Mobile tools and services continue to be a dominant force that is changing the way libraries and their users access and use information. Learn ways that libraries can improve their mobile connection with their users, from creating accessible information to loaning hotspots and more. Don’t disappoint your mobile users! Join Chad as he highlights at least 5 ways to provide stellar mobile library services today.

1. 5 Ways to
Offer
Mobile
Services &
Tools for
Your
Library!
Image sources: apple.com & samsung.com

2. Slides are available at: http://www.slideshare.net/chadmairn
A real-time collaborative notebook is available at https://shog.us/mobile @cmairn

4. Mobile Revolution

5. Today, according to the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) there
are an estimated 7 billion mobile
subscriptions worldwide!
Roughly 97% of the world population!
Source: http://goo.gl/dLAu3Z

6. The information gathering
process (i.e., creating and
consuming content) evolves as
the mobile revolution advances.
It is an exciting time to be a
librarian!

7. Mobile Tech Trends in Libraries

8. Scanning …
• Text Message Reference
• QR Codes
• Mobile Websites & OPACs
• Library Vendor Apps
• E-books
• Mobile Marketing & Assessment
• Augmented Reality
• Near Field Communication (NFC)
• Wearable Computing

9. QR Codes etc.
Also pay attention to Near Field Communication
(NFC) technologies. They are here!

10. QR (Quick Response) codes can help guide mobile users in
your physical spaces come visit your digital library spaces.

11. Notice that the page that the QR code
directs you to is designed for mobile!

12. The research shows …
Source: http://pewinternet.org

13. Indoor Google Maps
allows users to quickly
and efficiently navigate
through indoor spaces,
picking up where GPS
leaves off.
I am here!

15. What should we be doing in libraries regarding wearable
computing devices like the archaic Google Glass Project?

17. The Boundless Library
Download the app: http://goo.gl/dBfGMb

18. Mobile Library Users

19. Scanning …
• Mobile Learning
• Game-based Learning
• Orientations and Tours
• QR Code Scavenger Hunts
• Point-of-need Instruction
• Mobile Response Systems
• QR Coding Books etc.
• Physical Buildings & Wireless Access
• Hotspot Lending
Want some examples or to add your own? Visit the real-time collaborative notebook at http://shog.us/mobile

20. SCARLET (Special Collections using Augmented Reality to
Enhance Learning and Teaching)
More info at: http://goo.gl/0x2KT1
Download the app! http://goo.gl/H5ebiX

21. Google
Drive
The Best Cloud Storage Services for 2015
http://goo.gl/cE5Dp

22. Libraries are checking out the Internet to patrons!
Source: http://goo.gl/3NfeTt

23. www.mobilebeacon.org

24. Mobile Access to Content

25. • Mobile Web Design
• Responsive Web Design
• Native Apps vs. Web Apps?
• Frameworks (jQuery Mobile, iUI)
• HTML5’s Offline Storage
• Mobile OPACs
• Barcode Scanner (App Inventor)
• E-books
• Vendor Created Mobile Apps
• Archives & Inventory
Scanning …

26. “Fundamentally, 'mobile' refers to the user,
not the device or application.”
Barbara Ballard Designing the Mobile User Experience

27. Quick Poll
Does your library have:
Mobile-optimized Website
Native App (iOS, Android etc.)
Nothing yet, but considering an app
Nothing yet, but considering a website.
No plans; it is too expensive/complex!

28. appinventor.mit.edu/

29. Native Apps vs. Web/Browser Apps
Issues Native apps Web apps
Internet access Not required Required, except for apps
written in HTML5 (offline
capabilities)
Shareable content (Twitter
etc.)
Only if it is built in to the app Web links can be shared.
Social API’s allow 1-click
posting
Access to hardware sensors Yes: camera, gyroscope,
microphone, compass,
accelerometer, GPS
Access thru browser is
limited. Geolocation works!
Development Build app for target platform
(Android, iOS [Objective-C]
etc.)
Write/publish once using
standard Web technologies,
view it anywhere with URL.
Speedy debugging and
development.
Distribution Most app stores require
approval.
No hassles.
Source: http://goo.gl/zSeDU

30. Take an emulated look at your desktop site.
Mobile Site Desktop Site

31. <p><a class="call" href="tel:17273417177" accesskey="0">Call the Library</a> | (727) 341-7177<br />
<a href="wtai://wp/ap;+17273417177; SPC%20Library">[Add to Phone Book]</a><br />
A simple mobile-optimized Website can work on all devices!

32. Small Screen Rendering (260 px) using the
Web Developer add-on in Firefox
Desktop Small Screen

33. Learn and borrow from sites you like.
http://m.novarelibrary.com/

34. Or you can build something using HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript that acts like a native app!
Built using jQTouch Built using jQuery Mobile

35. jQuery Mobile, an HTML5-based user interface system for all popular mobile device
platforms, is well-documented and there are great demos to get you started.

36. Note: you can determine how your user’s are
accessing your Web site (e.g., mobile devices,
carriers, browsers , OS’s, screen resolution etc.)
In-page Analytics

37. Sketch ideas

38. Testing and validation
Test Page Speed in Firebug
http://getfirebug.com/

39. W3C mobileOK Checker
http://validator.w3.org/mobile/

40. Redirecting Mobile Users
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
if (screen.width <= 699) {
document.location = "YOUR-MOBILE-SITE.com";
}
//-->
</script>
1.
2. <span><script type="text/javascript">
<!--
if ((navigator.userAgent.match(/iPhone/i)) ||
(navigator.userAgent.match(/iPod/i))) {
location.replace("<a href="http://YOUR-MOBILE-
SITE.com">http://YOUR-MOBILE-SITE.com</a>");
}
-->
</script>
</span>
Note: http://www.user-agents.org has an extensive list.
<link rel="stylesheet" href="screen.css" media="screen"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="handheld.css" media="handheld"/>
3.
<? if (
stristr($ua, "Windows CE") or
stristr($ua, "Mobile") ) {
$DEVICE_TYPE="MOBILE";
}
if (isset($DEVICE_TYPE) and $DEVICE_TYPE=="MOBILE") {
$location='YOUR-MOBILE-SITE.com/index.php';
header ('Location: '.$location);
exit;
}
?>
4.
Using WordPress? http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-mobile-pack/
Source: http://goo.gl/Amfj2
5.
Should you redirect
mobile users?

41. The Future of Mobile Web App/Site Development? Responsive Web Design!

42. http://gvsu.edu/library/

43. LibGuides 2.0 is based on the Bootstrap 3.0 framework
http://getbootstrap.com

44. Will this be the end of native apps?

45. Editors and Tools
• You can use a simple text editor (e.g., Notepad) or a more sophisticated application
(e.g., Dreamweaver).
• Adobe Device Central is part of Adobe’s CS.
• iUI: http://code.google.com/p/iui/ for iPhone.
• MIT Mobile Web Open Source Project
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mitmobileweb/
• Device detection? http://detectmobilebrowsers.mobi/
• To see your browser's HTTP Headers. Works on mobile browsers.
http://rabin.mobi/http
• Web Developer Toolbar in Firefox: Select Miscellaneous >>> Small Screen Rendering
(260 px) >>> the layout will be reformatted to simulate rendering by a mobile
browser.

46. Some Best Practices
• Follow the "m" convention (m.novarelibrary.com OR lifeonterra.com/m/)
• Keep categories (directories) short. Remember that you are creating a page that people touch
without much typing
• Limit image and markup sizes
• Limit HTML pages to 25KB to allow for caching
• "Minify" your scripts and CSS (JSLint, CleanCSS)
• Link to Full Site
• Sniff for User Agent – Detection (allow the user to decide where to go)
• One Column Layout with some whitespace
• Mobile refers to the user!

47. Mobile Reference

48. • SMS-based Reference
• Consider Indoor Google Mapping!
• Data Collection
• Mobile-to-Mobile Messaging
• Roving Reference & Outreach
Scanning …

49. Check with your vendors to see if they have apps
and/or mobile-optimized resources.
If they don’t, put some pressure on them to build
something quickly!

50. http://www.gale.cengage.com/apps/

51. Mobile OPACs

52. Mobile Databases

54. An example: a “free” SMS Reference Service
1. Get a free Google Voice number.
2. Promote this number.
3. Use free GVMax web service to send notifications via Instant Messaging
(XMPP/GoogleTalk), emails, Prowl and Howl notifications, Twitter,
HttpPost and SMS.
HOWEVER …

57. Some e-reading Apps

58. Collection Development with …
Don’t like Evernote?

59. 1. 2.
3. 4.

60. Accessible on mobile!
AND via desktop!

61. Copy the ISBN or use a LibX toolbar to
search OPAC.
If your library doesn’t own it, then
paste the URL into your acquisition
system and purchase it!

62. Note: I recently switched to

63. Mobile Professional
Development and New
Opportunities

64. • Mobile Websites
• E-book Download Stations
• LIBRARYH3LP
• Vendor Supplied Apps
• Time to Play
• Professional Reading
• Consider using Calibre to create a personal e-book
• Interpersonal Networking
• Research & Scholarship
• Virtual Workshops/Courses
• Conferences
Scanning …

66. Know how to navigate games etc.
Source: http://goo.gl/bRog2M

67. Here is an “electronic” book on
electronics!
It was created by Wikipedia’s
Book Creator
http://www.scribd.com/doc/268748439/Electronic-Circuitry-Components
Try using Calibre to create your own Professional Development e-book built
automatically from RSS feeds! Flipboard, InstaPaper etc. are great tools too!

68. Some popular classes

69. Basics

70. Showing my Android phone via an AppleTV!
www.google.com/chromecast

71. iOS Basics
Introducing
the iPad,
iPhone, and
iCloud.

72. Showing my iPad via an AppleTV

73. Image source: www.gepl.org
Image source: http://tblc.org/

74. Source: http://goo.gl/eS2wlA

75. http://www.libsuccess.org/M-Libraries

76. Take a look around and stay informed.
apps4librarians.com/

77. 5 Ways to
Offer
Mobile
Services
Image sources: apple.com & samsung.com
At least

78. Contact Information
Let’s
Hangout!
gplus.to/chadmairn