This document discusses experimenting with mobile technologies in libraries. It provides statistics on mobile phone and tablet usage in the UK. It explores using mobile devices for accessing library content like ebooks and services like inquiries and circulation. Examples are given of libraries using technologies like QR codes, location services, and augmented reality. The skills and knowledge needed for "mobile librarians" are outlined. Finally, the document discusses providing content and services that mobile users want and taking approaches with low costs and by utilizing free resources.

1. Experimenting with mobile
technologies in libraries
Jo Alcock, Evidence Base at Birmingham City University
jo.alcock@bcu.ac.uk
@joeyanne
Learning Resources Forum - 25th March 2013

2. UK mobile statistics
• There are more mobile phones in the UK than
people
• 51.3% of UK mobile phone users have a
smartphone
• 12% of UK population have a tablet (and
sales are growing 378% each year)
Sources:
2012 Mobile Internet Usage Statistics blog post (from Westminster eForum event, March 2012)
2012 Mobile Future in Focus report (Feb 2012)

3. Why should we get serious
about mobile web?
Mobile vs. Desktop web in UK

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...

8. How people actually use the iPad

10. Google Books for mobile

11. iBooks textbooks

12. Ebook apps on iPad

15. JISC m-biblio

18. JISC PhoneBooth

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

20. SMS
enq
uirie
s
State Library of Ohio

21. SMS
tips
University of Huddersfield Library

22. Mob
cata ile
logu
e
Keele University Library

23. Rov
enq ing
uirie
s
University of Warwick Library

24. Mob
circ ile
ulat
ion
DC Public Library

25. Loa
mob ning
ile d
evic
es
Radcliffe Science Library (University of Oxford)

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

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

28. 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)

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

30. LSE Library

31. North Carolina State University Library

32. The Wallace Center/Rochester Institute of Technology

33. University of Bedfordshire Library

34. University of Huddersfield Library

35. University of Bedfordshire Library

36. Oak Park Public Library

37. University of Warwick Library

38. University of Sheffield

39. SCARLET project

40. Miami University, Ohio

41. Great, but...
=

42. Some of this doesn't cost money!
• QR codes
• Location apps (e.g.
Foursquare)
• Barcode scanning apps
• Open source software
• Database mobile apps*
*free with existing subscriptions

43. What do we need to do?

44. What do users want?
Library account
Searching for books
Booking a study room
Accessing e-resources
Contacting library
Booking tutorial
Library opening hours
Library location information
Library news
0 5 10 15 20
Facebook Twitter
Birmingham City University

45. Pathways to best practice
• Introducing users to the
library
• Roving support
• Access to resources
• Managing borrow accounts
• Loaning mobile devices
• ...and more

46. Points to take away
• Aim for high impact (doesn't
need to be high cost)
• Don’t reinvent the wheel
• Utilise free resources
• Animoto/YouTube (video
creation)
• bit.ly (URL shortener with
statistics and QR codes)
• ZBar (barcode reader)
• Be flexible and adaptable to
users' needs

47. Jo Alcock
jo.alcock@bcu.ac.uk
@joeyanne
Resources available:
http://bit.ly/mlibslrf