"Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers"

USE OF MOBILE APPS:
HARNESSING E-RESOURCE
AND SERVICES IN LIBRARIES
AND INFORMATION CENTERS
CHITO N. ANGELES

What are Mobile Applications?
Mobile applications, or apps, are
pieces of software that can run over
the internet or on your computer,
smartphone, or other handheld
devices.
They work much like any other
computer program.
Mobile apps are tailored to the smaller
screens of mobile devices
(smartphones, tablets).

What is a Mobile Device?
A handheld computing device, typically
having a touch-screen display.
Has an operating system and can run
various types of application software.
Popular examples:
 Apple’s iPhone, iPad, Ipod Touch
 Amazon Kindle, Kindle Fire
 Barnes & Noble’s Nook
 Sony Reader
 Android tablets and smartphones

What is a Mobile Platform
A mobile operating system
Combines the features of a personal
computer operating system with other
features, including a touch screen,
cellular, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS mobile
navigation, camera, speech
recognition, etc.

Popular Mobile Platforms
Apple iOS,
Android
Blackberry OS
Windows 8, Windows Mobile, Windows
Phone 8
WebOS
Firefox OS

Why Mobile?
We are in the so called “Age of
SmartPhones and Tablets”.
2013 Report by Forward Solutions
Philippines on the State of Philippine
Internet Usage 2013:
Demographics:
 Of the 92,337,852 population, 33.6M are active
Internet users.

Why Mobile?
Mobile Use:
 40% of Filipino Smartphone owners browse the
internet using their device
 80% of Filipino Internet Users have downloaded
at least 1 mobile app or game in the last month

Why Mobile?
Survey done by TNS, a global
customized research company, from
November 2012-January 2013 and
published in www.philstar.com, July 2,
2013
 Of the 38,000 respondents in Metro Manila, 89
percent (33,820) are mobile phone users;
 53 percent (20,140) are Smartphone users;
 The TNS study also revealed that most Filipinos
living in Metro Manila own "multiple screens" or
more than just one device.

WHAT MOBILE SOLUTIONS
ARE AVAILABLE?

Mobile Solutions
Native Mobile App
Mobile Website
Hybrids

Mobile Solutions
Native Mobile App
 Native apps are designed for each and every
device and platform from the ground up
(platform-specific).
 they are developed and coded with a specific
operating system in mind.
 Examples: Facebook, Twitter, Skype icons on
your smarthphones that are made for one click
use.

Mobile Solutions
Mobile Website
 a Mobile Website is simply a modified version of
your website so that it fits on tiny (mobile)
screens.
 They live on a web server, not on the device
itself.
 While they need to be designed and optimized
for mobile use, they are developed using an
infrastructure and languages that are already
familiar in most libraries.

Mobile Solutions
Mobile Website
 Example:
http://worldcatmobile.org/

Mobile Solutions
Hybrids
 Hybrid apps are a cross between mobile web
and native apps.
 Hybrid apps are installed on the mobile device,
like native apps. But unlike native apps, they are
developed using web languages that are more
familiar to libraries than those used to code
native apps.

Mobile Solutions
Hybrids
 The app, developed using
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript,
is then “wrapped” in a
native app wrapper so that
it can be installed to a
mobile device like a true
native app.

"Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers"

What Should you choose?
One of the most common concerns for
web developers new to the mobile app
world is the learning curve required to
build native apps, or the lack of
education on what a hybrid app is.
Before choosing a solution, consider
the user experience and what each
option provides you.

Native apps will always provide the
fastest performance, at the cost of
being more complex to code when
compared to a hybrid app, while a
hybrid app will be easier to build, using
HTML5 and JavaScript, at the cost of
giving up a little bit of speed.

Native apps will always require more
investment because they are written with
more complex languages, designs and
structures.
They also need to be written/rewritten
for each mobile platform you are
targeting.
Hybrid apps will always enable you to
build for more platforms faster, if you are
willing to sacrifice small amounts of
performance

Choosing Mobile Web Solution:
Things to Consider
Is your website mobile-friendly?
Is your online catalog mobile-friendly?
Find out using W3Cs mobile OK
checker.
 http://validator.w3.org/mobile/
If not, create a mobile version of your
website and/or online catalog.

Choosing Mobile Web Solution:
Things to Consider
Does your online database provider
have mobile apps?
Does your library have ebook
subscription?
Some publishers provide free mobile
apps for their products:
 EBSCOHost
 SpringerLink

Choosing Native Apps/Hybrid
Solution: Things to Consider
Know what you want to accomplish
with the app. Plan it out precisely with
staff input
Find people who are skilled at app
creation.
Give the people working on the app
enough time to create it. Have a
timeline in place.

Choosing Native Apps/Hybrid
Solution: Things to Consider
Work on the app should be ongoing,
and the library’s commitment to the
mobile app should be continuous.
Look at other library mobile apps.
What are they doing well? What
doesn’t work? What might work for
your clientele?
Be creative and innovative. Provide the
services in your mobile apps that your
clientele want the most.

Tips on Developing Successful
Mobile Apps
Don’t make users read lots of tiny print
on tiny screens or scroll right and
left—because they won’t.
Minimize the amount of typing users
have to do.
Most users of mobile sites are on-the-
go and just want a quick answer.

Tips on Developing Successful
Mobile Apps
Don’t reinvent the wheel—borrow and
repurpose mobile site coding.
Test your mobile site on simulators,
actual devices, and—most
importantly—actual users.
Give the mobile user a choice between
mobile and full-size.

Mobile eBook Readers
iBooks
Kindle
Nook
Sony Reader
Kobo Reader
Overdrive – also reads audiobooks
and streams video (cross-platform)

Mobile Reference App
EBSCOHost (subscription required; free
access to greenfile database)
Springer (includes open access
eresources)
ebrary (subscription-based)
Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Free)

Cataloging / Library Management
System Tools
ibookshelf (iPhone/iPad only)
Worldcat Mobile – Browser-based
Destiny Quest - Follet Software
LibraryAnywhere/LibraryThing
 Search, discover and interact with participating
libraries

System Tools
Overdrive Media Console
 Read eBooks, listen to audiobooks, and watch
videos from your library on the go or at home
with OverDrive Media Console.
 The app is available for every major desktop and
mobile platform, including Windows, Mac, iPad,
iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Kindle,
NOOK, Windows 8 PC and tablet, and Windows
Phone.

System Tools
Boopsie's Mobile App Platform
 Catalog Search - Provide patrons with real-time
access to your library’s collection via their
smartphones and tablets
 Library Locator - GPS-aware technology shares
branch locations, hours of operation and contact
information.
 Additional eContent Integration - Deliver eBook,
eAudioBook and video content to your patrons
and students via a Boopsie Native Mobile App
(EBSCOhost)

System Tools
Boopsie's Mobile App Platform
 ILS Integration - Gives patrons the ability to
manage their accounts including placing holds
and renewals (self-service options)
 Ask a Librarian - With direct connection to
reference services via text, email or phone, your
patrons can reach you from any location
 Social Tools - Help patrons stay up-to-date with
your library’s latest news via your Twitter,
Facebook, YouTube or blog posts.

Mobile Apps for Events
Apps4Events
 mobile applications for events, conferences, and
tradeshows
EventMobi
 Event manager/planner
 Create custom conference app

Collaborative Mobile Apps
Dropbox - premier file backup, sync
and sharing solution
Zoho Corp’s Zoho Docs - Web office
and collaborative software
Google Drive – Web office and
collaborative software
Microsoft OneDrive – Web office and
collaborative software

Providing Mobile Services in Your
Library: Things to Consider
Ensure mobile access is available in all
areas of the library; WiFi access should
be available.
Train staff on mobile access/use of
mobile apps.
Encourage staff to use mobile to do
work.

Providing Mobile Services in Your
Library: Things to Consider
Acquire mobile devices for staff to
use/train on.
Know how to market your mobile
services (advertise).
Provide Mobile charging stations.

Infinite Monkeys
A free DIY mobile apps creation service
that lets you create iPhone apps and
Android apps quickly through a simple
drag-and-drop tool.
Cross-Platform
URL:
 http://www.infinitemonkeys.mobi/
 http://www.appmakr.com/

AppsGeyser
free web platform that allows
converting any web content into an
Android App in 2 easy steps.
the fastest-growing Do-It-Yourself App
generator for Android
URL:
 http://www.appsgeyser.com

Sweb Apps
SwebApps is a build-your-own-app
platform.
Allows creation of web apps and native
apps for iPhone, Android, and more!
URL:
 http://swebapps.com/

MyAppBuilder
uses PhoneGap framework
PhoneGap framework allows you to
create apps using standardized web
APIs for the platforms you care about.
Allows you to build your own or let
MyAppBuilder build the app for you for
a fee.
URL:
 http://myappbuilder.com/

goMobi
This service translates existing
websites into mobile-ready websites,
more easily viewed on the small screen
URL:
 http://gomobi.info/

Other Mobile App Dev’t Tools
iWebKit - snippetspace.com
Appcellerator - www.appcellerator.com
PhoneGap - app.phonegap.com
MyMobileLibrary: App, powered by
Boopsie -
www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-
displaytext.pl?RC=15821
DCPL Connect - ChiliFresh.com

SAMPLE MOBILE APP
UP Integrated Library System Mobile App (MyLib)

MOBILE APPS FOR LIBRARIES
YOU CAN DEVELOP / EXPLORE

Mobile Apps you can develop
MOPAC (Mobile OPAC)
 catalog search
 Place a hold on the item (reservation)
 verify item by ISBN
eBook Reader
Readings materials (Lists), bookmarks
SMS App (alerts for overdue, reservation
info)
Calendar of events
Ask-a-Librarian

Mobile Apps you can develop
 Library News
 Other Local Databases
 Research guides
 Libraries locations (Map)
 Account information (Electronic Library Card)
 Check-out and renew materials
 Contact Info
 Library Service Hours
 Feedback Forms

"Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers"

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"Use of Mobile Apps: Harnessing E-Resources & Services in Libraries & Information Centers"