mobile phones and libraries: experimenting with the technology

QR codes and their applications for libraries

Kate Robinson University of Bath Library

Will students do anything for chocolate?Will students do anything

for chocolate?

Who is using QR codes?

‘Big in Japan’ but what about Bath?

• 12-15% are aware of them

• 2% have used them

• 92% have a camera phone

It lets you jump between the physical & the virtual

Art?

How to use QR codesQR Code Reader• you may have a QR Code Reader

already installed • or, you can install a free one by

searching online for QR Code Reader and the make/model of your phone

Make your own codes with a Mobile Code Generator

• select the content type you need, i.e., a web site

• enter the information, i.e., http://www.bath.ac.uk

• click on Generate • save the QR code as an image to

your machine

Playing (with technology)

• JISC bid/money

• Seeded conversations

• Generated ideas

• Created opportunities

Ideas for Library useLinking:• floorplans to podcasts • Subject Librarians

offices/business cards to webpages

• information literacy events to timetable information/resources

• catalogue records/class numbers to your phone

The technical bit

“It’s a doddle to add”

Lessons learnt

• Motivating

• Supporting

• Evaluating

What Next?

More on QRCSI clip:uk.youtube.com/watch?v=P-

DntIQi2e8

Educase reports: net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/

ELI7046.pdfwww.educause.edu/ELI/

2009HorizonReport/163616

Andy Ramsden’s blog: blogs.bath.ac.uk/qrcode/

Using & creating your own:www.bath.ac.uk/barcodes/

No – but that means there’s some left over

for the Librarians…