Libraries and the Mobile Web

Outline

What is the Mobile Web? What are the components of the Mobile

Web? What are the benefits of the Mobile Web? What are some mobile library initiatives?

The Mobile Web

Definition: The World Wide Web accessed through a mobile device such as cellular phones and the iPod Touch

Mobile phones that have Web capabilities can search the Internet from anywhere that the phone can get a signal. The cell phone is the desk top or lap top counterpart.

Components of the Mobile Web

Users Devices operating systems and other software Services content how users currently engage with information

on the World Wide Web via their mobile devices

The Users: The Net Generation

Net generation Grew up with computers and video games Work in multimedia environments Figure things out for themselves without

consulting manuals Work in groups Are multi-tasking

The Mobile Devices

The mobile phones are the backbone of mobile communications. They have matured across four generations (1G, 2G 3G and now 4G)

Applications of mobile phones have become diversified and driven by many services, including music distribution, GPS autoroute guidance, electronic money, stock transactions, digital interactive TV, telemedicine and many others.

The Mobile Telephone

A Mobile Telephone (also known as a Cellular Telephone) is defined as a 'portable electronic device for the purpose of telecommunications over long distances.’

There are different kinds: Standard phones--multimedia phones that allow users to

download music, ringtone, watch TV and videos and send multimedia messages

Smartphones( blackberry, Nokia N series) which are relatives of the PDA offer computing capabilities. These Include the iphone that presents whole Web pages via its safari browser.

iPod an MP3 player and Internet device which could also be used as a mobile device.

Evolution of the Mobile Telephones The mobile industry currently offers 1G, 2G

and 3G devices. 1G is being phased out while 4G devices are still under developmen but countries such as Japan and China are already using 4G technology.

1G

1G (First Generation Wireless Technology). Is the analog, voice-only cellular telephone standard, developed in the 1980s. It was invented by Martin Cooper of Motorola Corp in 1973. The bandwidth is about 11.4 to 22.8 kbps.

Before 1G technology was the mobile radio telephone or 0G (Zeroth G)

1G phones could be cloned

2G-2.5 G

2G (GSM standard)—GPRS (General Packet Radio Service was introduced in 2001. It added packet switching protocols to mobile communications technology and TCP/IP thus making possible the reading and sending of e-mails, instant messaging (IM), and browsing the Internet. SMS or short message service is heavily used.

2.5 G added MMS.

3-3.5 G 3G—UMTS (Universal Mobile

Telecommunications System)--Can reach 384 kbps. The technology made video phones, watching streaming video, downloading music and getting broadband access possible. UMTS can be used on both mobile phones and computers. It is capable of transferring 385 kbi/s for mobile systems and up to 2Mbi/s for stationary systems.

3.5G allows for data transfer at 3.6 Mbi/s with an allowance of 30 Gb of data per month per user.

4G

4G—The fourth generation cell phone is being championed in Japan. It will boost the data rates to 20 Mbps. These speeds enable high quality video transmission and rapid download of large music files. The first 4G phones appeared in 2006.

Services available in the Mobile Web

E-books Audio books Mobile TV/Video Travel Information Browsers News Blogging

RSS feeds Food ordering Microblogging Mobile Web quick piks Iphone only Iphone quick picks Jobs

Benefits of the Mobile Web

Constant connectivity—Always on Location-Aware—have GPS (global

positioning System) Limitless access—Includes the whole Web Interactive capabilities—Can receive and

create content, make comments, take photos, write and post blogs, etc.

Library mobile initiatives (1)

Library Websites and MOPACs (Mobile OPACs). Many libraries are offering Mobile versions of their Websites for their patrons to access from their cell phones. Some mobile Library Web sites are Ball State University Libraries mobile site

www.bsu.edu/libraries/mobile OPLIN Mobile www.oplin.org/mobile Boston University Medical Center Mobile Library

http://med-libwww,bu.edu/mobile Nashville Public Library www.library.nashville.org

Library mobile initiatives (2)

Mobile Collections—Libraries load digital collections on the mobile devices for the duration of the loan period such as all reading assignments for a class.

Examples: Thomas Ford Memorial Library offers e-mail

services and play away. Crouch Fine Arts Library (Baylor University)

www.baylor.edu/lib/finearts

Library mobile initiatives (3)

Library mobile instruction. Provide instruction via MP3 and video files that can be loaded/viewed in a video ipod.

Example: SheridanLibraries Podcasts (John Hopkins University) www.library.jhu.edu/podcasts

Library Mobile Initiatives (4)

Mobile databases—Academic software and database providers use the mobile web to provide information. The National Library of Medicine enables search of PubMed through handhelds at http://pubmedhh.nlm.nih.gov

Other examples: Endnote www.endnote.com Factiva Mobile http://mobile.beta.factiva.com Westlaw mobile http://wl-w.com

Library initiatives (5):Other applications Library SMS notification either from the library or

from the user Mobile audio tours E-mail (push e-mail) where the email is directly

“pushed” to the cell phone. As a new message is delivered, the user is immediately notified that a message is waiting. This functionality is available in most smartphones, PDSs and iphones

Instant messaging—MSN messenger and Yahoo offer web based clients and AIM allows IM forwarding as text messages.

Media sharing social networks—Media sharing MMS, Photosharing Flckr can be accessed by the mobile web through yahoo.

Challenges of the Mobile Web

Development standards--Variety of devices—different screen resolutions, functionalities, many kinds of browsers

Finding/developing made for mobile content Difficult to navigate Slow connection speeds Small screens

Potential of the Mobile Web

3G/4G network development Availability of software designed for mobile Web

browsing sinch as Opera mini, mobi, symbian Increasing ownership of mobile devices Longer battery life Improved signals Search—Search engines for mobiles allow

searching of the Web. Examples Microsofts LiveSEarch, 4INFO,ets

Challenges to Libraries

Have adapted to technology for modernization and not transformation.People may be distant from a computer but they are more likely to have a mobile phone. Libraries must get their Website and OPACS function in a mobile-based browser

Conclusion: The Library vs. the Web

Net generation users perceive the Internet as THEIR information resource

Libraries have to address the information seeking habits of the Net Generation

Libraries have to learn how to integrate the physical spaces with virtual spaces and services

Libraries have to make their Websites friendly to the computer and the mobile devices or handhelds

References Lippincott, Joan K. Net Generation Students and Libraries.

http://www.educause.edu/Resources/Educating the NetGeneration/NetGenerationStudensand c1999-2008??

Using Mobile Technology to enhance student’s educational experiences. ECAR Case Study 2, 2005.

Kroski, Ellyssa (2008) On the move with the mobile web:libraries and mobile technologies, Library Technology Reports 44:6