions, achieving a staggering 100x performance boost. Discover the essential role knowledge graphs play in successful generative AI implementations. Plus, get an exclusive look at an innovative Neo4j + Generative AI solution Deloitte is developing in-house.
GraphSummit Singapore | The Future of Agility: Supercharging Digital Transfor...
Mobile devices for research
1. by Joe Murphy
W hen confronted with the need to do serious research,
do you reach first for your phone, your laptop, a desk-
tethered computer—or is it your mobile device? A
growing number of researchers are engaging mobile devices
as search tools. Smartphones, cell phones, and other mobile
changes the situation. When people need a thorough survey
or in-depth search of a topic, they are still expected to move
on to traditional tools and settle down at the computer to
scour proprietary databases and the library OPAC.
However, as aspects of our lives rely more heavily on our
technologies are now commonly among the first places peo- mobile devices, we are becoming more willing to embrace
ple turn when seeking information. the use of mobile technologies for searching and advanced
Increasingly, mobile devices are used as information research. The information industry is adapting to reflect
tools for current awareness as well as for search. this shift in user behavior. Because of advances in mobile
Newspapers, from The Wall Street Journal to the Financial technology and changes in our approach to engaging infor-
Times to local city dailies, have created mobile versions, mation, our quests for the deepest information resources
which are optimized for reading on a cell phone screen. can be just as convenient and mobile.
Factiva will send alerts to your mobile device.
There are differences in information-seeking behaviors LIBRARIES ADOPTION OF SMS
beyond simply reading news on your mobile. What you first Libraries have taken up the need for answers via SMS
use to search often depends upon convenience—and the (short-messaging service) by providing text message refer-
easiest route is often dictated by your mobile technology ence services through a variety of technologies and models.
habits. You can easily grab an answer from Google or While not a new development, this addition of librarians
Wikipedia using a mobile web browser or application. Text into the mobile search arena by SMS has been a major step
messaging is even easier, and it’s become endemic with in keeping the expertise of the librarian within the mobile
mobile phones. You can text a friend or ChaCha (text information-seeking experience.
242242) for a quick answer. Then there’s social networking. Search with other mobile technologies, including mobile
Another approach is to query your social circle through applications and mobile social networks, is growing. Mobile
Twitter or Facebook, again using your phone. applications are pieces of software produced by third parties
Switching gears to professional-grade research as such as businesses or services that people can download onto
opposed to ready reference or personal trivia questions their smartphones. The recent explosion in popularity of
14 www.onlinemag.net
2. mobile applications (the phrase “There’s an app for that” has is based on proper authentication, and login is necessary.
entered the popular vocabulary with a vengeance) has fueled Searching is limited to known citations, providing conven-
a new direction in mobile search. Many information resources ient access to case info on-the-go (www.lexisnexis.com;
and portals have created mobile applications as powerful gate- http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id336328468?mt=8).
ways to their online resources. Major web search engines, as Fastcase, although perhaps not as well-known as
diverse as Google, Bing, and Wolfram Alpha now offer power- LexisNexis, introduced its legal research app in January
ful search experiences via smartphone applications. These 2010. Available for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, it
tools have set the stage and offered lessons for libraries and allows for full Boolean searching, citation lookups, and
information vendors pursuing mobile search projects. browsing statutes in outline view. The app, and subsequent
searching, is free (www.fastcase.com; http://itunes.apple
MOBILE APPLICATIONS .com/us/app/fastcase/id352470511?mt=8).
FOR PROPRIETARY DATABASES iSSRN, the Social Science Research Network’s mobile
Back up. What about those proprietary databases so essential search interface, provides access to the online content of the
to library research? Yes, there are apps for those. Several infor- SSRN eLibrary for everyone via an iPhone app. The friendly
mation companies have begun to make their tools accessible to iSSRN mobile search application allows for basic search of
mobile searchers by introducing mobile search gateways in the its electronic paper collection as well as abstracts and access
form of smartphone applications or mobile web platforms. to PDF articles (www.ssrn.com; http://itunes.apple.com/
Mobile applications for iPhones have been the central thrust of us/app/issrn/id334702612?mt=8).
mobile endeavors because of the versatility and popularity that
comes with the dedicated and flexible search experience. This APPS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
sets them apart from sites on mobile web browsers. The follow- The American Institute of Physics (AIP) launched its
ing are a sample of mobile search resources currently available iResearch iPhone app to provide mobile access to content
from vendors as iPhone applications. of many of its major titles, including Applied Physics Letters,
On the legal research side, LexisNexis provides mobile Biomicrofluidics, Chaos, Journal of Applied Physics, The
access to case information, sourced from Lexis.com, with Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal of Mathematical
its Get Cases and Shepardize iPhone app. Usage of the app Physics, Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data,
>
MAY | JUN 2010 15
3. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Low The SirsiDynix BookMyne iPhone application locates
Temperature Physics, Physics of Fluids, Physics of Plasmas, and nearby libraries and allows patrons to search the library cat-
Review of Scientific Instruments. The application, which alog, place holds, and check their library account balances
emphasizes browsing over searching and maximizes the if the library subscribes to the SirsiDynix Symphony man-
iPhone’s wider landscape mode, allows users to save discov- agement system. Search functionality is obviously limited
ered content as cached items to provide access through to library cardholders, but the app is free (www.sirsidynix
patrons’ authenticated devices even when not connected .com; http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bookmyne/id3506
(www.aip.org; http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iresearch/id 25461?mt=8).
331339330?mt=8). OCLC’s WorldCat Mobile iPhone application identifies local
Nature Publishing Group’s Nature.com iPhone app, which libraries that hold items cataloged in WorldCat. Search for a
runs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, makes it easy for book and the mobile app will show the closest owning library.
mobile researchers to browse, search, read, bookmark, and set It provides contact information and maps to libraries.
up saved searches for news and articles from Nature and Developed in partnership with Boopsie, the mobile function is
Nature News. The current-awareness feature, which pushes available in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Germany, France, and
new articles directly to your iPhone, saves searches, and offers Holland (www.worldcat.org/m; http://itunes.apple.com/us/
the ability to navigate and interact with figures and to view ref- app/worldcat-mobile/id309643302?mt=8).
erences, makes this a useful mobile search tool for researchers. LibraryThing’s Local Books iPhone application searches
The app is free (www.nature.com; http://itunes.apple.com/ and browses LibraryThing for events at specific bookstores
us/app/nature-com/id349659422?mt=8). or libraries near the searcher. LibraryThing’s Library
The IOPscience express and the PhysicsWorld.com News Anywhere mobile application is a proprietary addition to
Flash iPhone apps are geared toward helping researchers keep library OPACs that works with multiple providers. It works
up-to-date with the most recent articles in Institute of Physics with all the major vendors—SirsiDynix, ExLibris, Innovative
(IOP) journals. This free app allows for browsing the most Interfaces, Follett Software, Polaris, and Alexandria. The
recent 25 articles by journal or subject area and searching interactive overlay, which is available for iPhone,
across titles for content from the last 2 years. Full-text articles BlackBerry, and Android phones, is available for purchase
are available in PDF and can be exported by email. Twenty arti- by libraries to mobilize the OPAC search experience
cles can be downloaded to the app per month (www.iop.org; (www.librarything.com; http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iopscience-express/id local-books/id335363746?mt=8).
349478847?mt=8). Going beyond searching a library catalog, ProQuest’s
ACS Mobile, from the American Chemical Society (ACS), Serials Solutions released an app, which is downloadable
introduced ACS ASAP Articles in March 2010. Running on from its site rather than from Apple’s iTunes store, for its
the iPhone platform, it streams peer-reviewed scholarly Summon web-scale discovery service. Users of any library
journal content and the latest news from Chemical and with Summon can search the library’s physical collection and
Engineering News (C&EN). You can also save favorites, dis- digital resources from their phone (www.serialssolutions
play full text, search across more than 850,000 articles and .com/summon).
book chapters archived on the ACS Web Editions Platform,
and share links and snippets. Access to full text is limited to BROWSERS ON YOUR PHONE
subscribers, and the app costs $2.99 (www.acs.org; http:// Putting an app on your mobile device isn’t the only way to
itunes.apple.com/us/app/acs-mobile/id355382930?mt=8). access research information. Browsers are now appearing
There are also mobile applications built by unaffiliated third on mobile devices. Gearing resources to mobile web
parties that use or access specific research tools. For instance, browsers and developing mobile webpages as opposed to
several iPhone applications have been created for enabling mobile applications widens the potential audience to all
mobile searching of the popular arXiv.org eprint archive. mobile searchers. Here is a sample of companies that have
created rich websites for mobile browsers.
LIBRARY CATALOG APPS EBSCO provides mobile access to its online resources via
AccessMyLibrary, from Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, a mobile web browser-optimized site (http://search.ebsco
uses the phone’s built-in GPS to locate nearby (defined by host.mobi and http://m.ebscohost.com) with EBSCOhost
Gale as within 10 miles) public libraries. The app connects Mobile. All EBSCO databases are accessible through the
patrons with local library resources and allows them to mobile site once your local administrator has set up an
search within any Gale databases, serials, how-to guides, and institutional profile. Users on authenticated devices can
reference works to which the library subscribes. You select a select and search a wide variety of EBSCO resources, export
resource and perform a search in an interface mirroring the results lists and PDF full text when available, and view
PowerSearch on the online version. The app is free, and you HTML full text and figures and graphs from articles as
don’t need a library card for nearby libraries to search Gale’s images. EBSCO has developed its interface for most smart-
databases (www.accessmylibrary.com; http://itunes.apple phones; it’s not limited to the iPhone (www.ebscohost
.com/us/app/accessmylibrary/id342518632?mt=8). .com/thisTopic.php?marketID=1&topicID=1336).
16 www.onlinemag.net
4. Using Mobile Devices for Research: Smartphones, Databases, and Libraries
developing mobile sites and application platforms across many
device models will reach the broadest user population but is
the most expensive approach. Separate applications for the
major smartphones and a mobile web browser site will make
the resource accessible to the largest number of searchers yet
requires the largest dedication of resources and staff time.
New models for authenticating mobile search tools and
pricing to maintain seamless access are needed. Providing
full access without compromising content is an important
consideration. Options that enhance the personalization
and preference settings can allow for potential access to full
content and customizable limits that suit the individual
searcher. Publishers should develop an enterprise culture of
adaptability that is responsive to the ever-shifting behaviors
and expectations of mobile searchers.
BALANCING TRADITIONAL
With IEEE Xplore (http://m.ieeexplore.ieee.org), the WITH MOBILE DELIVERY
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) pro- The mobile experience should deliver the content that
vides a mobile webpage for searching its digital contents. smartphone users are accustomed to receiving from tradi-
IEEE Xplore is a free search interface with access to full text tional information systems. Mobile users, however, expect fea-
by exporting via email and viewing as provided by license. tures customized for a fully mobile experience; features that
This IEEE interface is a generic mobile webpage to patrons allow them to find, engage, and export the information from
with all internet-enabled mobile devices, although viewing within the mobile platform. They want it to fit into their estab-
full articles is restricted to subscribers. [See a full review of lished mobile lives by including core mobile concepts and will
the newest version of IEEE Xplore on page 26. —Ed.] judge the mobile search platform by what it does not do well.
The National Library of Medicine has simplified mobile Librarians who are not smartphone users expect the
search and access to health information with its Mobile resource to interact with and enhance the established static
MedlinePlus (http://m.medlineplus.gov) mobile-optimized web-based resource. Designing for both groups means
website. This mobile version of MedlinePlus provides easy evaluating the very different but potentially complemen-
access to consumer health information through searching tary considerations of these stakeholders and leveraging
and browsing. Though it’s not the full MEDLINE, Mobile strengths of the extant and emerging technologies.
MedlinePlus includes summaries of more than 800 diseases, Exactly how mobile search tools can be best designed
conditions, and wellness topics. It also has health news, an depends heavily on user expectations, which are shaped by
illustrated medical encyclopedia, and information on pre- users’ experience with technology and are as fluid as the
scription drugs and over-the-counter medications. Mobile mobile technology landscape. Mobile applications are the
MedlinePlus is available in Spanish (http://m.medline best option for powerful information resources right now.
plus.gov/Spanish). There is a link to Mobile MedlinePlus But the adoption of HTML5 and the changes anticipated for
from the MedlinePlus homepage, as well as an FAQ (www mobile web design might cause a shift away from applica-
.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/faq/mobile.html). tions and back toward mobile browsers.
There’s also an app: The PubMed On Tap iPhone applica- Other technologies that will impact mobile search in the
tion has advanced search functions and the ability to read, near future are emerging gadgets such as the Apple iPad, a
store, and export reference information and articles as tablet computer that will change the perceived roles of
PDFs. A free version, PubMed On Tap Lite, offers all the fea- mobile technology in research. These emerging technolo-
tures but limits results per search to 10. gies have the potential to shift user-engagement expecta-
tions and provide us with opportunities to plan for multiple
CONSIDERATIONS FOR potential future paths in mobile search.
LIBRARIANS AND VENDORS
These initiatives by information providers show a strong LIBRARIANS GOING MOBILE
start toward mobile search. These companies should con- Before committing resources to mobile products, librari-
sider the following key points to strengthen and further ans should consider how to respond to the mobile revolu-
enhance their mobile search projects and continue their tion, how to react to vendor endeavors, and how to adapt
success in this arena. skills and operations to welcome a mobile culture into the
A primary consideration is deciding where to allocate library information-seeking experience. This includes
resources. Which platform deserves the most focus? Where do keeping current on mobile technology and gaining per-
they prioritize mobile search endeavors? Casting a wide net, sonal familiarity with the mobile search experience.
>
MAY | JUN 2010 17
5. Librarians can successfully manage the shift to mobile The next steps will include considering how to incorpo-
search by exploring the mobile literacy skills needed for rate nontraditional social mobile tools such as Twitter
self-development and for teaching users and by estab- and Facebook into our repertoire of search resources,
lishing new processes for managing access to mobile both as real-time search tools and as avenues for interact-
information resources. ing with vendors.
Librarians incorporating a full mobile culture into their
operations will need to change the way they approach THE MOBILE FUTURE(S) OF SEARCH
search skills and expectations—de-emphasizing the use of The future of mobile search will be a maturation of mobile
Boolean searching when mobile platforms do not facilitate resources as central, not supplemental points of access in
it and streamlining connections to and within mobile the short term. We will also see a further connection
resources and portals. between and beyond traditional publisher and library
Librarians face unique technical and managerial consid- resources including a focus on mobile search tools.
erations for implementing mobile resources and facilitating Changes in information technology are now occurring on
connections between mobile resources and end users, the scale of months, not years, and some of the major tech-
including new ways of managing access and authenticating, nology trends that will affect mobile search in the begin-
marketing, providing technical support, optimizing their ning of 2010 are location-based games and services, a
portals and pages for mobile devices, and including mobile renewed emphasis on personalization through customiz-
vendor resources and mobile-related resources into faceted able search interfaces, deep integration of social concepts
search tools and guides. and social networking services into mobile search tools,
Librarians should consider the mobile search experi- and augmented reality.
ence at every stage of a library’s operations, from purchas- Significant tangential technological trends in mobile
ing to providing access to the development of local search including location-based services, mobile social net-
platforms. This means welcoming and entering the mobile works, and augmented reality will impact the face and
culture with the goal of keeping the library in our patrons’ nature of mobile search in the near future. The focus of
mobile information streams. mobile search may soon shift from networked portals to
location- and experience-based access points of digital data
LOCATION-BASED RESEARCH layered over physical locations and items.
What about improving the mobile search experience by Mobile search will continue to change as we continuously
harnessing some contemporary trends in information adapt search technologies to stay within sight of our end
engagement? Think social, real-time, and location-based users’ information flows. Librarians and publishers can work
interaction with content and peers. The opportunities of together to effectively meet users’ mobile needs with respon-
these trends can be maximized by facilitating the sharing of sible products and services. The next step of this trajectory
discovered and recommended content through established will be meeting the clamor for mobile access, matching
and native social networks and enhancing discoverability mobile realities with users’ expectations, and, ultimately,
with time-sensitive and geo-based social rankings. driving instead of responding to expectations.
Nontraditional arenas reactive to major technology Mobile devices are becoming a significant gateway to
trends might be extremely fruitful avenues for enhancing searching. We are seeing increased user demand for the
mobile search experiences. Think leveraging Twitter, convenience of searching on-the-go. The expanding mobile
Foursquare, or augmented reality for advanced discovery. focus of information services is influencing our expecta-
Location-based social networks such as Foursquare, tions for engaging information tools. This pressure on serv-
Gowalla, and MyTown are games with an emphasis on com- ice providers is forcing us to adapt to these evolving
petition. Using mobile phones, players compete, interact, emerging mobile habits and to fit our resources into the
and share based on where they are physically with geo- mobile information market. Libraries and vendors have
based engagement with business and people. begun to meet these challenges in earnest and are ready to
Foursquare players gain points and climb the local leader continue adapting in order to succeed as the world of
board by checking in at physical locations. They are alerted mobile information engagement takes root. As mobile
of promotions from businesses nearby. Mobile search skills search catches up with mobile expectations, we in the infor-
are used when seeking within Foursquare for promotions, mation industry have the opportunity of guiding develop-
resources, or people. Librarians can learn from Foursquare’s ment to best balance the human and technological aspects
success in facilitating connections between users’ mobile of the mobile information experience.
searching and business resources. Why not library
resources? Vendors can leverage the popularity of building
and sharing across social connections. Location-based
Joe Murphy (joseph.murphy@yale.edu; libraryfuture on Twitter) is
social games may prove to be a natural complement and science librarian, coordinator of instruction and technology, Yale
strong enhancement to mobile search, and its applications University Science Libraries.
will evolve with its growing popularity. Comments? Email the editor (marydee@xmission.com).
18 www.onlinemag.net
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