Library mobile initiatives

Digital Library Collections Access through Hand Held Mobile Devices

Abstract

Patrons expect to access library information and resources in their preferred medium on demand. Rapid adoption of next-generation hand held devices such as the iPhone and BlackBerry, with more robust features, offer libraries a new medium for highlighting and presenting collections and services. Ball State University Libraries seeks to develop three applications in response. First, develop an open-source application to provide hand held mobile-friendly access to digital assets in our CONTENTdm-based Digital Media Repository. Second, update our CardCat Mobile and Mobile Journals applications and other mobile web site assets to work better with newer hand held devices. Third, create open-source software to assist patrons in finding an available computer in a given library. With LSTA grant funds, the Ball State University Libraries seeks to create information technology solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s library patron.

(View grant application in PDF format.)

Project status summary as of 6/30/09

Library mobile-friendly site: prototype available on LIBXI (on-campus access only)
- Layout based on Yale medical library's mobile site
- Style: uses multi-stylesheet solution to function properly on a majority of mobile devices; tested on HP Pocket PC (Windows Mobile), iPod Touch.
Computer availability
- Software locator currently available
- Computer availability will be implemented as library computers are re-imaged this summer.
- Integrating the two difficult. Currently the only way to integrate the long list of software titles into this is to create huge additional tables with one row for each computer and one column for each software title. The programmer (Tim Sprowl) is researching other options and workarounds for this problem, so at this time even a proof-of-concept demo site using only a few computers is not possible. In addition, the page that ArcGIS generates does not auto-refresh, which then cannot reflect any changes to computer availability status.
Interface for CONTENTdm
- Information architecture planned (see flowcharts below and on next page)
- Basic interface design drafted, next step is usability testing
- Waiting for programmer to be hired to develop interface
Testing:
- 2 iPod Touch units purchased for testing purposes.
- Michael Hanley will gladly help with IRB application process. In the fall (after Sept. 1st), he can do user testing through his classroom; his department has 20 iPod Touch units for testing.
Remaining roadmap can be found on timeline created in Microsoft Visio.