mobile library services: what do users want? bennett claire ponsford texas a&m university...

Mobile library services: what do users want?

Bennett Claire Ponsford

Texas A&M University Libraries

Background

Texas A&M University Libraries 55,000 + students and faculty Main library with 5 branches

Libraries web site Centralized management with CMS Content contributed by librarians and staff Usual collection of vendor-supplied library

software

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Survey

• Debate within the Libraries over what mobile to do and how much mobile to do

• Need to focus resources on what is wanted and not just the latest cool thing

• Decided to ask users instead of just making assumptions

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Results

• 79.3% of respondents wanted a mobile library website

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Results

• Most important features– Order books held for you– Renew books– Search for books– Reserve/place holds on books– Library hours– View checked out books– Search for articles

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Results

• Least important features– Library podcasts– Find/read theses and dissertations– Suggest a purchase– Today’s events– List of new books– Maps/directions to the libraries

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Results

• Comments– PLEASE just make it simple .. nothing

complicated – It should be flexible and easy to use. – Please design it so that its available to all

devices and not only the iphone – Would have been nice two or three years ago.

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Spring 2010 Results

• But …– Only 193 respondents– Only those interested in mobile needs would

respond.

Fall 2010 Survey

• Overall Libraries’ web site survey– More responses– Not mobile specific

• Mobile questions– Simplified – only 4 questions– Dropped low-scoring options from spring

survey– 2013 respondents

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Would you like to be able to view the Libraries’ website on your cell phone/mobile device?

47%

28%

25%

Yes

No

Not sure

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Would you like to be able to view the Libraries’ website on your cell phone/mobile device?

Yes

No

Not sure

0% 20% 40% 60%

Faculty Graduate students Undergraduates

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Cell phone/mobile device(s) used

Non-s

mar

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ne

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Andro

id-ba

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Blackb

erry

Wire

less

card

Oth

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hone

Netbo

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Wind

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obile

-bas

ediP

adO

ther

0

100

200

300

Undergraduates Graduate Students Faculty

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Cell phone/mobile device(s) used

iPho

ne

Andro

id-ba

sed

Blackb

erry

Wind

owsM

obile

-bas

ed

Oth

er sm

artp

hone

Non-s

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Wire

less

conn

ectio

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top

0100200300400500

Yes Not sure

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Use of current mobile services

Hours

Phone

num

bers

Direct

ions/

Map

s

Text a

call n

umbe

r

Get

it fo

r me

text

Datab

ases

list

None

Unawar

e of

them

0

100

200

300

400

500

Undergraduates Graduate students Faculty

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Use of current mobile services

Hours

Phone

num

bers

Map

s to

the

libra

ries

Text a

call n

umbe

r

Get

it fo

r me

text

Datab

ase

list

None

Unawar

e of

them

0

100

200

300

400

500

Yes Not sure

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Feature Importance: Important or Very Important

View checked-out books

Place holds on books

Search for books

Reserve study rooms

Renew books

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Undergraduates Graduate students Faculty

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Feature Importance: Important or Very Important

Chat with a librarian

Read e-books

Search for databases

Read articles

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Undergraduates Graduate students Faculty

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Feature Importance: Important or Very Important

Chat with a librarian

Reserve computers

Read e-books

Search for databases

Reserve study rooms

Read articles

View checked-out books

Place holds on books

Search for articles

Search for books

Renew books

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Yes Not sure

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Comments

• Few comments re: mobile issues and those generally were “more”

• Seemed to be more concerned about other issues– Better search for our stuff– Authentication issues

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

What We’re Doing

• Moved mobile site to a faster platform• Trying to include mobile interfaces in

solutions to overall problems– Added LibGuides– Added a Text a Librarian service– Purchased a discovery layer with mobile

interface– Looking into a room reservation system with

mobile interface

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

EBSCO usage statistics

Spring 2010 Fall 2010 Spring 20110

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Average Monthly Mobile Usage

Sessions Searches Abstract Full Text

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

EBSCO Usage Statistics (Spring)

Monthly Average – Regular

• Searches – 74451• Abstracts – 251314• Full text – 5056

• Abs/Search – 3.37• FT/Search – 0.07

Monthly Average – Mobile

• Searches – 200• Abstracts – 83• Full text – 12

• Abs/Search – 0.41• FT/Search – 0.06

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Question?

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

Contact Info

• email: bennett.ponsford@tamu.edu• phone: 979.845.0877• website: http://m.library.tamu.edu• statistics:

http://library.tamu.edu/directory/bcponsford

NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries