Library In-Hand: Mobile Technology and Libraries

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Library In-Hand: Mobile Technology and Libraries
 

    In recent years, smartphones have seemingly become ubiquitous in everyday life. We use it to communicate with everyone we know, to check our emails, search the internet, and most conveniently, it fits in our pocket. Libraries had to quickly adapt to disseminating digital resources through mobile technology. “Mobile Technology will help both novice and experienced librarians to stay relevant in an increasingly mobile society.” (Saxena 2). Mobile technology present opportunities for libraries to reach a wider audience through mobile services. Also, it is inevitable for libraries to distribute information in this way.

    Though it is practical and a must to have library resources accesibile through mobile devices, library staff have to invest time figuring out practical ways to implement these mobile services successfully. A psychological focus study in the United Arab Emirates did a study on the practical implications for integrating a mobile system. These implications are based on perceived value, ease of use, trust to privacy, peer influence, facilitating conditions, and ease of entry (Lupold 56). Identifying these factors allow libraries to provide a reliable mobile service for its users and, most importantly, people will use.

    Libraries are becoming more mobile-friendly allowing access to information from anywhere. Libraries have had success implementing resources to the public, but venturing into the digital world poses new and unique challenges. One major concern is trust to privacy by the libraries. Though libraries do value people's privacy, libraries will need to create systems that can ensure the protection and safety of sensitive information. Regardless of the difficulties, libraries have made huge strides making their resources accessible in our hands through our mobile devices.

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Works Cited

Saxena, Archana, and R.D. Yadav. "Impact of mobile technology on libraries: A descriptive study." International Journal of Digital Library Services 3.4 (2013): 1-13.

Lupold, Ann, et al. "Optimizing Library Services--Factors in Integrating Mobile Library Technologies: A Focus Group Study in the United Arab Emirates." Against the Grain, vol. 28, no. 2, 2016, pp. 56-, https://doi.org/10.7771/2380-176X.7344

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