Molefi Nyofane & Pavlinka

Kovatcheva

University of Johannesburg

Library & Information Centre

Using Mobile Technologies

@ UJ

11th Southern African Online Information Meeting (SAOIM)

“Innovation in an Age of Limits”

7 June 2012

Content:

1. Introduction

2. Why use Mobile Technologies

3. Mobile services @UJ

- UJ Mobi site

- AirPac Library Catalogue

- The Mobile Sciences librarian

playground

4. Mobile Library Projects initiatives for 2012

5. Survey Results from AirPac Mobile use

6. Conclusion

Source

Source

From computers to the Internet, libraries have successfully met the challenge of adapting their services

to changing technologies.

Today's challenge is delivering services to smartphones, eBook readers, and

tablets to users on the go who now view more content on mobile devices than desktop and laptop computers.

eBook sales outpace paper books, and users increasingly download music, movies, and

books from iTunes and Kindle, storing their purchases in the Cloud.

http://www.amigos.org/mobile_tech

Access by Touch: Delivering Library Services Through Mobile

Technologies- June 8, 2012 (Online Conference)

The Mobile world at the palm of our hands

Source

Why use Mobile Technologies

If Librarians want to hold on to their role as an Information professionals, they need to be able to reach out to users in their preferred method of Communication. (Griffey, 2010)

The Mobile Academic Librarian provides:

• Library Services on the GO!

• 24/7 Access to the Library Catalogue, websites, services & resources

• Social Interactions via Mobile Web 2.0 Applications

• Current Awareness to Services and Resources

• Information Retrieval & Reference Services

• eBook Readers on loanAt the PALM of your PATRON HANDS

Plan to be a Mobile Library/Librarian!

Develop or Customise Mobile Applications for your University/Library to fit your library users needs:

Create Mobile websiteCreate Mobile Library CatalogueCreate Portable Instruction ResourcesOffer Mobile Library ToursOffer Mobile collections Provide SMS services Explore other implementation ideas ALL THE

TIME! (Griffey, 2010)

Mobile Services @ UJ

http://uj.mobi/

AirPac Library CatalogueUse your mobile to:

• Search UJ Library Catalogue

• Reserve items (place a hold on them)

• Renew overdue books

• Download e-books and e-journal articles

… and lots more

http://ujlink.uj.ac.za/airpac

http://ujmobilelink.uj.ac.za/

The Mobile Sciences Librarian... playground

Mobile Library Projects

initiatives for 2012

UJ Library Mobile Projects 2012

Project 1: iPads to be available in the library

• 15 iPads for UJ Kingsway Campus library> 12 iPads will be on stands in the library for students to use with selected applications> 3 iPads will be used by library staff to explore and learn how to use;

• Sponsor: Core Computer Business- On loan for 2 years- The contract has been submitted to the library for approval

UJ Library Mobile Projects 2012 (Cont.)

Project 2: iPads on loan

• 3 iPads will be purchased

• Circulated to students

Challenges:• How ready are we to

provide Mobile services?

• Negotiate licensing for access to resources

• Mobile disadvantage students

Opportunities: • Taking the library to the

users• Mobile experience for

students

Wireless Access @ UJ

The University of Johannesburg aims at making available wireless access on all campuses.

Currently the UJ Library provides:• Wi-Fi @ Kingsway Library.

- Purpose: to accommodate the access to the library mobile iPad projects- Initial stage 2011-1212 only on Level 1 in the library for 40 users- From May 2012 additional Wi-Fi access is available for 200 students accessible on Level 1 & 2

UJoogle: the new integrated Library search engine

• UJoogle (Encore, Innovative) brings true discovery to library users by offering social features, faceted search, advanced relevancy ranking, peer-reviewed articles, digital collections, books and more.

• Ujoogle/Encore provides a platform that allows for content flexibility and streams information from article sources in real-time

Ujoogle.uj.ac.za

Implementation:

• July 2012

Aim of the study:

• To get feedback from our library users of the

usefulness of the AirPac mobile service;

• Seeks to discover:

- whether or not is fulfilling the mission of

taking the library to its patrons;

- whatever or not Mobile technology

improves learner support in terms of library

services.

Survey on the mobile use of theUJ Library catalogue :AirPac

About the AirPac Library Survey • Pilot study• The survey was conducted from 16 August 2011 for two

weeks• Four campus libraries• Focus group:

- Walk-in students - Post-graduates and undergraduates

• Sample: 41 participants• Conceptual Framework: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Survey Demographics

APB FADA APK DFC

18% 19%

44%

19%

Number of Participants (per Campus)

15-20 21-25 26+

17%

76%

7%

Age of Participants

41%

49%

10%

Type of Mobile PhonesSmartphone Classic phones Ordinary phone

Survey Findings

Socia

l Netw

orking

E-mail

Instant M

essag

ing

Surfi

ng the I

nternet

58%48%

24%

41%

Reasons for Internet use

1-2 hours 2-3 hours 3-5 hours 6+ hours None

19% 21%17%

35%

8%

Hours of Internet access (Weekly)

Easy Very easy Difficult Very difficult Don't know

46% 44%

0% 0%

10%

Searching the AirPac: Perceived Ease of Use

Difficu

lty to

useCosts

Phone fea

tures

Rather

use PC

Nothing

0%

29% 27%22% 22%

Reasons for NOT Searching AirPac

Perceived Ease of Use: The extent to which an individual believes that using the system will be free of effort

Survey Findings (continue)

Perceived Usefulness - the degree of performance for a person who uses a particular system / technological product. The person believes that his/her performance is enhanced by using the system/technological product

Easy Very easy Don't know

48%46%

10%

46%

51%

3%

49%51%

0%

Perceived Usefulness of AirPacSearching AirPac Renewal of Books Check Library records

What are the students saying about AirPac? It cuts out the middle man & avoids one

having to go to the library. Good initiative

& will probably catch on quickly

Very innovative & a good structure for the UJ library.

The programme is absolutely reliable,

saves time & money. Convenient, can't

wait to use it. I like the catalogue.

Convenient for student who are not around the UJ campus a lot

 A brilliant idea and will help a lot

The inclusion of database on AirPac will be of great help to all students.

UJ is doing an awesome job making

it easy for students to access

certain sites without having to be at

campus because majority of

students travel to school.

This should be introduced to 1st

years at the beginning of the year

then sign up for EduLink

Think it's great & that UJ is

transitioning into a more modern

institution, accommodating space

which appeals to students & also

make access to services easier

Innovative thinking It's awesome

In Conclusion

To meet the expectations of students, the libraries should focus on: • Developing Mobile library portals • Seamless wireless access in the library, to enable

free Wi-Fi access for students• Making available different mobile devices, such as

iPad and Kindle, to enhance users experience with different media

• To adopt and implement new trends based on users feedback

• Mobile savvy librarians to carry out the implementation

“A level of limitless, a level where there is no impossibility, a level where impossible say I’m

possible” Molefi Nyofane

References

Griffey, J. 2010. Mobile Technology & Libraries. London: Facet Publ. M-Libraries: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=M-Libraries

Thomas, L.C. 2012. The state of the Mobile in Libraries 2012. Accessed: 30/05/2012. URL: http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/02/mobile/the-state-of-mobile-in-libraries-2012/

Presentation:Kovatcheva, P. The Academic Librarian on the move: the use of

Mobile Technologies in Support to Teaching, Learning & Research. iBala workshop, 28 September 2011. Available on SlideShare: http://www.slideshare.net/pavlinka163/presentations

Thank you! Q & A

We ARE the Mobile Librarians