Delivering Content to Mobile Devices

Andrew McCreathExec Director of IT&CommunicationRobert Gordon University, Aberdeen

A touch of context

• HEIDS “above campus” IT Services Study 2011– Collaborative tools highlighted. Such tools include:

• Email • Shared calendaring; • Shared documents and document storage; • Communications tools such as instant messaging, Voice Over IP,

(VOIP); video conferencing, Twitter and Facebook; • Conferencing and bulletin boards such as like Ning or Elgg; • Shared and secure file management such as Sharepoint /

Google Docs, Sites and Office365; • Content Management systems such as Drupal, Joomla and

Wordpress;

http://www.heids.ac.uk/reports/HEIDS_Shared_IT_Services_Study_Report.PDF

StirlingNov 2011

What Collaborative Tools are of

Interest?

Telford CollegeFeb 2012

SharePoint

Lync

Office 365+ Telford’s Mobile Apps

+ Lunch at ZeroOne

CreatingMobileApps

UWS, HamiltonAug 2012

O365 EventDundee

UWS – Hamilton, 24th August

• 3 Contrasting Approaches.• All delivered access to information, and

selected services.• Edinburgh Telford College

– App developed by third party, 1st release Oct 2011• Edinburgh University:

– Ombiel app• Stirling University

– Decided to develop a “web app”

Edinburgh Telford College

• Engaged with students to determine design and functions

• Key functions – personal timetable, interactive diary, absence recording, contacts for key departments

• Cost savings from not printing student handbook• Winner of Jisc I-tech award in 2012 for support to

learner services• App developed by Smartphonehttp://www.slideshare.net/mccreatha/mobile-app-development-telford-college

Edinburgh University / OmbielU@Ed

• Providing access to the data and underlying services is the key challenge more than the App availability.

• Ombiel find a number of services are commonly requested by Institutions - Library services, VLE access, availability of PC's. For staff, access to finance and student records.

• “If it's on a database, it can be pushed onto an app”.http://www.slideshare.net/mmorrey/ued-mobile-app-for-the-universi

ty-of-edinburgh

Student Survey

Stirling UniversitymStir

• Quick access, bite size, time sensitive information well suited to mobile access situations. Not just replicating the web site.

• Webkit engines can create a very good "app" experience on mobile devices

• Creating app was relatively straight forward• Getting accurate data from back end systems onto the

app was main challenge• Printer & PC availability – high demand• Developing “Library Anywhere”

bit.ly/mstirheids

UWS Hamilton – Action Areas

• Procurement• Sharing of Expertise / Knowledge• Collaborate to define external data feeds• Collaborate to create a national survey

Open Source?

Commercial Development

Resource

CommercialSolution

Developer

Institutions

Suppliers & External Organisations

BespokeCommercialApp

SharedCommercialApp

BespokeInhouseApp

SharedCommunityApp

Shared Procurement of Services & Solutions

1

Community of

Practice

Sharing of

Expertise, skills

& knowledge

2

Common

Definitions of

data feeds /

web services

3

Shared National Survey of Learners 4

SCURL Community of Practiceon Mobile Devices

• A survey will be composed and designed by some members of the Mobile Devices CoP.

• It will be circulated to– SCURL members (incl National Museums of Scotland)– FE College Librarians – HEIDS– The Public Library sector

• Issued inDecember 2012 with analysis of the responses to be completed by mid January 2013.

Survey Contents• Existing activity amongst SCURL member libraries/other Scottish libraries, particularly

in relation to (but not excluding other areas): resource discovery, delivery of content (using own or vendor tools), showcasing collections, location based and transactional services, orientation and education, skills to support m-library developments;

• Approaches being used e.g. in house developments, 3rd part supplier, mixed economy;• Are developments cross-organisation or at library/department level;• Any insights into user behaviour in relation to the consumption of m-library

services/resources;• Use of specific technologies including SMS services, QR codes, augmented reality etc;• Priorities for future m-library developments;• The range of approaches to developing m-library services/resources e.g. App or mobile

web or both;• Areas for potential collaborative development, delivery or licensing;• Any potential role of 3rd party suppliers in any collaborative approach.

Questions?