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Mobile WebPacs
John Wenzler
Associate Library Dean
San José State University
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José, California USA
[email protected]
NorCal IUG
November 5, 2010
Alexis de Tocqueville and me
Outline

Overview of the “Mobile Web” environment

What does this mean for library web sites
and OPACs?

Current mobile web options for the III
OPAC.
Networks -- “What does 3G mean?”
2G (Second Generation)
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
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GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile)
CDMA (Verizon, Sprint)
Data Transfer Speeds: 12KB-60KB/sec
3G


CDMA2000, UMTS, HSDPA ….
Data Transfer Speeds: 3MB-16MB/sec
4G


LTE, WiMAX … ?
Data Transfer Speeds: 30MB100MB/sec
WiFi
Hardware
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Feature Phones

Smart Phones

Touch Screen
Phones
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Tablets, Netbooks,
ipad, ebook readers,
ect.
Feature Phones

Feature Phone Era (1998-2008) per
Brian Fling, Mobile Design &
Development
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85% of the world-wide cell phone
market as of 2010

Cameras, Text Messaging …

Internet Access – “Horrible usability,
enabling only minimal interaction with
websites.” Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox
Smart Phones




The Smart Phone Era (2002-2010)
per Brian Fling
10-15% of the world market (25-30%
in US)
QWERTY Keyboard, email, calendars,
3G and WiFi networks -management tool
Internet Access – “Bad usability,
forcing users to struggle to complete
website tasks” Jakob Nielsen.
Touch Phones

Touch Phone Era (2007 - ?) iPhones,
iPods, and copies such as Android
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Key Features: WebKit/Safari Browser,
CSS & JavaScript support, Intuitive
interface for data entry and surfing

“The iPhone is the first mobile Internet
device worth criticizing. It’s a starting
point for mobile online services
access, not an endpoint.” Jakob
Neilsen
Other Stuff
• Tablet Computers, ebook readers,
netbooks …
• Are they the Future?
• Do we have to change anything to
adapt to them?
Software
 Native
Apps
 Web
Sites
 Web
Apps
Native Apps

Computer programs written to run on a
specific phone hardware or on a mobile OS

Some Mobile OSs
 Mac
OS X: a mobile version used in Apple
Products
 Android: Open Source, supported by Google
 Windows Mobile: based Windows XP
 Palm Web OS: based on webkit
 Blackberry
Mobile Web Apps/Sites

Written for Web Browsers -- HTML, CSS,
JavaScript, AJAX

You don’t need to install on your hardware

If you can do everything on one page -without browser chrome -- then you have
Web App
Native Apps
Pros

Better Usability (if they
are well designed)

Can access more of the
services provided by the
phone’s OS
Cons

Need to create an app for
many platforms if you
want to give everyone
access

Vendors control users’
access to your App (App
store)

Your users have to find,
download, and remember
to use your App
Web Apps
Pros



Cheaper development
costs, tools more
familiar to libraries
No need to develop
for several OS or
platforms
Any one can access
over the web
Cons

Device detection

Displays differently on
different browsers

Native App usability is
better
Three Strategies (per Nielson)
 Do Everything: Create two web sites (or
more), and native apps for dedicated users.
Rich, high use sites (i.e. Amazon, NPR, ESPN)
 Do One Thing: Create one version of your
site optimized for mobile web browsers
 Do Nothing: Not many mobile users
expected. Make sure that your regular site works
OK for them
What does this mean for
Libraries?

What kind of mobile devices will our
patrons be using?
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Will they use them to access library
resources?
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What will they want to do with the library
when they are on the move?
San Jose Library Mobile Patrons
San Jose Library Mobile Patrons
San Jose Library Mobile Patrons
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Website
 Mobile visits Oct 2009:
 Mobile visits Oct 2010:
 2.5 pages per visit; 1.5

0.68%
2.16%
minutes per visit
WebPac
 Mobile visits Oct 2009: 0.94%
 Mobile visits Oct 2010: 2.98%
 6 pages per visit; 4 minutes per
visit
*AirPac traditional? Browsers without JavaScript?
Mobile Library User Surveys
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California Digital Library (CDL): “Mobile Strategy
Report” (8/18/2010)
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Ryerson University Library, Toronto: “The mobile
university: from the library to the campus”
Reference Services Review (2/2010)
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Washington State University: “The use of
handheld mobile devices: their impact and
implications for library services” Library Hi Tech
(1/2010) -- Specifically asks about OPAC usage
What Mobile Patrons want to do
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Find Hours, Location, and Contact info
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Reserve study rooms and computers
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Quick searches
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Renew books, place holds, pay fines
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Transfer information (citations, ect) to other
devices.

Read news and blogs

Social Networking, music and video …
What Mobile Patrons want to do
“Often mobile users seek information that
is particularly relevant in a mobile context,
such as directions or hours. Others seek
information that is relevant in the moment
… finding information on mobile devices is
like snorkeling, where ‘shallow dipping in
and dipping out of content’ … is desired”
(CDL)
What Mobile Patrons don’t want to
do

Academic research or reading
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Log in to Campus Wifi, Proxy Servers,
or VPN

Study Collection Development Polices
or Library Mission Statements
What Mobile Patrons don’t want to
do
“Most interviewees …see research as a
difficult activity that would only be more
difficult on a mobile device.” (CDL)
“Only 1% of mobile EBSCO users actually
viewed the full text (as opposed to 77%
who typically view full-text on a regular
device)” (CDL)
Mobile Library Sites
Mobile WebPacs
 AirPac
 Boopsie
 Library
Anywhere
 MobileCat
 Others
( Xerxes, Discovery Systems)
AirPac Home
AirPac Search
AirPac Record Display
AirPac Patron Features
AirPac Other Views
AirPac Pros/Cons
Pros

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Relatively easy to set up
On the III server with
direct access to bib and
patron database
Two web versions – with
native app on the way
Potentially, a full solution
to for a mobile library site
Cons
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Extra cost -- not
included with webpac
subscription
Library has limited ability
to control look and feel
No easy way to save
and export records
Can’t pay fines
No author searching
Boopsie Home
Boopsie Search/Record
Boopsie Account
Boopsie Other Features
Comments from the App Store
“Very easy to use. Much better than their
website. My account log in is very simple.
Events, phone number and locations are
all accessible on one page. No need to
look all over the dang place like on
their website.”
“This app might be easier than the website.”
Boopsie Pros/Cons
Pros
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Only vendor supplied
Native App for several
mobile OS
Good usability
Library has a lot of
control over the content
Auto-complete feature
for catalog searching
Relatively easy for
library staff to implement
Cons
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No Web App
Some cost and some set
up time for library staff
No access to electronic
resources –856 links
No author searching,
relevance ranking ?
No way to export
records
Library AnyWhere
Library Anywhere Search/Record
Library Anywhere Patron
Library Anywhere admin
Library AnyWhere Prices

Schools: $150 + $50 per additional
location
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Public Libraries: $350 for main facility +
$50 per branch

Two and four-year colleges: $750 + $150
per additional building

Universities: $1,000 + $150 per additional
building
Library AnyWhere Pros/Cons
Pros

Very easy to get set up –
relatively easy to edit and
customize
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Inexpensive
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Two web versions
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Author searching
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Saved records feature
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LibraryThing for Libraries
feaatures (if you have
LTFL)
Cons
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Slow searching
(screen-scraping) and
page loads
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Bland look and feel of
home page
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Interesting Iphone App
(pro or con?)
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Some Cost
MobileCat
MobileCat Search
MobileCat Save and Export
MobileCat How To
MobileCat Pros/Cons
Pros
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Open Source – no upfront
costs
Library has full control over
interface
Basic look and feel is
simple and direct
Easy options for saving
and exporting
Provides direct access to
Electronic Resources
Cons
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Somewhat slow
searching
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Tech skills required for
set up (PHP sysadmin
for basic set up; PHP
coding for more
extensive customization)
Other Options?
References
Mobile Design and Development (2009)
Brian Fling
The Anywhere Library: Primer for the
Mobile Web (2010) Courtney Greene,
Missy Roser, and Elizabeth Ruane
Mobile Technology and Libraries (2010)
Jason Griffey
Copyright John Wenzler, 2010
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