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The purpose of this paper is to understand the mobile pervasiveness among different categories of student’s gender-wise vis-a-vis to investigate user perception to access library content in innovative ways. The study tries to understand the potential demand of some features in mobile library initiatives. In addition, this study aims to determine willingness and need of mobile library services. The information gained from the study is intended to help the libraries to realize the growing demand of mobile library services.

A questionnaire was designed to gather feedback on student’s perception regarding the important mobile service features which they find useful to be included in different library initiatives. The aim was to understand the pervasiveness of mobile devices and information needs in Indian Academia. Moreover, which features can be added to new initiatives so as to deliver robust services to the users in their comfort zones.

The responses received indicate that a significant number of students are ready to adopt mobile library initiatives with the desired features in them, if provided to them by their respective libraries. The results of the study have provided the necessary information on what the users really want. It is therefore incumbent upon the universities/institutions of higher education to start to work with the Web-based library services and move it into mobile library service.

The findings of this study provide a benchmark of mobile library initiatives with the choicest features based on the user perception. The data collected may also give an indication about compelling services that could help the users to access information ubiquitously.

Libraries can better serve their patrons by understanding the growing capabilities of mobile devices; it is incumbent upon libraries to mobilize their services by embracing mobile library initiatives. Moreover, to realize the needs of users and provide only such services which are more in demand.

The purpose of this chapter is to present a general review of free or inexpensive methods of implementing the following mobile services in libraries: Library Websites, Short Message Service (SMS) reference, and Mobile Online Public Access Catalogs (MOPACs). The findings were based on a literature review of materials that discussed mobile technologies in libraries. The findings conclude that libraries with tight budgets should approach their mobilization project in terms of stages, developing content and services sequentially from passive formats, which require little input, to more dynamic items, which entail greater interaction. Most free and inexpensive mobile services are geared toward passive formats, providing a starting point for libraries with limited budgets. Scope of the chapter is limited to public and university libraries and initiatives for smartphones. Prices listed are in USD as of January 2011 and may be subject to change. The costs of training, management, and development time by libraries were not factored into the costs. Mobile services have become one of the biggest new library trends. Simply keeping abreast of library service options made possible through advances in mobile technology can be a challenge. In addition, tough economic times have prevented many libraries from actually implementing mobile services. This chapter discusses a number of ways for libraries to create their own mobile initiative with little to no money at all—except of course for the hidden cost of staff effort.

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.

The purpose of this paper is to construct an information ecology factor-TAM model to explore how information, people, and information environment impact mobile library users’ behavioral intention.

An empirical study based on an information ecology factor-TAM model.

The results of model test indicate that information, people, and information environment affect users’ behavioral intention to use mobile library in the information ecology environment. This paper provides a new theoretical perspective to understand users’ behavior of mobile library. It also provides practical guidelines to promote the usage of mobile library.

Internet of Things makes digital library one important channel for people to obtain information. Mobile internet makes it possible to access a variety of information anytime and anywhere. With the rapid grow of the number of mobile internet users, the usage of mobile library does not grow correspondingly. This paper explores the reasons.

This study aims to investigate the essential components needed to develop a practical mobile application for providing library services to its users.

The study was conducted in a descriptive-survey format. The statistical population constituted the libraries worldwide using mobile applications to provide library services to the users of academic and public libraries. The data were collected through the content-analysis method, World Wide Web and checklists.

It was found that services such as search, ask a librarian, database, renew, circulation and library hours were frequently used at academic libraries, while the services of search, search through barcode scanners and database were mostly common at public libraries. According to the users of academic and public libraries, circulation and renew, search, ask a librarian and library hours were considered as the most essential services to be included in library mobile applications.

Most libraries usually use mobile apps subjectively. Thus, it is important to identify the most important components of their usage and present them in a suitable pattern. The findings of this study identified the most important components in the design and development of mobile apps and proposed the right model for their integration into libraries.

The practical mobile application proposed here for library services is applicable to all types of libraries and provides an appropriate pattern for mobile application designers.

This study aims to determine college/university students’ mobile phone practices to understand key user preferences and set a baseline understanding for the development of prospective library informational mobile services.

This study is based on the results of an online-survey method. The authors recruited students majoring in the Information Science program in School of Information at Pratt Institute (USA) (74 participants) and in Kyiv National University of Cultural and Arts (Ukraine) (89 participants).

The general trends in the use of mobile technologies by American and Ukrainian students were identified. Key components of library mobile services are offered. Such services may include information and reference service via messengers; development of library mobile applications of audio and video content; access to educational, scientific, popular science literature and fiction; and supplementing online services with library chatbots.

This study was limited to only students majoring in information science at university; however, the data obtained helps outline several general trends common to student youth who are actively working with information.

The obtained results will be useful in the practical activities of libraries and other information institutions for the development of a comprehensive information service based on mobile technology.

This study contributes to understanding how to improve library informational service considering users habits and preferences. Libraries management and librarians can use the findings as a basis for prioritizing the improvement of library informational mobile service.

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.

Flow experience is conceptualized as an optimal experience about an activity, characterized by a match between perceived challenges and perceived skills. The purpose of this paper is to explore mobile libraries by comparing users’ perceptions of web digital libraries and mobile libraries in terms of flow experience so as to obtain insights regarding the healthy development of mobile libraries.

Data collected from university digital library users were used for analysis. One figure was used to present the exact nature of users’ perceptions of flow experience in terms of data distribution. The paired samples t-test was used to present the exact mean difference between flow experience in using web digital libraries and mobile libraries.

Fewer users can experience flow and more users cannot experience flow in using mobile libraries than in using web digital libraries. The mean of flow experience in using mobile libraries is significantly smaller than that in using web digital libraries.

Digital libraries have faced severe competition in the modern information society. In China university libraries as a whole are undergoing the transition from web digital libraries to mobile libraries. It is critical to examine user experience in the initial or early stage of mobile library development. The authors believe the findings of this study regarding flow experience provide useful insights for facilitating the healthy development of mobile libraries.

This study explores and compares users’ perceptions of web digital libraries and mobile libraries in terms of flow experience, which the authors think provides a new view for university digital library research and practice alike.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the pervasiveness of mobile devices in ubiquitous access of information. Moreover, the study tries to ascertain the growing demands of mobile devices in library settings.

A survey was administered to gain in-depth information regarding the use of mobile devices and their use in information access. Further, it investigated the general uses of mobile devices in day to day life. The survey also contained some questions aimed at obtaining more comprehensive information about the impediments faced by the students in library settings and the way out.

The study highlights the rapid growth of mobile device usage among students at the College of Basic Education, Public authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait, and indicates the urgent need of libraries to the embrace mobile web.

The use of mobile devices in comfort zones demands libraries to disseminate information anytime, anywhere. This study examines the academic library users’ insistence for such services and the competence of libraries to provide services “on the go”.

This paper aims to investigate the service demand of existing users and potential users for mobile information services provided by university libraries in China. The primary objective is to explore the impact of user experience on user needs, which is conducted by a comparison between two user groups over their needs from three aspects – service function, service mode and information content.

Data were collected from 353 library users from ten Chinese universities via questionnaires. Based on the user needs model, three dimensions of user needs were established for mobile information services and 26 measurement items were generated through a review of the literature. Furthermore, based on frequency analysis, independent samples t-test and the calculation of need rate, the demand differences in mobile information services between existing and potential users were explored.

Significant differences existed in the needs for service functions and service modes of mobile information services between existing users and potential users. Existing users cared more about such characteristics as intelligence, personalization and the variety of mobile services. Potential users, in contrast, concerned themselves more with the usability of mobile services and similarity to traditional information services. These two user groups showed little difference in the needs for information content, as they both have strict requirements for specialty, richness in and quality of information resources in mobile network environments.

Previous research on user needs for mobile libraries services has been primarily conducted from the perspectives of existing users. This study, however, compared the needs of existing and potential users based on their previous experiences, which can help libraries to know better what their users need and improve the quality of mobile information services to meet those needs. This can also make existing users more willing to use the services and cultivate the usage habits of potential users at the same time.