Mobile Technologies, Mobile Users: Will Libraries Mobilize?

1. Mobile Technologies, Mobile Users:Will Libraries Mobilize? Joan K. Lippincott Coalition for Networked Information LITA National Forum Salt Lake City October 2, 2009

2. Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) • Founded in 1990 by ARL and EDUCAUSE • Mission: accelerate progress in digital information related to research and education • 200+ member institutions • Executive Director Clifford Lynch • www.cni.org • Subscribe to cni-announce

3. It’s a Mobile World • 80.5% of college students own a laptop • 66% of college students own an Internet-capable cell phone • 71% of teens 12-17 owned a cell phone in 2008 compared to 45% in 2004 http://www.flickr.com/photos/shapeshift/707543617/ ECAR Study of Undergrad Students and IT, 2008; Pew Internet, “Teens and Mobile Phones,” 2009

4. E-book readers are taking off • Kindle sales of a recent bestseller by Dan Brown topped print sales at Amazon http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20305267,00.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericrice/3351068601/

5. People of all ages are tweeting… http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/090408-122803

6. The mainstream press is producing mobile-compatible versions of content

7. Veteran newswoman Cokie Roberts says… • “…journalists depend on libraries and librarians for information and facts. The library of today might be in your cell phone instead of going to the building… but we need the people in the building to get it to the cell phones…The people actually doing the work and the research are still in libraries.” http://www.flickr.com/photos/ala_members/3620128740/ American Libraries , May 2009

8. Will your library meet the challenge? • Provision of content configured for mobile devices • Provision of services for mobile device users • Promotion of content and services - so potential users are aware http://www.flickr.com/photos/olliesphotos/333193604/

9. Today’s Talk: Will Libraries Mobilize? • Understanding users • Developing a cohesive strategy • Collaborating with others http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblyberg/2073940586/

10. I. Understanding Users • “Just a typical college campus” http://www.flickr.com/photos/partsnpieces/445581635/ • “What’s in my bag?” http://www.flickr.com/photos/luchilu/378429678/

11. Responding to users: the environment is changing • Moving from communication to information devices • Major universities have a presence in iTunes U. • Nielsen reports a 52% increase in mobile subscribers watching video on a mobile phone 2008-9

12. Kids “consider their mobile phone to be their best friend.” • If you had to give up all but one device - desktop computer, laptop, MP3, tv, game console, mobile phone - which would you keep? • US & UK kids chose mobile phone http://www.flickr.com/photos/studentsforhumanity/3522628341/ Mobile Life Report 2008 www.mobilelife2008.co.uk

13. While technology skills vary… • 67% of students in grades 9-12 maintain a personal website • When asked what they do regularly with technology for schoolwork, 27% of K-12 students said they create slideshows, videos, and/or webpages • K-12 students want to use their own devices in learning • Project Tomorrow http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup

14. Students in professional programs are key target populations Harvard Medical School survey of students 2007 52% own a PDA Application with most use: reference info with 26% of respondents; only 6% subscribe to podcasts As reported in “Waiting on the Wave,” Campus Technology, March 2007 http://campustechnology.com/articles/452441

15. Most students will go into careers where they will use technology and produce digital content every day…and they will increasingly use mobile devices http://www.flickr.com/photos/janet_powell/303262305/

16. Do our users want mobile environments that are: • Personal • Social • Simple • Practical • Fun • And can libraries deliver them?

17. Models for understanding user populations and assessing needs • Two studies published by ACRL and available for free download

18. II. What do you think of when you hear the words “mobile” and “libraries”? • Typically • Access to library hours, catalogs, etc. via a mobile phone • SMS text messaging to-from reference staff • But, there is more…

19. Developing a cohesive strategy • Bringing together • Library general information • Patron records • Reference transactions • Information literacy podcasts and videos • Access to services - booking group rooms • Access to catalogs, indexes, abstracts

20. Developing a cohesive strategy • Access to digital content configured for mobile devices • Library owned or licensed • Freely available on the web • Geo-spatially linked information • Loan of devices • New technologies - what’s next? • Social networking? • QR Codes?

21. Many libraries have prototype services…we can learn from their experience • Reference available via chat, SMS • Information literacy podcast tutorials • Clickers in information literacy classes • Catalog, patron record, call number, computer availability information available for mobile phones • Provision of ILL content on Kindles • Loan of mobile devices

22. Bringing it together

23. Scholarly resources are emerging: arXiv for the iPhone

24. Libraries are using institutional content in creative ways • Digital images from Special Collections at Duke • NC State U. - Location-aware campus tour linked to map with geotagged placemarks associated with images from Special Collections

25. World Cat Mobile Google Book Search Mobile RefWorks Mobile Blackboard Audiobooks for Ipods, Iphones, and MP3 players IEEE Xplore database J American Chemical Society (beta) ITunes U Podcasts from research & education institutions Where do these mobile-accessible resources fit in your plan?

26. And we will see new services emerge… • QR codes can link locations, books, etc. to web pages with additional information, links to social networking sites, or phone nos. • Ramsden, A., Jordan, L., 2009. Are students ready for QR codes? Findings from a student survey at the University of Bath. Working Paper. University of Bath. http://opus.bath.ac.uk/12782/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocreatr/2211459923/

27. Services via Twitter

28. Some libraries also serve as a main campus resource for device information • Comparison of mobile devices • Workshops • Help Desk support

29. Some may offer re-charging stations for devices - Montesquieu LearningCentre

30. Promoting Services:Arizona State U. Library Channel

31. Promoting Services:Western Illinois U. Libraries • Text Me service • In the online catalog, users can click on “text me this call no.,” input a cell phone no., and the call no. is sent to the user’s phone • Promoted through video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yjlz1zZ1cU

32. Cornell Mann Library

33. Pilot services in the context of an overall plan http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonyungny/2555631888/

34. III. Collaborating with others • Partnerships within the library • Partnerships with academic or IT units • University-wide partnerships

35. Partners within the library • IT or Systems • Developing platforms; implementing solutions • Reference • Planning and delivering services; selecting content • Departmental liaisons • Keeping abreast of department initiatives or requirements

36. Partners within the library • Special collections • Developing campus-driven applications • Access services • Loaning equipment and content • Administrators • Developing a planning process • Acquiring or reallocating resources • Getting a seat at the institutional table

37. Silos will not lead to a cohesive environment for users

38. How will libraries interface with initiatives like these? • At Indiana U., business grad students are offered discounts on Blackberry smartphones • At U. Missouri, journalism students are required to buy an Iphone or Ipod Touch • As reported in Chronicle of Higher Ed, May 22, 2009

39. Partnership:Academic/Library/IT • Physician Assistant Graduate Program • 2007 Smartphone pilot working with IT and Library; now full implementation • 3 key applications including Merck Manual

40. Is your institution developing a plan for mobile device users? http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2904234291/

41. No. of Key Institutional Web Services Made Available for Handheld Devices • 44% of higher education institutions said “None” • 40% of higher education institutions said “A Few” • 40% identified “mobile communications” as an area of importance in their technology strategic plan • “Spreading the Word: Messaging and Communications in Higher Education,” EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2009

42. The Report Concludes: • “our research reveals a troubling lack of preparation by higher education to handle the growing demand for mobile services.” • “Spreading the Word: Messaging and Communications in Higher Education,” EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2009

43. Some universities are developing mobile portals

44. These portals may or may not include the library • An ECAR study listed 11 core campus activities where there might be use of mobile strategies (e.g. registration, teaching, safety) but no mention of the library • There are reports of campus strategies which do include libraries, e.g. MIT, U. San Diego, U. Illinois U-C, and others

45. Ensure your seat at the table http://www.flickr.com/photos/chemheritage/3440962595/

46. What’s in your bag? Does your library have a presence? Joan’s bag

47. Now Is the Time… • To study your local environment and users • To institute pilot projects • To participate in institutional planning • To promote awareness of your efforts to your user community • To disseminate information about your successes and problems • To fully participate in the mobile revolution

48. Thank You!Resources Lippincott, Joan. “Mobile Technologies, Mobile Users.” ARL: A Bimonthly Report. No. 261, Dec., 2008. http://www.arl.org/resources/pubs/br/br261.shtml “Mobile Reference: What Are the Questions?” Reference Librarian 2009 (Forthcoming) Sheehan, Mark and Judith Pirani. “Spreading the Word: Messaging And Communications in Higher Education.” Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, Vol. 2, 2009. www.educause.edu/ecar M-libraries wiki http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=M-Libraries Note: All photos used from flickr have Creative Commons licenses Contact: joan@cni.org