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9 - Smart devices, smart staff
- from Part 2 - Challenges and strategies involved in embracing mobile innovation for libraries
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- By Kay Munro, University of Glasgow Library, Karen Stevenson, University of Glasgow Library
- Edited by Gill Needham, Ally Mohamed
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- Book:
- M-Libraries 5
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 08 June 2018
- Print publication:
- 10 June 2015, pp 81-86
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
A key component of the University of Glasgow Library's mobile strategy is to increase the skills of our staff as we operate in an increasingly mobile environment. This is being achieved through an ongoing training programme introducing all library staff to the tools and trends of mobile technologies and how they are changing library services and working practices.
In this chapter, we present a case study of the impact of the training programme for staff. We will demonstrate how the interventions in relation to staff training for the mobile environment are contributing to the creation of a workforce that is increasingly confident and engaged with mobile technology, and how this was a significant driver in the decision to make a substantial financial investment in mobile devices for library staff in 2013. The combination of a confident workforce with widespread access to modern mobile devices presents a game-changing moment for the library service which could revolutionize the way we work, communicate and deliver services.
We have a plan!
The University of Glasgow Library is one of the largest academic libraries in Scotland, supporting over 23,000 students and 6000 staff. The Library has 200 members of staff (full-time and part-time).
We have a well established mobile strategy, which has a number of high-level aims across a range of activities: information gathering; device testing; mobile-friendly services; library infrastructure; communications; and digital skills. Development across all of these areas of activity is co-ordinated by the Library's Mobile Technologies Group (MTG) through a series of annual work-plans. Planning for mobile must be flexible enough to allow for constant review and change in response to the rapidly changing technological landscape along with our user needs and expectations. A cyclical approach to strategy implementation has been adopted, with each cycle spanning one academic year. Since 2010 there have been four phases of strategic activity. Initiatives have included the development of a mobile website; improved Wi-Fi infrastructure throughout the library building; and the development of our Live Lab concept.
The strategy includes very specific commitments to support the development of digital skills among our users and our staff, and the Live Lab concept was established to support this aim. The Live Lab provides Library staff with an environment in which future mobile services can be explored, developed and tested in a highly collaborative and innovative way.
2 - From aspiration to innovation: the Live Lab concept at the University of Glasgow Library
- Edited by Mohamed Ally, Gill Needham
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- Book:
- M-Libraries 4
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 10 September 2022
- Print publication:
- 23 April 2014, pp 15-24
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
The Live Lab concept is one of the strands of the mobile strategy at the University of Glasgow Library. During the course of 2010 the Library's Mobile Technologies Group (MTG) developed the strategy in response to evidence from Google Analytics of steadily increasing traffic from mobile devices to the Library website. The academic literature also indicated that as ownership of smartphones and tablets increased there was a growing expectation from library users that services and resources should be capable of being delivered to mobile devices.
The mobile strategy
In planning the strategy the intent was to design a framework for the investigation, development and support of mobile service delivery. The strategy established a comprehensive set of goals across a wide range of services and includes an annual work plan for the implementation phases. Each planning cycle covers an academic session. There are ten areas of strategic priority. These include an annual mobile survey of Library users; the development of a mobile website incorporating search, user account and access to e-resources functionality; digital media skills for Library staff and users; and the Live Lab.
Project management of each of the implementation phases is a central component of the strategic process and is critical to ensuring that targets and deadlines are met. The MTG is responsible for the coordination of the entire project and for determining specific priorities for each phase. A full review is carried out at the end of each phase and this, together with a review of current academic literature and the results from the annual mobile survey, is used to set targets for the next stage of the planning cycle.
Working groups, convened by a member of the MTG, are established to take forward each area of strategic activity. The groups are given specific remits and deadlines for delivery and are tasked with reporting progress to the MTG at its regular monthly meetings. Responsibility for developing the mobile website and the Live Lab elements of the strategy remains with the main group.
Several strategic targets relate directly to service delivery. This can include planning for completely new services, or the enhancement of a service introduced during an earlier phase.
7 - Mobilizing your library
- Edited by Alison Mackenzie, Lindsey Martin
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- Book:
- Mastering Digital Librarianship
- Published by:
- Facet
- Published online:
- 13 September 2022
- Print publication:
- 23 April 2014, pp 123-138
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
Keeping the library relevant in an increasingly digital world presents challenges for the effective management and delivery of library services. While there are many opportunities for libraries to operate in this environment, ensuring that library services meet stakeholder needs and expectations may be best served by taking a strategic approach to service development. This chapter focuses on the role of strategy in the digital environment, using the development and implementation of a mobile strategy at the University of Glasgow library as a case study.
Context
Until relatively recently, access to the internet was dependent on having a desktop or laptop computer. However, today a growing number of people are likely to access digital content across a multitude of mobile devices. Increasing sales of smartphones and tablets, the flexibility of web content and the introduction of 4G networks are creating consumers who expect onthego access to the internet whenever they want it. In the UK, nearly onethird of page views are now from smartphones (24%) and tablets (6.8%) and this trend is growing monthly (comScore, 2013). According to a report from mobile manufacturer Ericsson, by 2015 80% of people accessing the internet will be doing so from mobile devices.
In the higher education sector, surveys of UK universities reflect a similar growth in web activity on mobile devices, with statistics showing visits to university websites from mobile browsers increasing by as much as 200% from November 2010 to November 2011 (Power, 2012). The Horizon report on the technology outlook for UK tertiary education speculates that the next generation of students will be owners of internetcapable mobile devices that they will want to use for learning (Johnson and Adams, 2011).
Background
Staff at the University of Glasgow library took an early interest in mobile developments and a Mobile Technologies Group (MTG) was formed during 2010. In common with many libraries, the original focus was primarily on the development of a mobile interface for catalogue search and library account functionality. Investigation into the potential use of SMS (short message service) for circulation notices and instant messaging for reference and enquiry services was also explored. However two factors prompted a reassessment of the range and scope of this project. Data from Google Analytics showed that although mobile traffic was small in relation to desktop browser access, it was steadily growing.