The following presentation gives an overview of QR Codes and includes some suggestions on how they could be employed in a library context.

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Kevin Campbell-Wright Scott Hibberson
E-Learning Advisor (ACL) E-Learning Advisor (LR)
www.rsc-yh.ac.uk RSCs – Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning
A Quick Response To
Promoting Library Services
How You Can Use QR Codes

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QR Codes: What are they?
• QR (Quick Response Code) – A Two-Dimensional
bar code
• You can create text (250 characters), web links
(URLs), Phone Numbers or SMS Messages (160
characters)
• Can be scanned using any device with a camera and
a QR Reading Application. Available for most SMART
Phones, NOKIA & Sony Phone

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A Brief History
• Originated in Japan in the 90s
where it was created by Toyota
subsidiary Denso-Wave
• Initially used for tracking parts in
vehicle manufacturing
• QR is the acronym for Quick
Response, as the creator intended
the code to allow its contents to be
decoded at high speed

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Common Applications
• Predominantly employed in marketing to promote
commercial products and services to mobile phone users
• Many examples available on Flickr
(http://www.flickr.com/groups/qrcodes)

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Challenges to using QR Codes
• Still relatively new concept for many libraries
• Increasing awareness of QR codes
• Carefully marketing services based on QR codes to
our users
• QR Readers differ between devices and
applications
• Digital Divide – not all users will have a QR Code
reading mobile device

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Some Practical Suggestions for Libraries
• Audio greeting messages at entry/exit points to the library
• Embed web links to the OPAC and other e-resources
• Text based information with factual info – i.e. opening times,
etc
• Promote special events or embed as part of an active learning
activity in an information lieracy session/library induction
• Link to library presence on subject gateways and Social Media
sites (i.e. Library Twitter feed, Facebook Library Group pages,
etc)
• Add vCard contact to the user's device for the enquiry desk
(telephone numbers for renewals, email addresses, etc)

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USEFUL LINKS
 Useful site to get a QR Code reader appropriate for your mobile device:
http://percentmobile.com/getqr
 Walsh, Andrew (2009) Quick response codes and libraries.
Library Hi Tech News, 26 (5/6). pp. 7-9. ISSN 0741-9058:
http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/5209/2/QRCODESWalsh.pdf
 QR Code generator sites:
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ and http://www.qrstuff.com/
 Overview of how the University of Bath library is using QR Codes:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/services/qrcode.html
 Some examples of how QR Codes could be used on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/qrcodes