Search results

This study seeks to identify the benefits, challenges and effective methods of implementing and managing a collaborative text reference service.

The study employs the case study approach to examine the practice of the first nation‐wide collaborative text reference service My Info Quest and evaluate the effectiveness of the organization and operation of this collaboration.

Findings of the study indicate that librarians participating in My Info Quest are generally satisfied with the service organization and operation. However, more work is needed in the area of schedule accountability, communication and sustainability.

My Info Quest is the first collaborative text reference service in the nation. Through the detailed depiction and evaluation of My Info Quest's experience, the paper can help interested libraries to gain a better understanding of how to establish a collaborative text reference service and what challenges they will be facing.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a usability study which inquired into undergraduate student information seeking with Wikipedia on the iPod touch.

Data are drawn from iPod search logs and student survey responses. Search log data are coded with FRBR subject entities (group 3 entity sets) for analysis.

Students characterize the overall nature of information searched for with the Wikipedia app to be for recreational and for short factual information. Recreational searching as a way in which undergraduate students utilize mobile technology is an earlier finding of Wikipedia iPod usage, and is verified as a trend of undergraduate student search using the iPod. All undergraduate student participants of the Wikipedia app on a mobile interface report this tool as helping to become more efficient in their research. Students viewed Wikipedia articles about people and concepts more so than other article types.

Undergraduate student mobile search log analysis over a specific type of information resource on the iPod Touch is an original usability project. Previous mobile search log analysis analyzes thousands of unknown users and millions of anonymous queries, where the devices used for searching are not always identifiable and trends about touch screens cannot be ascertained.

Society may be on the verge of a revolutionary phase of mobile device use in higher education generally and in libraries in particular. This paper seeks to address this issue.

Through an examination of trends and technological developments in the area of mobile devices and a review of the potential of mobile devices, the paper analyzes the potential of mobile devices in academic libraries.

Most college students own cell phones and laptops and the capabilities of these and other devices are expanding.

Libraries have the opportunity to extend new types of services to users of mobile devices and to develop, license, or otherwise make available scholarly content that is configured for mobile devices. Ideally, libraries will become part of an institutional planning process for the development of services for mobile devices.

The more pervasive use by students of smartphones, the uptake of e‐book readers, and the increasing use of mobile devices in some areas of the curriculum all have implications for libraries.

Some writers in this area believe that the increased capabilities of mobile devices could lead to new forms of engagement with student learning; this possibility can be embraced by academic libraries that seek to be strong partners in the teaching and learning process of their institution.

The paper synthesizes developments and provides suggestions for the future.

The purpose of this conference report is to provide a perspective of the LOEX‐of‐the‐West (LOTW) biennial conference from a first time attendee.

Reviews the conference from the perspective of a first time attendee and highlights several sessions that especially reflected the conference themes of experimentation and innovation.

The paper finds the LOTW biennial conference to be a valuable resource to all librarians in general; and especially valuable to new librarians.

The paper shows that the conference is of high value for reference and information literacy practitioners.

This paper seeks to create an empirical framework for SMS reference services so that libraries may develop a greater understanding of how this service operates and how it may be improved.

The paper conducted a quantitative analysis of 577 SMS transactions, representing 628 reference questions, received during the 2008‐2009 academic year. Each transaction was coded by type of question, transaction length in messages or “events,” and transaction duration in time.

SMS transactions exhibit a higher than expected degree of variability in total number of events, duration and content. Overall, duration of transaction averaged 4.34 hours, and number of events per transaction averaged 3.79. Calculating separately for those transactions that contained a reference query – which comprises 40 percent of the total questions received – noticeably altered the results. The duration of reference queries averaged 4.85 hours, while the number of events averaged 4.65. Where reference queries occurred there was a high incidence of user expressions of gratitude, regardless of duration or number of events exchanged. These results support the conclusion that users do not expect a purely synchronous service, though faster response time and thoroughness of answer do show a relationship with higher user satisfaction.

Many of the findings of the study challenge currently held assumptions and impressions regarding the nature and potential of SMS reference services in academic libraries.

The purpose of this paper is to review one library's experiences of creating mobile services and illustrate how, by developing expertise in emerging technologies, libraries can foster partnerships with other groups on campus and play a leading role in providing relevant student‐centred services.

The paper begins with a brief summary of mobile services offered by the Ryerson Library prior to the fall of 2008, discusses the results of a mobile device survey conducted that semester, and outlines the resulting mobile services that were developed by the Library which led to a campus‐wide collaboration to develop the framework for a student‐led mobile initiative. The technical framework and project management issues are also discussed.

A survey performed by the Ryerson University Library in the fall of 2008 indicated that smart phones were owned by approximately 20 percent of the student population but that within the next three years this figure could reach as much as 80 percent. To remain relevant, it is important that libraries adapt their services to this new environment.

The paper illustrates how library services can be adapted to the mobile environment and how the library can play a role in broader campus mobile initiatives.

All libraries will be interested in exploring the library services that were developed and adapted for mobile devices and of particular interest to academic libraries will be the building of collaborative relationships with other academic departments to provide services to students.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of worldwide mobile usage; mobile technologies; libraries' use of mobile technologies including a review of library mobile catalog options, both vendor‐supplied and in‐house created; perspectives from current library leaders and innovators on the importance of incorporating the libraries' resources into the mobile environment; and future directions for mobile library services.

A range of recently published literature (2008‐2010), which aims to provide practical statistics and resources for libraries wishing to mobilize their web site, is summarized in order to provide the reader with tools for creating a mobile library proposal. The sources are sorted into sections: mobile phone popularity, smartphones/web‐enabled phones, mobile phone use, library mobile web sites and catalogs, and what library leaders have to say.

The paper provides an evaluative summary of mobile statistics and resources, indicating the salient points and how to find more information for libraries wishing to draft a mobile library proposal.

The paper presents a useful source of information for both libraries wishing to create a proposal for a mobile library site, and for libraries that simply want an overview of the current state of mobile use and technologies.

The paper includes up‐to‐date data about worldwide mobile phone penetration rates and mobile phone use, and is the first to argue for proposing the development of both a mobile library web site and a mobile catalog.

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of selected mobile technology literature and to inform librarians about the following seven mobile initiatives: Library Web sites; SMS Reference; MOPACs (Mobile OPACs) and Integrated Library Systems; Mobile Collections; eBooks and Mobile Reading; Mobile Instruction; Mobile Audio/Video Tours.

A literature review is gathered from periodical articles as well as a number of well‐known blogs discussing mobile initiatives in libraries.

Listed in order of importance to most patrons, the seven initiatives examined were chosen because their widespread discussion in the literature, at presentations, and on blogs suggests that they are moving beyond mere trends and are becoming best practices. The development and implementation of these mobile services can range from work‐intensive and expensive to scalable, inexpensive solutions.

The information may be used by libraries seeking to add mobile technologies in order to enhance their traditional services, making them not only more available, but also more relevant to their users. In addition, the examinations provide, where possible, the author's recommendations for libraries seeking to implement such initiatives and suggest directions for future applications.

This research aims to present evidence that cultural diversity influences students' desire to utilize library resources and reference services on their mobile devices.

A paper survey was administered voluntarily to undergraduate students to analyze how cultural diversity impacts the types of mobile device‐based reference services students desired and how likely they were to access librarians for live research assistance on their mobile devices.

The paper provides evidence that cultural diversity and gender impacts desired mobile device reference services among undergraduate students. White male and African American female students reported a higher likelihood and desire to access librarians for live assistance on their mobile devices. White females indicated, to a large extent, a desire to access e‐books and e‐magazines on their mobile devices more than any other group. Anecdotally, White females also preferred chat‐based reference inside Facebook.

The study was limited to one campus college location of a Doctoral/Research University Extensive during the fall 2009 semester. Incorporating mobile devices in reference services has yet to fully evolve as an emerging field of study in librarianship.

Library and information science professionals will gain valuable insight into how cultural variances impact students' desired engagement with reference librarians, what types of mobile device‐based reference services undergraduate students prefer, and what factors influence their mobile device selection process.

The paper represents the first study that examines cultural diversity as a determinant in desired mobile device‐based reference services among undergraduates. The research also highlights possible directions for future qualitative and quantitative diversity research studies in library and information studies.