mobile library services: what do users want? bennett claire ponsford texas a&m university...
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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
tpho
ne
iPho
ne
Andro
id-ba
sed
Blackb
erry
Wire
less
card
Oth
er sm
artp
hone
Netbo
ok
Wind
owsM
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
mar
tpho
neiP
ad
Netbo
ok
Wire
less
conn
ectio
n ca
rd fo
r lap
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: [email protected]• phone: 979.845.0877• website: http://m.library.tamu.edu• statistics:
http://library.tamu.edu/directory/bcponsford
NISO Forum: Mobile Technologies in Libraries