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The author developed a specialized app to cater to the needs of researchers in business and economics. At the same time the number of library apps in general increased dramatically. This article intends to put the author's efforts in developing a specialized app into the context of the development of mobile apps for library users in general.

This paper reviews a number of seminal papers on the development of library apps and sets the description of the development of the EconBiz app against the developments in general. Users' needs in relation to library apps seem mostly pretty basic, yet some of these needs are still hard to meet.

The use of mobile phones, the services available on mobile devices and the availability of library apps are changing rapidly, so some findings might be outdated by the time the respective papers were published.

This paper brings together the findings of a number of studies and surveys against the practical implications of developing an individual app.

With more and more individuals relying on mobile devices to obtain information, many libraries launch mobile application to satisfy mobile users’ information need. The purpose of this paper is to figure out factors influencing consumers’ channel transfer intention of library service from web-based platform to mobile app.

A structural equation model is proposed based on categorization theory. In addition, situational contexts are taken into account to make research model more suitable for the real condition. Data collected from 319 samples are used for hypotheses examining.

The relationships between source and target (perceived differentiation including function differentiation and resource differentiation) positively affect perceived situation efficiency, which in turn shapes intention to use mobile library application. Perceived mobile library quality positively influences perceived differentiation, perceived situation efficiency and mobile library adoption intention. In summary, perceived situation efficiency is the main factor.

Both quality and situational factors should be taken seriously, and mobile device producers and mobile app developers should cooperate on improving the quality of mobile app. Meanwhile, it is critical to examine the relationship between web based and mobile library service in the initial or early stage of mobile library development.

By focussing on the impacts of the relationship between web and mobile library service and evaluation of mobile library on the adoption intention, this paper not only provides a theoretical understanding of mobile library adoption behavior but also offers practical insights to library managers and app developers for promoting such a process.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the usability of the mobile library App of Chongqing University and to provide recommendations for improving the experience of App users.

Usability testing, which comprised pre-test questionnaires, accomplishing tasks, and post-test surveys, was conducted in this study. The effectiveness and efficiency of the App, as well as user satisfaction with it, were measured.

The mobile App was proven effective but the efficiency of the App required improvement. With regard to user satisfaction, the factors “clarity” and “usefulness” received the lowest and highest scores, respectively. The descriptions of mobile services were unclear and confused users; nonetheless, the services provided by this App were appealing and useful to the users. Based on the measured user experience, this study proposed several recommendations for enhancing the usability of the App.

An increasing number of domestic and foreign libraries have begun to use mobile Apps to provide new services to patrons. In the future, smartphones are likely to become crucial to the delivery of information services. Given the extensive use of the Super Star Mobile Library system adopted by Chongqing University Library in China, the usability of such a system must be investigated. Improving the usability of the mobile library App can help enhance user experience.

The purpose of this paper is to explore undergraduate students’ use of mobile apps to search library catalogs and analyze the problems students encountered. Student opinions and suggestions regarding mobile library apps were also examined.

A total of 16 undergraduates were observed and subjected to semi-structured interviews. Four tasks were assigned, and the participants used mobile apps and laptops to search library catalogs. Follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to gather participants’ opinions regarding the mobile library app.

Among the 64 total searches conducted by the 16 participants, 45 (70.31 percent) were completed when using the mobile app, and 51 (79.69 percent) were completed using the laptop. Participants spent less time completing the tasks when they used the mobile app. Mobile apps are thus an effective tool for searching library catalogs. However, the interviews revealed that none of the participants had used mobile library apps prior to the interviews conducted in this study, and half of the participants expressed that they would not install library apps on their smartphones in the future.

The study findings may help university libraries improve their understanding about undergraduates’ search behavior and opinions about mobile library apps.

A surge of library activities and technological advances have increased the demand for data accuracy and agility among library clientele. Therefore, novel approaches are needed to extend library services. This paper aims to introduce the implementation of a prototype mobile library application (app) designed using an in-house open source system, Koha.

This paper presents a case study using a metamorphosis process to create mobile apps. This case study is tested based on the library services with a set of activities during the system acceptance test (SAT) and also user acceptance test (UAT). An application programming interface (API) used to support two-way communication, including system-to-component and system-to-system connectivity. The design, features and advantages of this mobile app are discussed, illustrated and analyzed. The case study reports the mobile app version development from the Koha Open Source Library Information System.

The app was tested using user acceptance test (UAT) and system acceptance test (SAT) by library staffs who found it functional, accessible, appealing and useful. Features such as Online Public Access Catalog search, library collection scanning, patron accounts, patron personal book collection, circulation, librarian chat, QR codes for borrowing books, social media integration and notifications of library activities and events were successfully tested. This process was useful for the creation of a mobile app based on the existing library System-Koha Open Source System.

This study is limited to a case study of a national university in Malaysia.

This study has some practical implications for implementing library mobile applications, e.g. it will encourage librarians to implement library applications in libraries.

This study is useful for mobile developers and libraries that plan to offer mobile library services to their patrons. This paper presents a case study of metamorphosis existing process of library open source System-Koha Open Source System.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the response of Canadian academic libraries to the rapid proliferation of mobile application (apps), many of which are useful for research, teaching, and learning.

A survey was conducted to identify existing initiatives that address the use of mobile apps to facilitate research, teaching, and learning at the libraries of the 97 member institutions of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Based on this survey, this paper describes how apps are promoted, curated, organized, and described by today’s academic libraries. A review of the literature places this survey in its broader context.

In total, 37 per cent of AUCC member libraries include links to mobile apps in their web site. Larger, research-intensive universities, tend to leverage apps more frequently than smaller institutions. Examples of how academic libraries are promoting apps provide insight into how academic librarians are responding to the proliferation of mobile technology.

The results of this survey highlight trends with regard to this emerging service opportunity, help to establish current best practices in the response of academic libraries to the emergence of mobile apps, and identify areas for potential future development.

This is the first study of its kind to explore and describe how third-party apps are used and promoted within an academic library context.

This research aims to integrate the unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology (UTAUT) with task technology fit to explain users' behavioral intention of using library mobile applications in university libraries.

By integrating the unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology (UTAUT) and the moderator of task-technology fit, this research proposes a library mobile applications usage intention model. The study data come from a convenience sample of 363 undergraduate and graduate students. A structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was conducted to identify causal relationships.

Results showed that the UTAUT model fits the data well. The empirical data reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions determine users' behavioral intention of using library mobile applications. As a determinant in the UTAUT model, the moderating effect of task-technology fit is also significant. Moreover, individuals with different levels of task-technology fit will strengthen or weaken the relationships of determinants in the intention to use library mobile applications in university libraries.

This study addresses self-reported behavioral intentions as part of the survey; as a result, the data may have introduced inaccuracies. The implications of the proposed library mobile applications success model are discussed.

University librarians should reinforce the efficiency of library mobile applications to influence users' willingness to use such applications.

This study combines both the constructs of the UTAUT model and task-technology fit to consider intentions to use library mobile applications in university libraries.

The purpose of this paper is to increase usage rate of libraries in universities and colleges, this study developed a Mobile Library APP System and analyzed users’ usage and level of satisfaction. The analysis results served as the reference for the development and improvement of libraries in universities and colleges’ mobile information systems.

This study developed a Mobile Library APP System and probed into and evaluated college students’ usage and level of satisfaction with the system by using questionnaire. Individual interviews were carried out to find out their standpoints and opinions about their library usage via mobile technology.

The analysis of experiment results showed that students’ attitude toward the Mobile Library APP System was highly positive. This indicated the system certainly assisted them in increasing their work efficiency and their willingness in continuously using this APP system in library-relevant activities.

Students’ viewpoints indicated that, by using Mobile Library APP System, they could effectively searched for books, magazines, e-books and other e-resources in a timely manner. The time spent in information searching was shortened and individual work efficiency was promoted. Moreover, in interview sessions, students suggested to add categorized search, book recommendation, book discussion and other functions to increase user population and willingness of continuous usage.

To find out the actual usage of the Mobile Library, this study developed the Mobile Library APP System and invited students of National University of Tainan in Taiwan to be experimental subjects. The results of data analysis indicate that the system acquires highly favorable view from student. Thus, it can be inferred that research results of this study are representative and have practical values in real world practice.

This paper aims to describe a case study illustrating the systematic approach librarians used to develop of an information literacy mobile application (app) prototype that aids students in performing research tasks “on the go”.

The initial findings from a student survey on technology use indicated the value of an information literacy mobile application. The analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation approach was used to develop the app. Alpha and small-scale usability testing was performed to evaluate the prototype’s readiness for deployment.

The survey analysis indicated that students were not using mobile devices as expected for library related tasks. Student suggestions for improving their library experiences included mobile access to the libraries’ digital collection, mobile reference support and an application that assisted them in effectively using these resources. Usability studies indicated a positive response to the app and its readiness for beta testing among the inclusive student population.

To the author’s knowledge, this is the first native information literacy mobile application whose aim is to help students with research on the go. The step-by-step approach used for each phase of development, as well as the implications for success, may serve as a model for libraries’ seeking to enhance their mobile resources.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of Kuwait University students majoring in the social sciences, faculty members and academic librarians toward mobile library applications (apps), which are not currently available. These technologies are highly desirable for students, but many libraries struggle to properly implement them.

Quantitative survey questionnaires were distributed to 400 undergraduate students, of which 184 valid and completed questionnaires were collected. In addition, three focus groups were conducted with social sciences graduate students, academics and librarians to further explore attitudes and perspectives toward library apps.

A majority of respondents (62 per cent) visited the academic library less than five times per month or never, but a smaller majority (57 per cent) also preferred to use a combination of computers and mobile devices to access library information. The most desirable student uses for library apps involved access to basic information or services such as library hours, book renewal or catalog searches. Most potential barriers to student use of library apps received low scores; only slow internet speed was considered a significant problem. Focus group discussions clarified that major concerns regarding the implementation of library apps included the potential cost, knowledge, training and administrator support for these efforts.

This study highlights the unique interest in, and barriers to, library app implementation at Kuwait University, while providing an informative structure for similar studies and considerations elsewhere.