Jason Casden North Carolina State University Libraries

WebWise 2012 March 1, 2012

Where Am I? How Did I Get Here?

WolfWalk: A Location-Aware Mobile Interface to Campus History

Todd Kosmerick and Adam Berenbak, NCSU Libraries

Motivation

•  Use mobile technology to place historical images in a more relevant context

•  Experiment with geolocation as a component of library services

•  Enhance access to archival collections •  Build capacity for mobile development

WolfWalk

Make it easy for the NC State campus community to learn about the history of campus

while on campus.

Outline

1.  Project overview 2.  Development options 3.  Usage data discussion 4.  Some additional considerations

WolfWalk Project Overview •  A historical guide

to NCSU campus landmarks

•  Images sourced from University Archives

•  Mobile web version available March 2010; iPhone app available July 2010

WolfWalk 1.1

•  Released June 10, 2011

•  3 flavors – Web App –  iPhone/iPod Touch –  iPad

•  100+ sites •  1000+ images

http://m.lib.ncsu.edu/wolfwalk

Native Apps vs. The Web

WolfWalk

•  Mobile web app – jQuery Mobile – PHP

•  Native iOS app – Objective-C – Cocoa Touch

Our mobile web app has the same features as our iOS app

…but our native iOS app sees 2.8x-5x* more use**

* depending on the inclusion of iPads ** This number was 7x six months ago

Multi-platform frameworks

•  Mulberry •  PhoneGap •  Appcelerator Titanium •  Sencha

Mobile Historical

•  mobilehistorical.org •  iOS, Android, and web •  Omeka-based •  Center for Public History &

Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University

Interesting usage data

Native app popularity

Usage by version

Map popularity

Percent usage by navigation

User demographics (?)

Top image request paths

Parents?

Current and recent students?

Grandparents?

Daily trends

Historical State

WolfWalk

Practical Considerations

How robust is the wireless connection on your campus?

Practical Considerations

How do you deliver high-quality media (images/audio/video) without

compromising the user experience?

Practical Considerations

Does your metadata need to be modified for the mobile context?

Photograph from the NCSU Libraries University Archives Photograph Collection (c. 1910)

Historical State Title: President D. H. Hill and staff, North Carolina College of Agriculture and

Mechanic Arts.

Subjects: College presidents; Hill, D. H. (Daniel Harvey), 1859-1924; North Carolina State University; People; Teachers

Site: [D. H. Hill Library (Raleigh, N.C.)]

Description: [D. H. Hill Library is named for Daniel Harvey Hill (1859-1924), an English professor at North Carolina State University and one of the college’s first five faculty members. He was president of the University from 1908-1916. The Library was built in four stages, the east wing first in 1953, the Erdahl-Cloyd Student Union or west wing second in 1954, the old book stack tower third in 1971, and the new book stack tower fourth in 1990. In 2007, a major renovation of the east wing of the library was completed. D. H. Hill Library is the main library of the NCSU Libraries system, which is composed of five library facilities.]

WolfWalk Title: D.H. Hill (with pocket watch) and NC State staff

Site: DH Hill Library

Description: After the first library, located in Brooks Hall, became too small, a new D.H. Hill Library was built in 1953. It was expanded in 1954 and towers were added in 1972 (Bookstack North) and 1990 (Bookstack South). Its namesake, D.H. Hill, was appointed professor of English and bookkeeping in 1889 and became one of the university's first five faculty members. He selected most of the library's books and served as the university's vice president from 1905 to 1908 and president from 1908 to 1916.

WolfWalk Credits

•  The project team – Tito Sierra – Jason Casden – Cory Lown – Steven Morris – Markus Wust – Brian Dietz – Joseph Ryan – Todd Kosmerick

Thanks!

Jason Casden jason_casden@ncsu.edu @cazzerson

m.lib.ncsu.edu/wolfwalk

Slides: go.ncsu.edu/wolfwalk-webwise2012