Library in Your Pocket

The Library in Your Pocket: Mobile Trends for Libraries
Today's blog was inspired by the amazing

Meredith Farkas, Head of Instructional Initiatives at Norwich University, columnist for American Libraries, lecturer at San Jose State University’s SLIS program, author, speaker and consultant on social media and managing change.
Information Wants To Be Free Website

The above slideshare preso is from
a talk for Western New York Library Resources Council’s "Gadgets and Gear: A Tech Gathering" - May 7, 2010

And it BLEW me AWAY!

WOW~! Groundbreaking stuff here! - easy to digest text and tastes frankly Nom nom! I'm going to quote and give you a small nibble but I urge you to try the whole thing....113 yummy slides of amazing information about a topic that is NOT going away....95% of this blog is quoting her preso..you'll see my reactions and comments mostly because i am wont to use exclamations and funky capitalization.

From her slideshare:

Why should we care about Mobile Devices?
  • 4.1 billion SMS messages being sent daily
  • Over 276 million wireless users (source: CITA Wireless Industry Survey, 2009).
  • 32% of Americans have used a cell phone or Smartphone to access the internet this year (source: Pew, April 2009).
  • The mobile device will be the primary connection tool to the internet for most people by 2020. (Source: Pew, Dec. 2008).

I've been saying for a few years now...(prolly heard it from someone else!)
The keyboard of the future will be run with two thumbs!


Step Aside Barcode...
Next NEW Thing: The QR Code

"Lemon cupcake topped with lemon buttercream and an edible image QR Code.

If you take a photo of this edible image with a phone with a QR reader application, it will load the Clever Cupcakes website! How cool is that?
photo by clevercupcakes"

I just wish they weren't in Montreal!~


QR (Quick Response) codes – most common.
Scan to access information or take action
  • Pull up text content
  • Dial a phone number or send a txt
  • Pull up a web page
  • Pulls up images or video
  • Pulls up a poll or survey
  • Need a QR code reader.
  • Watch a YouTube VIDEO DEMO
Ideas for Library QR Codes:
  • Send a text to the reference librarian
  • Library tours
  • Library scavenger hunts for orientation
Photo from Justinsomnia

Amazing Stuff! Another huge advance in Mobile devices are the Location-aware mobile technologies - Allows devices to interact over short distances:

iPhone 4G may be RFID-enabled
Use your phone as your library card, credit card, etc.
Interact with RFID-enabled objects - Vimeo Video

Location Aware Apps like Zillow....looking for a new home...carry your phone and when one comes up in that location it alerts you! Photo From the Mashable article Zillow iPhone App: Using GPS to Compare Home Prices

Another Location App is Around Me

from their site: "AroundMe allows you to quickly find out information about your surroundings.

How many times have you found yourself in need of finding the closest Gas Station?
AroundMe quickly identifies your position and allows you to choose the nearest Bank, Bar, Gas Station, Hospital, Hotel, Movie Theatre, Restaurant, Supermarket, Theatre and Taxi.

AroundMe shows you a complete list of all the businesses in the category you have tapped on along with the distance from where you are."

"It is FREE, so it should be a must have for all iPhone users. It is very much like the Yelp app, without all of the reviews, but I find it to be more accurate at determining your location."

Read more at this great Review by Mike Hernalsteen.


Mobile Libraries!

NCSU Library Mobile

Catalog search
Databases/federated search if they have mobile interfaces
Circ info (due dates, holds)
Room/computer reservations
Reference info/widgets/forms
Hours
Links to useful mobile content

NCSU Photo by by users_lib

So many wonderful ideas!!!....she also talks about library promotion using Foursquare and mobile marketing with Twitter. I'd also recommend to follow her Twitter...
Whew! My head is spinning from all those wonderful thoughts and resources...Thank you Meredith for sharing this with us...saw it at 6:30 am - and her preso was featured on the front page of Slideshare today! Kudos Meredith!


photo of Meredith by librarianmer

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