International Digital Library Conference 2014
8–10 April 2014
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
K.T. Lam
Associate University Librarian
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library
Last revised: 7 April 2014
http://library.ust.hk
Mobile, mobile, anywhere, anytime…
Commuting
Resting
Working
Waiting
Studying
Entertainment center
Social media appliance
Utility tool box
Stationery drawer
Internet in the pocket
The Internet
connected
Mobile device
Connection to the Internet
Ever increasing data bandwidth
Affordable mobile data plans
Free Wi-Fi
Capability of mobile device
Increasing powerful hardware
Mature mobile operating systems
Proliferation of mobile apps
available at app stores
Mobile websites simplify
display on small screens
Mobile users – Percentage of visits
to library.ust.hk by mobile devices
Year
% of
mobile
visits
2013
5.57
2012
2.52
2011
1.32
2010
0.57
2009
0.19
Virtual visits to HKUST Library - number of times
computers visiting websites hosted by HKUST Library
Mobile apps
Small pieces of computer program
downloaded from app stores and installed on
the mobile devices
Great variety of applications – games,
entertainment, productivity tools, news, etc.
Dependent on operating system
Mobile websites
Accessing websites from mobile devices
Parallel website layouts to support desktop
and mobile browsing
Independent on operating system
Full website
Mobile website
Library
Catalog
• Search, renew, reserve items
• View my library account
• Locate books on bookshelves
Electronic
Resources
• Discover
• Read articles, e-books, news
• View videos, digitized objects
Facilities &
Services
•
•
•
•
•
Help
Reserve computer and study room
Find your directions in library
Register a library class
Submit various web forms
Print documents
• View library guides, e-learning objects
• Ask a librarian
• Check library opening hours
HKUST Library’s Mobile Initiatives
2009
•
Began exploration of mobile applications
• e.g. collaboration with the Publishing Technology Center on m.HKUST app
2010
•
Created QR Code Image Generator for use by Library staff and later by the whole
HKUST community (April)
QR Code displayed in Library Catalog (April)
Released iPhone app for library catalog searching, with capability of locating items
on bookshelves, together with library hours, news and floor plans (May)
Released library catalog app on Android (October)
Customized INNOPAC/Millennium’s My Account and Request Items to fit in mobile
screens (November)
•
•
•
•
2011
•
•
•
Released mobile website version of SmartCAT (November)
Released mobile website version of Library Home Page (November)
Released mobile website version of Room Booking System (December)
2012
•
•
•
Launched mobile capable databases setup project (February)
Released mobile website version of Class Registration System (March)
Released mobile website version of PowerSearch (Primo) (May)
2013
•
•
Launched Kindle borrowing service (April)
Launched BrowZine (September)
2014
•
•
Launched WhatsApp a Librarian (January)
Launched mobile printing service (February)
HKUST Library Mobile Home Page
<http://library.ust.hk/m>
Library
Catalog
http://catalog.ust.hk
HKUST Library’s next-generation library catalog
Two apps were created based on SmartCAT’s
RSS syndication features
Mobile app for Apple iOS
Joint project of HKUST’s Publishing Technology Center
and the Library
Mobile app for Google Android
Student course project – in collaboration with the Library
Also has a mobile website version for SmartCAT
By library systems staff
Mobile device auto-detection
Library catalog app on
Apple iOS
(via m.HKUST)
m.HKUST app is a
mobile campus
guide on iOS
Download via iTune
<http://itunes.apple.com/app/m.hkust/id332536360?mt=8>
Library Catalog app on Android
Search results
Search screen
Download via
Google Play
<http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hkust.LibraryCatalog.gui>
Library Catalog app on Android (cont.)
User’s book review
Record display - item
Record display – e-book
Library Catalog app on Android – Item Locator – to locate books on book shelves
Click the Location link from Android
app to launch SmartCAT’s Item Locator
in mobile web browser
Library Catalog (SmartCAT) mobile website
<http://catalog.ust.hk>
Full website
Mobile website
Mobile website version of My Account
Login to My
Account to view
your checked out
items or renew
them
My Library Account
<http://library.ust.hk/mpat>
Mobile website version of My Account – Request Item
Click the “Request
item” link to place
request page in My
Account page
View your requested items
from My Account
Apps development for iOS and Android
SmartCAT web services for use by the apps
Mobile device auto-detection
Writing CSS stylesheets for mobile website
Item Locator – to locate items on bookshelves
Technique of making use of INNOPAC /
Millennium’s alternate SSL port for the mobile
version of My Account (patroninfo)
Electronic
Resources
Mobile websites
Compile a list of databases that have
mobile website
Link to their mobile website
You have a choice to go to Full or Mobile
version
Databases that have mobile app
Mobile apps
Require individual installation by users
Establish pairing
Library provides user guides
e.g. BrowZine
<http://libguides.ust.hk/browzine>
1
Pairing
EBSCOhost
2
3
• From any PC connected
to the campus network
• Go to EBSCOhost full
website
• Click on “iPhone and
Android Apps” link (at
bottom of page)
• Enter your email address
• Read email on your iPhone or Android
Follow the instructions in email to
•Install the app
•Install the authentication key
[Do these steps on you mobile device
I know
you!
Purpose of pairing
To guarantee that you can use the paired mobile device to
access EBSCOhost via the app on any Internet connection.
That is, no need to
Validate IP address
Authenticate (login)
every time you use the app to access EBSCOhost
Pairing mechanism
Determine that you are a subscriber of the database
Request was done on a computer with IP address known to
EBSCOhost
Submit an email address during request
Determine that you own (or have access to) the device
Communication via email address submitted
Clicking “Authentication Key” link in the instruction email on the
mobile device results in establishing the pairing
Screen layout changes according
to the size of the display device
1
2
<http://lbezone.ust.hk>
3
<http://library.ust.hk/elo>
Full Website
Mobile Website
<http://lbdiscover.ust.hk>
Portrait view
Landscape view
Screen layout changes when the mobile device
rotates between Portrait and Landscape view
Facilities &
Services
Room Booking
Three ways to bring you to the
Room Booking System on
mobile device
Library mobile home page
Library Floor Plans app
QR Code on signage
Click AVAILABLE button
to book the time slot
Library Floor Plans app brings users to Room Booking System
Click this button to book the room
QR Code brings users to
Room Booking System
Group Study Room LC-03
QR Code on the signage
outside the Room
Computer Availability at Information Commons
Library class registration
20 Kindles (Paperwhite)
Each device is preloaded with 20 titles
Devices are arranged into 10 sets (Set A, B, .. K) with two
devices each
The two devices in the same set have the same group of
titles
[Purchased 200 titles from Amazon, each has two copies]
<http://library.ust.hk/info/kindle>
Kindle package
contains
Borrow Kindle
at Circulation
Counter
Kindle Paperwhite
Barcode label attached to
the device
USB cable (for charging)
Quick start guide
Plastic bag
Technical challenges
Maintaining local copy of Kindle e-books
Store on a networked file share
Each e-book downloaded must match with the device
triggering the download
Refreshing Kindle content
When device is checked in at Circuration Counter
Procedures
Reset device to factory default
Reload the group of e-books from the file share to the
device
Recharge the device
Ricoh’s Print&Scan app
Works iOS and Android devices
Must print to Ricoh’s supported
printers – there are 6 in the
Library
Print documents
from mobile devices
to printers via
campus Wi-Fi
Help
Trends
Library information service desk
Decrease in in-person and telephone questions
Use of smartphones
Become ubiquitous among students and staff
Enjoy messaging services (e.g. WhatsApp and WeChat)
Project began in Summer last year
Goal: offering a new channel of communication between
the Library and its users via popular mobile messaging apps
Challenges:
Not satisfied with just purchasing a smartphone for this purpose
Investigated answering WhatsApp questions via a desktop PC
Service launched in January 2014
Librarian at InfoDesk
checks WhatsApp on PC
Patron chats to librarian
via WhatsApp
Technical challenges
Emulating Android mobile screens and inputs on
desktop computer
BlueStacks App Player
Emulator on PC does not have physical SIM card,
but WhatsApp requires communication via the
mobile phone number during installation
Resolved
The emulation PC is housed in Server Room
Information service librarians and InfoDesk staff can
connect to this PC via Remote Desktop Connection
BlueStacks Player for Windows
Click this icon to launch WhatsApp
A WhatsApp question and answers
Another WhatsApp question
Promotion
Launched Feb 4, 2014 (start of Spring Term)
Added to all contacts on web, Facebook, blog, etc.
Email to all staff and students
Physical signs at Circulation Counter and InfoDesk
Response
Questions at InfoDesk (Feb 4 to April 3, 2014)
Question Format
Question Count
Percentage
Email
22
3.4%
Phone
51
7.9%
528
82%
43
6.7%
644
100%
Walk-Up
WhatsApp
Totals
Our staff can use this
tool to generate QR
Code images for use
in various areas
• Posters
• Publications
• Brochures
• Exhibits
• Signage
• Web pages
HKUST Library is devoted to provide on-the-go
library services in the following areas:
Search library catalog, request and renew items,
view My Account
Discover and access information (articles, e-books,
videos, etc.)
Use library facilities and services
Seek for help on using the Library
HKUST Library continues to seek for new
technologies and opportunities in enhancing
these on-the-go library services