Mobile Library Services for Smartphones

1. Library Services for Mobile Devices:
The NIE Library Experience
Jacky Wong
NIE Library and Information Services Centre (LIBRIS)
Librarians for Tomorrow Seminar 2012
Tuesday, 25th Sep 2012
Biopolis Auditorium

2. Overview
• Introduction
• Strategies
• Outcomes
• Conclusion

3. Presentation Date

4. “Global mobile data traffic
grew 2.3 fold in 2011”
“Projected to grow by 18-fold
between 2011 and 2016” –
Cisco Systems Inc
“Singapore mobile
penetration rate – 145%”
“72% are smartphones, 3rd Presentation Date
highest smartphone
penetration rate in the world”
– IDA Singapore

5. Access Library Services
& Resources:
•Anywhere
•Anytime
•24x7

6. March 2011 - Launched Bookmyne iPhone
Application

7. Feature-rich but costs nothing (almost) !!!

8. Strategies
Bookmyne:
No customizations
=
No new mobile services
October 2011 –
Mobile Services Task
Force formed to review
Library Mobile strategy

9. Features
Web Application Native Application
• Reaches different mobile • More responsive
devices easily
• Content can be retrieved • Excellent user interface
from search engine results
• Content can be easily • Take advantage of features in
updated mobile devices, e.g. camera
• Enhancements can be • More expensive – needs more
deployed immediately effort to develop, maintain,
update & enhance
• Requires more skillsets
• Need to develop multiple
versions for different platforms

10. Features
Web Application Native Application
Unable to interface Able to interface with
with BookMyne and BookMyne and other
other native native applications
applications

11. Strategies
Hybrid Approach Adopted:
•First Page is Native Application
•Subsequent Pages are part of web applications
Advantages:
•Best of both worlds – Native & Web
•Ability to link to BookMyne, NIE Mobile

12. Strategies
Outsource Application Development
 Faster time to market
 Address issue of lack of
internal skill sets
 Proper knowledge transfer
 Retain source codes

13. Strategies
Technical Considerations
 Retrieve data from Library
Portal via RSS
 Avoid maintaining contents
from multiple platform

15. Integration

17. • Engage student to develop
Android version of LibGO!
• Development completed in a
mere 6 weeks!
• June 2012 - Launched Android
version of LibGO!

18. Outcome
•Greater convenience for users
•Increased usage of Library services & resources
•Higher visibility of NIE
Objectives achieved without adding too much administrative
pressure on staff workload

19. Conclusion
What’s Next for LibGO!
Analyze usage patterns
through statistics
Conduct focus group survey
to gather user feedbacks
 Monitor developments and
trends in the use of mobile
devices
Gather ideas to enhance
LibGO!