Mobile Technologies in Philippine Libraries: a Country Report

Presented during the 8th AUNILO MeetingNational University of Singapore, NUS Libraries

1-2 June 2012

Use of Mobile Applications in The Philippines: an Overview

informally considered as the ‘texting’ capital of the world

is ranked as the most SMS-intensive country in the world

• the development of ‘mobile currencies’ like G-Cash and Smart Money

use of SMS as a means of conducting m-Commerce also originated in the Philippines

Cell/Mobile Phone Subscriptions (1992–2005)

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 20050

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0.06 0.1 0.17 0.49 0.96 1.34 1.73 2.85

6.45

12.215.4

22.5

32.934.8

Cellular Subscribers (millions)

Source: National Telecommunications Commission Annual Report 2005 (as cited in Mendes [et al.], 2007)

Internet Penetration in the Philippines (1996–2005)

YearNo. of Registered

ISPsEst. no. of

Subscribers (millions)1996 24 0.11997 17 0.21998 23 0.31999 31 0.352000 34 0.42001 64 0.52002 93 0.82003 121 12004 144 1.22005 177 1.44

Source: www.ntc.gov.ph/consumer-frame.htmml (as cited in Mendes [et al.], 2007)

Use of Mobile Technologies in Philippine Libraries: the Current Situation

The Bad News• Not popular

among Philippine libraries

The Good News• Filipino librarians

are getting ready to face the challenge to respond to the demand for mobile access

Library Mobile Applications in AUNILO Member Libraries

University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP-D)

De La Salle University (DLSU)

Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU)

University of the Philippines

Plans

• Will be an extension of the Library’s online reference service

• Will accommodate queries sent via mobile phones while responses will be sent through a web-based interface

Reference service through SMS

Plans

Mobile

OPAC

search

• Will allow patrons to access the OPAC through their mobile devices

Plans Book Reservation

through SMS

• Will allow users to reserve for a book by simply sending the book’s call number and location code

• Users will receive back confirmation reservation through the same SMS protocol

• To avail of the service, users need to register their mobile phone numbers

Alerts through SMS

• Will inform/remind library users of their library accountabilities by sending alerts through SMS

De La Salle University

Existing Mobile Services/Facilities

Text LORA (Library Online Reference Assistant)

an SMS reference service that caters to all library users who are on-the-move

introduced in February 2011

designed to answer queries requiring brief answers

Accommodates queries up to 10:00 PM on weekdays and 9:30 PM during Saturdays

Mobile Databases

InterfaceID/Version

YearMont

hSessio

nsSearch

es

PDF Full Text

HTML Full Text

Image/Video

Abstract

Smart Link To

Custom Link

mobsmart / live 2012 April 33 362 10 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2012 March 17 63 5 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2012 Feb 107 905 49 1 0 7 0 0

mobsmart / live 2012 Jan 17 104 4 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Dec 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Nov 7 38 10 0 0 0 3 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Oct 5 57 0 0 0 1 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Sept 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Aug 5 16 0 0 0 1 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 July 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 June 11 22 0 0 0 2 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 May 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 April 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 March 4 76 0 0 0 3 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Feb 13 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

mobsmart / live 2011 Jan 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Under Construction

Mobile Optimized Website

Plans

Mobile WebOpacWill use “AIRPAC” from Innovative

Interfaces, Inc. or any of the free mobile catalog developed by Millennium users: 

MobileCat (developed at the

Tri-College libraries)

Lafayette College’s mobile version of

the III WebPAC

Send library notices to the users’ mobile

phones via the Millennium SMS Notices Module

Ateneo De Manila University

PlansWill acquire appropriate software and hardware to offer mobile access to information