An Integrated Strategy for Mobile Devices

1. An Integrated Strategy for Mobile Devices Joan K. Lippincott Coalition for Networked Information JISC/CNI Conference Edinburgh, Scotland July 1-2, 2010

2. It’s a mobile world; in the US: • 93.9% of freshmen own a laptop • 66% of university 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, 2009; Pew Internet, “Teens and Mobile Phones,” 2009

3. IPods, IPhones and IPads are changing the way people read • One out of 5 apps launched in Apple’s App Store were book-related in Oct., 2009 • Est. of 1% of US population reading a book on an IPhone in Aug., 2009 • Parillo, “Fast Facts”C&RL News 12/09 quoting Flurry Smartphone Indus Pulse

4. E-book readers are taking off • From NYT columnist: “My 2-year-old daughter surprised me recently with two words: ‘Daddy’s book.’ She was holding my Kindle electronic reader.” Brad Stone, NYT, 1/9/10 http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20305267,00.html http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericrice/3351068601/

5. 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

6. Are students addicted to IPhones? • 1/3 of Stanford students in survey said they are worried about too much use • 75% said an IPhone made them happier "It was not so much with the object itself, but it had so much personal information that it became a kind of extension of the mind and a means to have a social life," Ms. Luhrmann said. "It just kind of captured part of their identity.” http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Students-Worry-About-iPhone/21539/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en http://www.flickr.com/photos/valerierenee/2783147354/

7. 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/

8. 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

9. 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/

10. Our users want mobile environments that are: • Personal • Social • Simple • Practical • Fun • Can libraries deliver them?

11. Key Points • Integrating content with services • Developing innovative applications • Ensuring that the library is part of the institution’s mobile strategy http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblyberg/2073940586/

12. 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…

13. 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 • Access to citation tools

14. 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 • Kindles, SONY e-book readers, IPod Touch, IPads • New technologies - what’s next? • Social networking? • QR Codes?

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

16. Some may offer re-charging stations for devices - grad student lockers U. Colorado

17. Promoting Services:Arizona State U. Library Channel

18. 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

19. Bringing it together

20. Bringing it together

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

22. Mobile augmented reality apps • Superimposing information on images while walking or driving • Information on locations • Ability for users to provide tags • Ability to link to information resources http://mashable.com/2009/12/05/augmented-reality-iphone/

23. Ask your community to create apps • New York City contest to create apps related to government information • NYCBigApps • http://www.nycbigapps.com/

24. New apps are being created by information providers • Nature.com • Pushes information • Tap a reference to get details • Zoom in on figures and tables http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slig47yqFfA

25. 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/

26. Collaborating with others • Partnerships within the library • Partnerships with academic or IT units • University-wide partnerships http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonyungny/2555631888/

27. 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

28. Partners within the library • Special collections • Developing applications with a special relationship to the institution • Access services • Loaning equipment and content • Administrators • Developing a planning process • Acquiring or reallocating resources • Getting a seat at the institutional table

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

30. 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

31. 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

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

33. 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

34. 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

35. Some universities are developing mobile portals

36. 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 “Spreading the Word: Messaging and Communications in Higher Education,” EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2009 • There are reports of campus strategies which do include libraries, e.g. MIT, U. San Diego, U. Illinois U-C, and others

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

38. Some Institutional Policy and Infrastructure Issues • What platforms will be supported; will any devices be required? • Who will make these decisions for the institution? • Who will provide technical support for users? • Who will select, license, and fund content for mobile devices? • Will this give your institution a competitive advantage?

39. Now Is the Time… • To study your local environment and users • To institute pilot projects • To ask students to develop library apps • 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

40. 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 Vol. 51, no. 1, 2010, 1-11. 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