Blending in-person and online library services by
utilizing mobile technology
Jason CasdenNorth Carolina State University Libraries
ASEE - Mobile Strategies for Engineering LibrariesJune 13th, 2012
Outline• Overview• Three projects at NCSU Libraries–WolfWalk– Suma– “Get Help” iPad kiosk application
• What’s around the corner?
In-person services
Online services
Improved integration
Can we improve integration...
• between in-person and online services
Can we improve integration...
• between in-person and online services
• into new contexts of use
Can we improve integration...
• between in-person and online services
• into new contexts of use• with improved data-informed design
Could we utilize mobility…
Could we utilize mobility…• to reach new users or to open
pathways to new kinds of use?
Could we utilize mobility…• to reach new users or to open
pathways to new kinds of use?• to extend the reach of in-person
services?
Could we utilize mobility…• to reach new users or to open
pathways to new kinds of use?• to extend the reach of in-person
services?• to better understand how people use
our spaces and services?
Could we utilize mobility…• to reach new users or to open
pathways to new kinds of use?• to extend the reach of in-person
services?• to better understand how people use
our spaces and services?• to enhance staff performance?
Three projects at NCSU
WolfWalk
WolfWalk
Make it easy for the NC State campus community to
learn about the history of campus while on campus.
Todd Kosmerick and Adam Berenbak, NCSU Libraries
WolfWalk
• Launched 2010• Major update June 2011
• 3 flavors– Web App– iPhone/iPod Touch– iPad
• 1000+ images
User demographics (?)
Top image request paths
Parents?
Current and recent students?
Grandparents?
Daily trends
Historical State
WolfWalk
“Get Help” kiosk
Wireframe created by Adam Rogers, NCSU Libraries.
Screenshot 3
What’s next?• Track usage stats• Consider other kinds of content• Consider other methods of contact• Possibly deploy to other locations
Suma
Illustration by Joyce Chapman
Suma
Replace and dramatically improve the entire workflow for collecting and analyzing
data about the use of physical spaces.
Staff as sensors
Joyce Chapman: librarian, project team member, slide contributor, wireframer, data analyst, illustrator.
What is the system?
What is the system?
What is the system?
What is the system?
What is the data?
What are we trying to replace?
CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Dipesh Soneji. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dipeshsoneji/4734289230/
…and it’s Open Source.
http://github.com/cazzerson/Suma
…in summary
Could we utilize mobility to…• reach new users or to open pathways
to new kinds of use?• extend the reach of in-person
services?• better understand how people use
our spaces and services?• enhance staff performance?
What's coming?• James B. Hunt, Jr. Library• Roaming reference• More uniform data collection and
analysis• Targeted and experimental space
and service design
WolfWalk credits• The project team– Tito Sierra– Jason Casden– Cory Lown– Steven Morris–Markus Wust– Brian Dietz– Todd Kosmerick– Joseph Ryan
“Get Help” kiosk credits• The project team– Jason Casden– Adam Rogers– David Woodbury– John Pommerich
Suma credits• The project team– Jason Casden– Rob Rucker– Joyce Chapman– Eric McEachern– Bret Davidson– Rusty Earl
Project links• WolfWalk
m.lib.ncsu.edu/wolfwalk
• Sumawww.lib.ncsu.edu/dli/projects/spaceassesstool