CIL2011: Going Mobile

Parts of this session turned out to be more technical that I anticipated, so my notes are minimal.

Putting You Library in the Hands of Your Patrons - Ronalee Ciocco and Jessica Howard from Gettysburg College

• They started by doing research on mobile usage including looking at research from Pew Internet and American Life Project
• Gettysburg College added free wifi which increased usage.  Usable is still growing.
• Mobile use of the library's web site is increasing.  1% of their traffic comes from mobile devices (Feb. 2011)
• Call numbers can be texted from the library's catalogue to someone's cell phone.  1000 uses per month.
• Looked at other libraries mobile web sites to see what was possible.
• There is already a mobile version of the college's web site.  Created with free software called iWebKit.  They college also developed an iPhone app aimed at prospective students.
• What do users want?
• Survey in spring and fall 2010
• Most using iPhone and iPod Touch
• What did they want to use? Renewing items and quick informational things
• Marketing the site
• Tent cards
• QR codes - Google URL shortener to track usage
• Lessons learned
• Keep it simple
• Start small
• Be flexible

Shian Chang - Georgetown University (too technical for me...sorry)

• Used Drupal, iWebKit, PHP and other tools
• Georgetown mobile web site is at http://www.georgetown.edu/mobile/

 Kimberly Griggs, Oregon State University

• OSU mobile library web site - http://m.library.oregonstate.edu