Building Mobile Library Applications 12: The Tech Set

Citation

Philip Mullen (2014), "Building Mobile Library Applications 12: The Tech Set", Library Management, Vol. 35 No. 8/9, pp. 688-689. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-09-2014-0106

The book under review is Part 12 of the widely popular Ten-Part Tech Set series. The Tech Set series is designed as start-to-finish primers that enable libraries to deliver new technology services in the digital age. The first Ten-Part Tech Set series was published in 2010 and received the American Library Association 2011 Award for the Best Book in Library Literature.

The author of Building Mobile Applications Jason A. Clark under the guidance of the Series Editor Ellyssa Kroski has delivered a really interesting book that should be in all libraries no matter how big or small. Mobile technologies will and do play an increasingly important role in the future direction of all libraries. In Australia for example there are “30.2 million mobile services or four for every three people”[1].

The book is only 113 pages; this includes an eight-page index and four pages of recommended readings. The first four chapters discuss the development of mobile devices and provides handy tips on how to develop and promote the use of mobile devices in libraries.

The bulk of the book is in Chapter 5. This chapter provides a series of “recipes” that can be used to develop your own library mobile applications (Apps). This chapter is written in plain English and contains many helpful tips on creating and developing mobile apps. Really there should be no excuses for any library or librarian, after reading this book every library should offer mobile apps and content to their users.

Chapters 6-9 discuss the future for mobile technologies, how to gather metrics from your app and how to market and promote your new app.

On so many levels this book delivers on its promise to “outline what it takes to plan, develop, and launch a mobile library application”. If you are after an academic discussion on mobile development or the digital divide then this book is not for you. However, if you are interested in having a go and creating mobile applications then this is the book for you.

The book is written specifically for librarians and libraries and it is a great addition to the literature. After reading this book there is no reason why any library should not have a mobile catalogue. As the Nike ad says “Just Do It”; create your own App using this book. Thanks to this book it is incredibly easy.

Note

ACMA - ACMA Communications Report No. 2011-12, 2013, available at: http://acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_600070 (accessed 5 January 2013).