Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Mobile Computing Virtual Meeting (LITA)



Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - 10-11am PST/1-2pm EST
LOCATION: Virtually – go to http://oregonstate.adobeconnect.com/litamobile/  

DESCRIPTION:  The LITA – Mobile Computing IG is pleased to host the following presentations at its upcoming virtual meeting:

1.  Using Gamification to Teach Users About Library Services and Collections
Presenter: Kyle Felker, Digital Initiatives Librarian, Grand Valley State University

The GVSU Libraries are preparing to work with a game development company to develop a library orientation game tentatively called LibraryQuest.  Our current thinking is that the primary platform for the game will be a mobile app, with a target for IOS devices with the potential for cross-platform android devices as well.  We have contracted with the company and have some concept documents, and are planning to begin construction after the winter holidays.  

2. Responsive Web Design and Collaboration
Presenters: Bob Robertson-Boyd, Product Analyst, and Hany Elemary, Senior Software Engineer (End User Services, OCLC)

OCLC’s End User Services has been working on a responsive design Web site as part of the evolution of FirstSearch.  Our presentation will walk through the collaborative process we have used to create a responsive Web site optimized for desktop, tablet, and smart phones.  We will discuss the business value of taking a content-first approach to developing a new Web site and provide brief examples of how our focus on content, end users, and data has accelerated our development, addressed accessibility issues while delivering a single Web site for desktops, tablets and smart phones.  Our presentation will illustrate the roles of the staff needed and address the technology used to build this preview Web site. 

3. Avoiding Mobile Redundancy with Responsive Web Design
Presenter: Jorge Brown, Access Services Librarian (University of Southern Mississippi)

Mobile devices are a part of the digital landscape; however, there is no unified device or operating system. To address this concern, a common practice has been to design a mobile web page for every operating system currently on the market. This has been no problem for libraries with the resources available to devote to these projects. Other libraries unfortunately do not have resources to devote to a mobile initiative.  Creating and maintaining multiple sites requires staff time and resources they do not have.  The need to provide mobile service will not go away; however, there is a way to provide patrons with a useful mobile interface without the added cost of creating and maintaining multiple sites.  The answer is Responsive Web Design.  This idea, coined by Ethan Marcotte, may be the answer to creating a web presence in a mobile world without the added hassle of creating multiple sites.  The presentation will give a brief overview of Responsive Web Design and discuss how it could reduce the time and upkeep associated with mobile presence allowing any size library to provide the mobile service patrons now expect in this ever-increasing mobile world.


4. Responsive web design: serving devices of any size from one content source
Presenter: Jesse J. Saunders, Head, Library Systems & Web Services (A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center, Southwestern University)

When redesigning our library website, our redesign team worked with our web designer to include responsive styling, reformatting the page layout based on the screen size of the users device. This allows us to maintain one content source, while serving the page to any device, in a format optimized for that screen.

5. “I would have done more” - Stepping back from usability testing to actual use of mobile library sites
Presenters: Laurie Bridges, Instruction & Emerging Technologies Librarian and Hannah Gascho Rempel,  Graduate Student Services Coordinator & BioSciences Librarian (Oregon State University)

Good mobile websites are designed around an understanding of the context of what the user is expected to do.  However, what exactly are our users doing on our mobile library sites?  User stats only provide part of the story, so Oregon State University librarians set out to solve this mystery by actually asking users what they do on our mobile site.  The answers to this question are the first step in a usability study and will help us make smarter design decisions, decide what services to feature, and figure out what new tools might enhance our users’ mobile library experience.  Come learn what we are discovering so that you too can move beyond just guessing what your mobile users are doing to really knowing.

Meeting Instructions:
 COST:  Free

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