Academic Libraries and Mobile Technologies

Laurence Patterson&

Eithne Barry

Project OverviewCollaboration between Edinburgh Napier University and

University of the Highlands and Islands.

Two strands of project:• To investigate student usage of and attitudes

towards mobile technologies - Eithne• How UK academic libraries are using/can use

mobile technologies to support students – Laurence

Whatdoour users want?

Project survey – Nov 2010

• Across three universities - Edinburgh Napier, Queen Margaret University, University of the Highlands and Islands.

• Students only• iPad offered as prize.

• 1061 responses.• Majority of replies were from ENU, this sample

fairly representative of student population.

Edinburgh Napier catch-up survey – Oct 2011

• Same survey questions.• Edinburgh Napier University only - update to

inform our own developments.• 182 responses• Much smaller response group – less

representative.

Say hello to Jane

I’m the ‘average student’ here at

Edinburgh Napier University.

What sort of mobiles do students have?

Remember...

Blue = Nov 2010 survey = 1061

Green = Oct 2011 survey = 182

•2010, 68% had a ‘smartphone’

•2011 - 86% said they have one.• Top smartphone makes -

2010 2011Apple 25% 28% Nokia 19% 9% Samsung 14% 18% Blackberry 14% 16% HTC 11% 17%

Operating system (smartphones only)

Backed up by sales?• BBC news 28th Oct – ‘Samsung overtakes

Apple in smartphone shipments’

61% (64%) of survey respondents said they had owned their current mobile phone for less than a year.

81% (85%) had owned their current mobile for less than 18 months.

My phone is nearly a year old, and I’m

thinking about getting a new one. Maybe an

iPhone? I don’t know, the Samsung Galaxy SII

looks pretty good...

Can they afford web browsing?

43% (53%) had ‘unlimited’ access to the web on their mobile

But... 32% (16%) said contract/funds stop them using the mobile web as much as they would like

Of those with web access…(86% -> 92%)

63% (91%) have downloaded apps

41% (67%) have signed up to receive

automatic updates

QR codes (all respondents)

18% (47%) knew what a QR code was

8% (34%) had a QR code reader on their mobilephone/device

Services used on mobile phone/device once a day

I mostly use my mobile for texting and phoning.

I’m on the web most days (checking Facebook

or email), but I don’t read much on there.

The screen is too small.

Using Library services15% (24%) had used Library services on their mobile

Services they had used (2010):

Library services you would use on your mobile if you could?

I haven’t used Library pages on my mobile.

That’d be great though, especially to save time. Like if I could search for

a book on the bus on the way to the Uni.

Student quotes‘Access to

information is in your pocket! 24/7’

‘Can get information any time, do what I wanna do,

such as find books during the lecture teacher said. But the

screen is not big enough.’

‘I see only benefits. This age is fast, connection

is important.’

University of Kent – April/May 2011•Students only•97% said mobile phone/device wireless enabled.•72% said used their phone/device to check University email.

Edinburgh University March 2010•Students only•49% had smartphones•Of those – Apple 35%, Nokia 25%, Blackberry 17%.•50% of students accessed email and Facebook via mobiles several times a day.

Open + Cambridge Universities - May 2009•Students and staff•Less than 16% of Cambridge respondents access the

internet more than once a week, and 25% at the OU.

Summary

• A high proportion of students have smartphones and are browsing the web daily.

• 90% (95%) would like to access at least one Library service.

However…

• 32% (16%) say contract/funds stop them using the web as much as they would like (possibly becoming less of an issue?)• Students over 30 are less likely to

browse the mobile web regularly.• Reading content (such as e-books, journals

or newspapers) is less common.

Challenges for us

• Designing services that suit our users, for a range of mobile phone/devices and operating systems.

• Keeping up with the rate of change of phone/devices

• Providing equity of services for all users.