Academic Libraries and Mobile Technologies
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Transcript of Academic Libraries and Mobile Technologies
Academic Libraries and Mobile Technologies
Eithne BarryEdinburgh Napier University
Project Overview
Collaboration between Edinburgh Napier and University of Highlands and Islands, funded by SLIC.
Two strands of project:• To investigate student usage of and attitudes
towards mobile technologies • How UK academic libraries are using/can use
mobile technologies to support students
Whatdoour users want?
Project survey – Nov 2010
• Across three universities - Edinburgh Napier, Queen Margaret University, University of the Highlands and Islands.
• Students only• iPad offered as prize.
• 1061 responses.• Majority of replies were from ENU, this sample
fairly representative of student population.
Edinburgh Napier catch-up survey – Oct 2011
• Same survey questions.• Edinburgh Napier University only - update to
inform our own developments.
• 182 responses• Much smaller response group – less
representative.
Say hello to Jane
I’m the ‘average student’ here at
Edinburgh Napier University.
What sort of mobiles do students have?
Remember...
Blue = Nov 2010 survey = 1061
Green = Oct 2011 survey = 182
•2010, 68% had a ‘smartphone’
•2011 - 86% said they have one.• Top smartphone makes -
2010 2011Apple 25% 28% Nokia 19% 9%
Samsung 14% 18%
Blackberry 14% 16%
HTC 11% 17%
Operating system (smartphones only)
Backed up by sales?• BBC news 28th Oct – ‘Samsung overtakes
Apple in smartphone shipments’
61% (64%) of survey respondents said they had owned their current mobile phone for less than a year.
81% (85%) had owned their current mobile for less than 18 months.
My phone is nearly a year old, and I’m
thinking about getting a new one. Maybe an
iPhone? I don’t know, the Samsung Galaxy SII
looks pretty good...
Can they afford web browsing?
43% (53%) had ‘unlimited’ access to the web on their mobile
But... 32% (16%) said contract/funds stop them using the mobile web as much as they would like
QR codes (all respondents)
18% (47%) knew what a QR code was
8% (34%) had a QR code reader on their mobilephone/device
Which services used on mobile phone/device once a day
I mostly use my mobile for texting and phoning.
I’m on the web most days (checking Facebook
or email), but I don’t read much on there.
The screen is too small.
Using Library services15% (24%) had used Library services on their mobile
Services they had used (2010):
Library services you would use on your mobile if you could?
I haven’t used Library pages on my mobile.
That’d be great though, especially to save time. Like if I could search for
a book on the bus on the way to the Uni.
Student quotes‘Access to
information is in your pocket! 24/7’
‘Can get information any time, do what I wanna do,
such as find books during the lecture teacher said. But the
screen is not big enough.’
‘I see only benefits. This age is fast, connection
is important.’
Summary
• A high proportion of students have smartphones and are browsing the web daily.
• 90% (95%) would like to access at least one Library service.
However…
• 32% (16%) say contract/funds stop them using the web as much as they would like (possibly becoming less of an issue?)• Students over 30 are less likely to
browse the mobile web regularly.• Reading content (such as e-books, journals
or newspapers) is less common.
Challenges for us
• Designing services that suit our users, for a range of mobile phone/devices and operating systems.
• Keeping up with the rate of change of phone/devices
• Providing equity of services for all users.
How are libraries responding?
How are libraries responding?
• Information for users – Mobile-accessible websites and apps.
• Access to searching – Mobile OPACs.
• Accessing Library Collections.• Accessing the Library building.• SMS/text alerts and SMS/text
reference.
Mobile-accessible websites and appsWhat’s the difference?
Mobile website Mobile appBrowser-based pages linked together and accessed via the web.
Application that you download and install on your mobile
Compatible across a range of devices (iPhone, Android, Blackberry etc)
Normally require a separate version to be developed for each type of device.
Instantly available, easily updatable, can’t be deleted.
First have to download and install the app. User has to install updates (and most apps only used for 30 days?)
Mobile websites can be developed that act very much like apps (or are app accessed through a browser).
May be faster ? Gaming, offline content or using particular phone functionality (GPS, camera etc).
UK Number of University-wide sites andapps using:• CampusM – Liverpool John
Moore’s, Roehampton, Sheffield, Dundee, Edinburgh etc.
• Blackboard Mobile Central – Sheffield Hallam University 1st.
International• Boopsie – Integrating catalogue
and other university information e.g. University of Auckland, Brown University Library, WorldCat.
Mobile websites and apps
Access to searching - Mobile OPACs
• Library Anywhere by Library Thing – e.g. Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University, University of Stirling.
• In-house solutions – e.g. Cambridge, Oxford.
• Innovative Interfaces (AirPac) proprietary, with Millenium – e.g. University of Glasgow, Sheffield Hallam University, Liverpool University.
Accessing Library Collections
• Issues with e-books - digital rights management, exclusive platforms, non-compatible file types etc.
• At ENU - we buy e-books from four major aggregators, journals from 100s? In our trials, journals were much easier to access than e-books.
- Research databases JSTOR mobile IEEE Xplore ... etc
Accessing the Library building
What’s black and white all over?www.wowdewow.co.uk
Accessing the Library building• Huddersfield University - Linking
physical to virtual using QR codes.
• Bath University – QR codes on items on the catalogue allow you to save Title, Author and Classmark directly to your phone (and then you can find it on the shelf).
• Stirling University – group study room booking, treasure hunts.
SMS/Text alerts
• Some libraries provide text messages when books are overdue, or reservations are ready for collections. E.g. University of Manchester.
• Others are providing reference services via text or instant messaging.
• List of libraries doing both of the above, and services used at: www.libsuccess.org
What we’re doing at Edinburgh Napier
• Surveying students every year, to get trends.• Providing a mobile version of our catalogue
using Library Anywhere.• Providing links and help for mobile-friendly
database interfaces.• Creating a mobile website for our key Library
and IT services.• Making more of our University website mobile
accessible.
http://mlib.blog.com•Project report•Survey results•Case studies•Beginner’s guides•E-resources trials
Questions?