Presentation delivered at 4th international m-libraries conference in Milton Keynes. Shares the results of two surveys on mobile technologies in libraries.

1. M-libraries on the hype
cycle: where are we?
Jo Alcock
Evidence Base at Birmingham City University
jo.alcock@bcu.ac.uk
@joeyanne
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

2. JISC m-library community
support project
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

3. Fact finding surveys
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

4. Respondents
Academic Library
Public library
Special library
Other
14% 11%
9%
13%
13%
9% 64% 67%
n=188 n=127
Dec 2011 Aug 2012
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

5. Current m-library
initiatives
Dec 2011 Aug 2012
19.6
Mobile catalogue
49.2
15.9
Mobile website
36.5
13.8
QR codes
72.2
13.3
Mobile guide
33.3
7.4
Library mobile app
19
6.3
Organisation mobile app
33.3
6.3
Mobile roving
30.2
4.8
Loaning devices
26.2
3.2
SMS communication
15.9
0 20 40 60 80 100
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

6. Current m-library
initiatives
Mobile chat (library enquiry service).
Location of free PCs in library
Status of printers in library
Newswires from news agencies
Mobile access to eBooks, audiobooks thru Overdrive, mobile
download of free music thru freegal, and mobile access to
ebsco databases...all accessible from mobile website.
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

7. Future m-library
initiatives
Dec 2011 Aug 2012
21.95
Mobile catalogue
14.71
21.95
Mobile website
12.75
9.76
QR codes
2.94
17.07
Mobile app
13.73
6.71
Mobile roving
19.61
2.44
Loaning devices
4.9
3.05
SMS communication
7.84
6.71
Access to resources
9.8
0 20 40 60 80 100
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

8. Future m-library
initiatives
Am very interested in Adobe Content Server for serving
ebooks flexibly to mobile readers
We're looking at redeveloping our library website
presence using responsive web design principles
AR to aid orientation esp at induction
Development of mobile enquiry service
We are considering adding tablet computers to the
collection that would circulate to students with disabilities
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

9. Barriers to m-library
developments
Dec 2011 Aug 2012
Lack of technical support
Lack of knowledge
Not institutional priority
Licensing concerns
Not sure if demand
*Resource constraints
*Infrastructure/policy constraints
*Lack of skills
*Not a library priority
0 20 40 60 80 100
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

10. Overcoming barriers to
m-library developments
Go for quick wins, using apps/services that are
free or low cost, whilst beginning to embed
mobile considerations into processes/projects
Re-prioritizing staff time
Making it a priority over some traditional
services that are no longer meeting users needs
By making a strong business case
Staff training and hiring new skill sets
Utilising expertise from other departments
(e.g. IT department) and other institutions
By determining what our users would want to access
on mobile devices, and making the service user-led.
Outsource to private company
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

11. Hype cycle
M-libraries Conference 25 Sept 2012

12. Contact
Jo Alcock
@joeyanne
jo.alcock@bcu.ac.uk
http://m-libraries.info