CIL2009: Handhelds & Mobile

Ben Smith, Sheryl Bai, someone else…, Aaron Schmidt

First up – Handhelds at UCHC School of Medicine

PDA Program:

• PDAs supported by the library since 2001
• Library purchased PDAs for staff
• Did an in-service class for staff
• did some student and faculty training, too

Ben:

Current PDA Initiative:

meet with faculty, then test handhelds, create instructions.

Train students so they can be a resource to ther students. Cool.

They hold PDA clinics, help them install apps, etc.

Considerations:

• which handheld platform?
• Windows Mobile 2003 or Mobile 5?
• Smartphones?
• They’re limited because they’ve developed stuff on Windows Mobile platform, so they have to use those…

Smartphones:

• two devices in one
• cheaper
• you have a phone contract too – have to make sure students understand this
• screen resolution can be worse on a smartphone (aside – I love my iPhone)
• not all have touch screen functionality

Handy software utilities:

• dotPocket
• DeepFreeze
• ActiveSync
• Microsoft Remote Display Control (displays the PDA on a computer screen, hence a live demo during a presentation)
• My Mobiler
• Windows Mobile Device Center

Chris Tonjes, Aaron Schmidt

Chris (CIO, DC Public Library)

their iphone app:

three layers – transaction layer, data layer, presentation layer (I think)

Goals:

• continue horizontal integration of our ILS
• presents an alternative delivery of online catalog – like most, not happy with their ILS. So this gave them a great excuse to start experimenting
• first foray into mobile world
• leverages the power of the iTunes app store – the delivery method of the future
• model for other projects
• provides tangible near term ROI and extended library use and awareness
• leverage! Code and analysis used for …
• They have a blackberry version too
• more online catalogs! playing with VuFInd
• Integration/direct download target for content from our electronic resource providers 9Gale and Overdrive)
• iPhone 3.0! Ecommerce – fine and other payments from within app!
• model for near future projects (kindle or other readers)

Showing their release roadmap – they are planning for the future

DCPL iPhone App – fast facts:

• 2199 downloads so far
• 85 in the last week placed holds with it
• works with SirsiDynix enterprise portal search discovery tool
• plug in web service
• took about 100 total hours of programming time
• we can forecast LOE to modify for use with ibistro and elibrary
• code available for download

DCPL SMS Text Msg – Bill

Reach out to the younger people is a goal

they send notices, announcements

patrons opt-in on website registration page

increase library event participation via same day notifications – great reminder of events.

messages and notices tailored to SMS limitations/requirements (ie., message size & delivery)

Normal txt stuff: small messages, if you have more than one to send, you have to do each as separate messages

Cost to the library = 0

They schedule the txt msgs in the middle of the day – important point. You don’t want them sent at 2am! And you WANT them sent when people can see them, for reminders…

Aaron:

in charge of how this should look and feel.

started making paper prototypes

Even did user testing with paper mock-ups to see if the idea worked

It IS possible to design a BAD iphone app… they wanted to avoid that

There’s a PSD element library for iphones so you can quickly create a photoshop mockup

Giving examples of how it works

Next?

QR codes,barcode reading.

HUGE potential for these mobile devices.