Considerations for your Mobile Library

We all know by now that the ubiquity of mobile devices, from smart phones to e-book readers to tablets, is changing when, where, and how people are accessing information for personal and professional use. What does this mean for libraries? It means our libraries not only need to have a mobile presence but that they also need innovative and desired services which utilize the native features of today’s mobile devices. This presentation will walk you through some things to consider when thinking about the needs for your library’s mobile environment, and it will point to useful tools for designing, implementing and managing the content on a mobile website. You’ll hear about the benefits and drawbacks of building a mobile website versus building a mobile application. You’ll also learn about ways many libraries are integrating library resources and services into their mobile environment. Objectives: Clarify distinctions between mobile app and mobile webpage; Consider concepts beyond just replicating content on your library's mobile site but taking advantage of other features; Generate ideas about your own mobile library environment by seeing examples of what other libraries are doing.