Presentation given at the Second International M-Libraries conference in Vancouver, 23-24 June 2009. Reporting on a three month research project undertaken as part of the Arcadia Fellowship at Cambridge University, this presentation will discuss the responses of library users to a short online survey about how they use information on the move. The survey of was carried out at both the Open and Cambridge universities, asking respondents about their current use of mobile information services such as text alerts, use of SMS reference services, such as Any Questions Answered, and use of the mobile internet.

1. M-Libraries: Information Use
on the Move
Keren Mills, arcadia@cambridge fellow

2. The Arcadia Programme
Cambridge University Library
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

3. Drivers, aims & scope
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

4. Barriers to M-libraries research
• Perception (of cost, ease
of use)
• Lack of awareness
• Lack of examples or
prototypes
• Research methods?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derekl
• Sample selection
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

5. Text alerting services
• 1/3 of respondents already
receive text alerts From: OU Library
The following items
3 of your loaned
• Recommendation: Pilot are overdue.
items are due
for renewal.
Title: The Public
Please reply
Domain
with RENEW or
Due: 09 June 2009
return them.
Please reply with
RENEW or return
items.
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

6. Text reference
services
• 27% of respondents have
used them and would use
again
• 26% might try it now that
they were aware of it
• Recommendation: Pilot
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcolwell/

7. Mobile OPAC
• 55% of total respondents were in
favour of being able to access
the library catalogue from a
mobile phone
• Recommendation: Provide
mobile OPAC
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

8. Mobile-friendly library website
• Less than 25% of
respondents access the
mobile internet via their
phones
• Recommendation:
Don’t handcraft
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

9. Library Audio Tours
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

10. Library Applications
• Only 21% of respondents
to this survey have
downloaded applications
to their phones and
would do so again
• But… Watch this space!
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

11. Mobile phone use in the library
• Note taking
• Alerts/reminders
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role http://www.flickr.com/photos/suviko/
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

12. Mobilizing The Open University
Library
• Website – www.open.ac.uk/library
• Safari -
http://digilab.open.ac.uk/testarea/
mobileSafari/
• OPAC
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk

13. Photo credits
DerekL, Mobile Library arriving in
Market Square -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derekl/274
6105103/
kcolwell, Student Using Cell Phone By
the Campus Lakes –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcolwell/13
9110661/in/set-72057594123206202/
DaKaTotal, African Elephant -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dakatotal/3
085006165/
Suviko, Shh! Quiet in the Library
Thank you for http://www.flickr.com/photos/suviko/346
948814/
listening

14. Keren Mills
k.mills@open.ac.uk
www.twitter.com/mirya
The Open University Library
www.open.ac.uk/library
arcadia@cambridge: rethinking the role
of the research library in a digital age
http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk