Exploiting mobile communications for library service development: technical possibilities

and cultural implications

William Foster(National Genetics Education & Development Centre

Cain Evans

(Birmingham City University)14th November 2007

Introduction

“Public Libraries in the 21st century should be

open when people want to use them, including

evenings and weekends … library users should

be able to get easy access to any book …

getting expert help … on setting up their own

community websites and taking part in the ICT

revolution.”

Baronness Blackstone Framework for the future, 2003

Issues for public libraries (1)

“Striking a balance between the traditional and the new is a difficult task and trying to provide something for everyone, irrespective of age or social group, is a hard task”.

Penny Garrod 2004

Issues for public libraries (2) Visited a public library in person 96 % Hold a library card (all libraries) 72 % Have never heard of online databases 30 % Visited the PL website 27 % Visited the PL website (UK) 9 % Have used instant messaging 51 %

OCLC 2005

Overview of presentation

Public libraries and IT

The potential for new technologies

Implications for service provision

Issues for public libraries (3)

Construction Cost Content Culture

(from Cole 2006)

Infrastructure

“functional mobile digital library systems will inevitably be built around robust and stable technical infrastructure”

Jones et al HCI Group, Cornell University, 2000

Supplier/Library Cooperation

Sharing and community over duplication and isolation

Reuse over reinvention Openness and interoperability over

exclusivity Experimentation over certainty

Leavesley Project Silkworm 2005

Ubiquitous computing

“… represents the most explicit attempt yet to move computing beyond the confines of tool usage towards a pervasive penetration of human activities, with potentially far-reaching effects”

but needs to be

“based on non-intrusive availability”.

Arya 1995

Potential for new technologies

RFID E-books WiFi GPS

PerLS

Pervasive Library System

Library 2.0

Pervasive Library Services

Pervasive Library System

(PERLS)

Security

Mobile DeviceTechnology

Mobility

Connectivity

Context-aware

Wireless Technology

Infrastructure

Sensor Technology

Social Networking

Library

Request Inform

ation(GP

S)

Send Information

Local Access

Local Access Point

Social

User

System Design

Human Behaviour

Social Attributions

Interaction

Outcome

Jones et al IBM 2000

Issues for public libraries (4)

The expected user experience

All encompassing Without walls Immediate Rich Participative Personalised Fulfilling

Leavesley, Project Silkworm 2005

AGE GROUP

AGE RANGE

USER GROUP IT USE

1 11-25 NetGen Mobile devices 2 26-55 IT dependent Lap tops 3 56 + Silver surfers Library only

AGE GROUP

AGE RANGE

USER GROUP IT USE

1 11-25 Pervasive Generation Embedded devices 2 26-55 NetGen Mobile devices 3 56-75 Retired IT dependents Home and away IT 4 76 + Silver surfers Library + home support

THE END!

Thank you for your attention