mobile applications for libraries

THE TECH SETEllyssa Kroski, Series Editor

Jason A. Clark

Building Mobile LibraryApplications

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION

Building Mobile Library Applications

Clark

American Library Association50 E. Huron StreetChicago, IL 60611

1 (866) SHOPALA (866) 746-7252

This is the series to acquire and share in any institution over the next year. I think of it as a cost-effective way to attend the equivalent of ten excellent technology management courses ledby a dream faculty! TECH SET® #11–20 will help librarians stay relevant, thrive, and survive. It isa must-read for all library leaders and planners.

— Stephen Abram, MLS, Vice President, Strategic Relations and Markets, Cengage Learning

“”

Find out more about each topic in THE TECH SET® VOLUMES 11–20and preview the Tables of Contents online at www.alatechsource.org/techset/.

Each multimedia title features a book, a companion website, and a podcast to fully cover the topic and then keep you up-to-date.

Building Mobile Library Applications is part of THE TECH SET®

VOLUMES 11–20, a series of concise guides edited by EllyssaKroski and offering practical instruction from the field’s hottesttech gurus. Each title in the series is a one-stop passport to an emerging technology. If you’re ready to start creating, collaborating, connecting, and communicating through cutting-edge tools and techniques, you’ll want to get primed by all thebooks in THE TECH SET®.

New tech skills for you spell new services for your patrons:

• Learn the latest, cutting-edge technologies.

• Plan new library services for these popular applications.

• Navigate the social mechanics involved with gaining buy-in for these forward-thinking initiatives.

• Utilize the social marketing techniques used by info pros.

• Assess the benefits of these new technologies to maintain your success.

• Follow best practices already established by innovators and libraries using these technologies.

11. Cloud Computing for Libraries, by Marshall Breeding

12. Building Mobile Library Applications, by Jason A. Clark13. Location-Aware Services and QR Codes for Libraries, by Joe Murphy

14. Drupal in Libraries, by Kenneth J. Varnum

15. Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries, by Sarah K. Steiner

16. Next-Gen Library Redesign, by Michael Lascarides

17. Screencasting for Libraries, by Greg R. Notess

18. User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries, by Aaron Schmidt and Amanda Etches

19. IM and SMS Reference Services for Libraries, by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

20. Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians, by Robin M. Fay and Michael P. Sauers

12

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www.neal-schuman.com

Jason A. Clark



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ALA TechSourceAn imprint of the American Library Association

Chicago 2012

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© 2012 by the American Library Association. Any claim of copyright is subjectto applicable limitations and exceptions, such as rights of fair use and librarycopying pursuant to Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act. Nocopyright is claimed for content in the public domain, such as works of theU.S. government.

Printed in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataClark, Jason A.

Building mobile library applications / Jason A. Clark.p. cm. -— (The tech set ; #12)

Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-1-55570-783-51. Mobile communication systems—Library applications. I. Title.

Z680.5C48 2012006.7—dc23

2012007206

This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper).

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!

CONTENTS

Foreword by Ellyssa Kroski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2. Types of Solutions Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3. Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4. Social Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

5. Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

6. Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

7. Best Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

8. Metrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

9. Developing Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Don’t miss this book’s companion website!

Turn the page for details.

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THE TECH SET® Volumes 11–20 is more than just the book you’re holding!

These 10 titles, along with the 10 titles that preceded them, in THE TECHSET® series feature three components:

1. This book2. Companion web content that provides more details on the topic

and keeps you current 3. Author podcasts that will extend your knowledge and give you

insight into the author’s experience

The companion webpages and podcasts can be found at:

www.alatechsource.org/techset/

On the website, you’ll go far beyond the printed pages you’re holding and:

! Access author updates that are packed with new advice and rec-ommended resources

! Use the website comments section to interact, ask questions,and share advice with the authors and your LIS peers

! Hear these pros in screencasts, podcasts, and other videos providing great instruction on getting the most out of the latestlibrary technologies

For more information on THE TECH SET® series and the individual titles,visit www.neal-schuman.com/techset-11-to-20.

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!

PREFACE

Mobile devices are becoming an essential part of people’s everydaylives. As these new devices such as smartphones, tablets, and e-bookreaders move into the mainstream, there will be an expectation thatlibrary services and resources will be part of this mobile ecosystem.

Building Mobile Library Applications focuses on mobile applicationdesign and development—the practice of building software, webapps, or websites for mobile and handheld devices. Learning aboutmobile application development is one step librarians can take toanswer the growing expectations for real-time, at-hand informationconsumption that mobile devices provide. Taking this a step further,mobile-savvy librarians are moving beyond just learning about mobileto actually building mobile library applications that provide patronswith catalog searches on the go, promote library databases optimizedfor mobile, and offer other cutting-edge services like historical walkingtours using mobile devices. In learning to build and use these types ofmobile applications, libraries can engage their patrons in context, inlocations where they need the info.

! ORGANIZATION

With both beginning and expert developers in mind, Building MobileLibrary Applications guides you through the process of planning,developing, and launching your own mobile library applications.Chapter 1 traces the emergence of the mobile platform and intro-duces the possibilities for mobile development. Chapter 2 considersthe types of mobile applications that can be developed and looks toguide development decisions by discussing what type of applicationmakes sense for your mobile use case. Chapter 3 moves on to thedetails of project planning and processes that make sense for a mobile

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project work flow. Chapter 4 brings up the social aspect of mobiledevelopment and design, talking through how to garner support foryour mobile project ideas and providing strategies for shepherdingyour mobile project through your organization. Chapter 5 focuses onthe “how to” with a set of projects ready for implementation, includingdetailed code recipes and working downloads to get you started.These “takeaway” projects form the core of the book and provide anentry point to mobile development for all skill levels from beginnerto expert. Included among the featured projects are learning how todevelop an iPhone or Android application for your library, how tomobilize your library’s catalog using a mobile web app, and how tocreate a mobile website that can be viewed on smartphones. Chapter6 takes a closer look at how to market your mobile applications toyour patrons, search engines, and mobile app stores or marketplaces.Chapter 7 considers emerging best practices and user interface con-ventions that make designing and developing for mobile an excitingchallenge. Chapter 8 shows how to measure the success of a mobileapp with analytics and statistical tools that tell the story of your app.Chapter 9 highlights the trends for mobile development and design inthe months to come. Finally, the “Recommended Reading” chapterlists and annotates resources to continue learning about mobiledesign and development.

A primary goal of Building Mobile Library Applications is to demystifythe process behind developing and designing for the mobile setting.And anybody looking to get a handle on what mobile means forlibraries and related institutions will find this book to be a valuableguide. Learning about mobile technologies is a first step, and thisbook will cover the background of mobile devices, how to think aboutdesign for the mobile setting, planning for mobile projects, andmuch more. However, the core of Building Mobile Library Applicationswill focus on how to build sample mobile applications that use librarydata or work in a library setting. It is my hope that readers areempowered to create new library applications and services based onthe code samples and walk-throughs available here.

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!1INTRODUCTION

! Mobile Design and Development! Who Should Read This Book? What Can You Expect?

With four billion applications on just one mobile device platform(iPhone) and device purchasing set to outpace both types of desktopcomputers combined, there can be little doubt that mobile is movinginto the mainstream. Given this rapid adoption, my hope is that thisbook is a discussion of and a foundation for learning how to buildmobile applications and sites.

Mobile Device Usage! By the year 2014, consumers will be buying more smartphones than PCs and laptops.! Since the launch of the iPhone, more than four billion apps have been downloaded,

with an average of 47 apps per user. Android and iPad app stats are also in themillions.

From “Internet Trends,” PowerPoint Presentation at Morgan Stanley’s CM Summit, June 2010(http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/pdfs/MS_Internet_Trends_060710.pdf).

Mobile applications, apps for short, are stand-alone, dedicated piecesof software or web applications/sites that enhance our phones’ ortablets’ capabilities and access information in elegant, consistent ways,and are the means for creating new services for our mobile patrons.People want apps; they have been trained to expect apps for theirmobile devices. Library software development must keep up with thedemand. We can gain much in this pursuit. Among the possibilities are:

! new ways of browsing using location data,! real-time, contextual search providing results about where a

person is located,! voice-initiated browsing and searching, and! archiving images and documents from mobile cameras.

! 1

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In many ways, our success in reworking traditional library web servicesinto mobile settings will help define the direction of our profession.

The rise of the mobile platform can be traced to Apple’s release ofthe iPhone on June 19, 2007. With the release of the iPhone, consumersnow had access to a mobile computer in their pocket. The smartphonetemplate introduced by the iPhone changed what people expected toexperience in the mobile setting. It wasn’t just about texting orphone calls anymore; here was a computer with a full web browserand optimized operating system built for computing in mobile settingswith limited bandwidth and connections. Portable media browsing,media creation (images and video), full website viewing, and otheractions commonly associated with desktop PCs were now a part of themobile environment. And apps, those little pieces of downloadedsoftware or optimized web applications and sites, became the conduitfor services delivered to this new platform.

Given the relative newness of the mobile platform, the history ofmobile development in libraries is brief, but growing quickly as onemight expect. One of the first libraries to enter mobile developmentwas the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL). In early 2009,DCPL built an app for browsing and searching library materials andreleased it for the iPhone (http://dclibrarylabs.org/archives/476). TheDCPL app was a first attempt to translate a traditional library service,the catalog search, into a mobile setting. Three years later, the move tomobilize the catalog remains the most frequent mobile app type comingfrom libraries. A next step for libraries was to recognize the local contextand immediacy of place that could be applied to mobile development.To this end, in early 2010 North Carolina State University (NCSU)Library released WolfWalk, an app based around a historical walkingtour with archival photos of the NCSU campus (http://goo.gl/ga4YQ).As the mobile platform has matured, other cultural organizationshave begun to experiment with mobile development. The SmithsonianInstitution has a complete mobile development arm that is buildingapps ranging from Leafsnap, a mobile app that uses the device camerato help identify tree and plant species, to Stories from Main Street, acrowdsourcing mobile app that uses device microphones to recordlocal history stories from all over the nation.

! MOBILE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Not all libraries will have the types of development resources men-tioned, but each of us can get started with a basic understanding of

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the benefits and complexities of mobile design and development.First, mobile design and development can be liberating. Whitespaceis necessary, and screen space is at a premium. Decisions about whatto include in your mobile app or site need to be based on the coreactions and utility your users need. This “limitation” of the smallsurfaces in mobile frees you from the complexity associated with themultiple links and entry points of desktop applications. Second,mobile design and development addresses an emerging need of ourlibrary audience: the ability to use library resources and get questionsanswered when the need arises. Mobile brings the dream of a portablelibrary into reality. Third, mobile design and development can leverageexisting skill sets. Many of the apps we build in this book will useHTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills that are already in place for manylibraries. This “mobile web-centric” approach to mobile developmentoffers a way forward that can make library resources truly cross-platform. Finally, mobile design and development and its simplicityaesthetic can inform physical library services. By forcing us to take ahard look at what is essential for a service to succeed, mobile can helpus revise and reform current library services.

Even with these benefits, I’m not looking to trivialize mobile designand development. Creating simple mobile designs can be really diffi-cult. Multiple devices and the growing fragmentation of the mobilemarket are huge design and development challenges. What works onone platform may not work on another. Additionally, having to choosea mobile platform—Apple (iOS), Android, BlackBerry—to providelibrary materials or to invest time learning a new software developmentenvironment can be cost-prohibitive or even run counter to thelibrary mission of equal access for all. However, there are ways aroundthese potential sticking points, and, whenever possible, I have lookedto develop platform-neutral solutions for this book.

! WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK? WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

This book is for anybody looking to get a handle on what mobilemeans for libraries and related institutions. Readers should also havea keen interest in learning how to make decisions about a mobilestrategy and getting their hands dirty with practical, applied mobileprojects. At its core, this book is about the implementation of someexemplary mobile projects. These projects range from the simple tothe complex, but all projects are written up in a tutorial, step-by-stepmanner. All you’ll need to follow along with the vast majority of

Introduction ! 3

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examples is a text editor and a web browser (recent versions of InternetExplorer, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari).

Over the course of this book, we will look at defining types of mobileapps, planning and project management for mobile development,negotiating the social mechanics of your library, marketing your appsand sites in this new and emerging mobile ecosystem, and discussingdeveloping mobile trends. When we are finished, you will have a fullsense of how to think broadly about mobile development and design.You will also have multiple working projects and examples of how tocreate mobile apps and websites for your library. Specific projectsinclude:

! learning how to develop an iPhone application that featurescore library services,

! building a “Where’s My Library” location-aware Android appli-cation using Google’s App Inventor,

! mobilizing your library’s catalog using WorldCat and its associateddeveloper’s tools, and

! creating a mobile website that can be viewed on smartphones.

There is something here for beginners and advanced developers, andthe “cookbook” format will allow you to move from the simple to thecomplex. Let’s get started.


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A Admob, 97Adobe Dreamweaver, 29, 68Analytics

best practices, 90defined, 96Google, 13, 95–98mobile users, 90trends, 101web and, 18, 80, 95–98See also Metrics; Surveys

AndroidApp Inventor, 28, 29, 31f, 92App Marketplace, 83basics, 1, 91–92building an app, 14, 28–31, 31f,

32–33, 94Market, 32–33, 83, 101phone prototype, 32PhoneGap and, 44platform, 3, 8–9, 14, 39, 96Where’s My Car? (app), 4, 28, 30–32

App ID, 42–44, 43fApp Inventor (Google), 29 App store, 6–10, 38, 68, 44, 83, 95–97,

101distribution model, 91

API. See Application programminginterface (API)

Appelquist, Daniel, 99Apple

App Store, 44, 83, 95–96, 101

design options, 2–3, 30, 87–89, 88f,92–94

interface, user, 90–93iPad, 1, 92iPhone, 1–2, 4, 37–40, 87iPod touch, 37iTunes, 9, 37, 43–44, 100registering ID, 42–44, 43fSee also iOS (Apple)

Application programming interface(API), 44–48, 81

App.net, 31, 80Apps

building, 28–31, 31f, 32–33, 94defined, 1history of, 2iPhone, 1–2, 4, 37–40, 41f, 41–44, 43f,

91–92marketplace, 4, 32–33, 83, 95–96, 101options, 93–94store, 44, 83, 91, 95–96, 101views, 60f, 94website building, 23–24, 24f, 25–26,

26f–28f, 27–28Archiving, 1–2

B Bango Mobile Analytics, 97Best practices

design options, 2–3, 30, 87–89, 88f,92–94

development, 89–93

! 107

!

INDEX

Page numbers followed by the letter “f” indicate figures.

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Best practices (cont’d.)interface, 87–93navigation, 87, 89popovers and alerts, 93search engine optimization (SEO),

81–85simplicity of mobile platform, 87,

89standards, 91–92See also Marketing

Blackberry, 3, 39, 44Blog

marketing, 28, 80–82mobilizing, 25social networking, 21, 80–81software, 38

BookMinder Android App, 9Brainstorming, 21Branding, 14, 94

CC++, 100Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) language

building, 40catalog and, 45–46code and, 47and companion website, 59customizing, 58–59, 65–68display interface, 46files, 61–62IPhone app, 37markup and, 70mobilizing, 3, 6–7, 59–60, 60foptimization, 90–91overwrite grid, 62–65performance and, 90–91PhoneGap and, 44styles and, 92trends, 99

Catalog (OPAC). See Library catalog(OPAC), mobile

Chart API wizard, 81Chelmsford (MA) Public Library, 6CMS. See Content management system

(CMS)Code libraries, 9, 46, 48–49, 58, 92Content management system (CMS),

23, 25

Conventions, 27, 36, 76, 78, 91, 92–93,95–96

Crowdsourcing, 2CSS. See Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

languageCSS3, 66, 91, 99–100Customizing, mobile

searches, 58–59site, 25–27, 16f, 27f, 30–31, 31f, 36view, 66–68, 60f

D Dashboard, 25, 26fData interface, 46–48, 90–93Deliverables, 14, 17–18Design patterns, 93Desktop files, 61–65Developer, register as, 38–39Devices

camera and orientation, 10geolocation application, 44–45,

56–58, 56fmobile, 92–93

Digital wallet, 100Distribution model, 91District of Columbia Public Library

(DCPL), 2Drupal, mobile website building, 23–24,

24f, 25–26, 26f, 28f, 27–28

EEmulator, 29, 32, 40–42, 45, 92

F Facebook, 80–81, 100Findability, 81–85, 91, 101Firefox, 4, 90Flickr, 88–89, 88f, 90Florida International University Medical

Library, 6Flurry, 97Foursquare, 100Frameworks, 8, 33–35, 37–38, 67–69, 76,

93

G Geolocation

applications, 7–8, 10, 91


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catalog mobilization, 44–45, 45fJavaScript and, 56–58, 56flocation-based apps, 99–101

Geotags, 10, 100Google

“App Inventor,” 4, 29Chrome Web Store, 4, 101iui framework, 33–37, 33f, 34f, 67mobile templates, 36PhoneGap and, 38–39, 44QR code, 81Search Engine Optimization Starter

Guide, 82Where’s My Car? (App), 4, 28,

30–32Google AdWords Keyword Tool, 82Google Analytics, 13, 95–98Google Android, 8Google Docs, 11, 12Google Sitemaps, 85Google Sites, 36–37Google Static Maps API, 76–78,

84–85Google Wallet, 100GPS, 100–101Gyrometer, 90

H Haefele, Chad, 33HTML

about, hours, and ask pages, 74–76applications, 5–7, 46–49, 84apps and, 3, 45, 101files, 34–37, 55homepage, 70–72interface, 46–48landing page, 80, 83markup, 35–36, 90–91optimization, 90–91, 101PhoneGap and, 39–41, 44platform and, 8, 10, 38, 43, 90, 92prototype, 18QR code, 80–81search page, 72–74software platforms and, 3tags, 61, 74, 82, 99template, 34–37, 92–93webform, 31

where page, 76–78See also Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

language HTML5, 7, 44, 90–91, 99–100

I Icons, 30, 41–42, 71–72, 80ID, app, 42–44, 43fImages, 1–2, 26, 30, 34, 42, 90–91Implementation. See Project

managementInterface, user, 90–93Internet Explorer, 4iOS (Apple)

app, building, 4, 37–40, 41f, 41–44,43f, 94

App ID, 42–44, 43fApple iOS SDK, 92developer, 14, 96emulator, 40–42PhoneGap and, 44platform, 3, 9, 37–38, 41, 44registering, 42–44, 43fsimulator, 41–42Xcode, 37–41, 41f, 42–44, 43fSee also Apple; iPhone

iOS SDK (Software Development Kit), 8,38–39, 43, 90, 92

Iowa City Public Library, 6iPhone, 1–2, 91–92

apps, 4, 37–40, 41f, 41–44, 43f, 94best practices and, 87building an app, 8, 37–40, 40f, 41–44,

41f, 43fand companion website, 37interface, user, 90–93User Experience Guidelines, 87

iTunes, 9, 37, 43–44, 100iui framework, 33–37, 33f, 34f, 67

JJavaScript

apps and, 3frameworks, 29, 37, 67–69, 76geolocation application, 44–45,

56–58, 56finterface, 46–47, 90–93JQuery, 67–70, 73–74, 78, 92

Index ! 109

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JavaScript (cont’d.)JSLint, 91mobile, 6–7, 14, 44–45optimization, 90–91PhoneGap and, 44trends, 99–100

jQTouch, 67–68, 92jQuery, 67–71, 68f, 73–76, 78, 92

building, 37–40, 41f, 41–44, 43fcustomizing, 78HTML markup homepage, 70–76HTML markup where page, 76–80

KKaywa QR code, 81

LLeafsnap, 2Library catalog (OPAC), mobile

access, 2, 44–45fanalytics and, 18and companion website, 59CSS and, 59, 60f, 61–62, 65–67customizing, 58–59geolocation application, 44–45,

56–58, 56fHTML markup homepage, 70–76HTML markup where page, 76–80jQuery, 67–70, 68f, 78linking, 10, 45–46, 48–49local searches, 57–58OCLC Library code, 9, 46, 48–49, 58,

92optimization, 90–91overwrite grid, 62–65search template files, 46, 92–93WorldCat search API, 44–56

Library management, 19–21Library website. See Mobile website,

library“Link Method,” 26Linking

catalog, 10, 45–46, 48–49mobile, 3, 5–6, 10, 26–30, 42, 69–72,

74, 77navigation, 93–94platforms, 3survey, 12, 21

Location-Aware Services and QR Codes forLibraries (Murphy), 81, 100

Location-based apps, 4, 7–8, 10, 29, 31,44–45, 77–78, 91, 99–100

JavaScript and, 56–58Logo, 26, 42, 80, 94

MMac OS X Snow Leopard, 37Marketing

audience, 85–86benchmarking, 97–98communicating internally, 93defining, 11–13internal, 85–86print media and, 79–80, 86public demonstration, 85–86QR codes and, 81search engine optimization and,

81–85social media, 80–81web and, 80–81

“Making Your Mobile App MoreDiscoverable,” 83

Mashable.com, 83McGill University Libraries, 7Metrics

analytics, 18, 95–97Google Analytics, 13, 95–98measuring options, 95–98needs assessment, 95–97PollEverywhere.com, 90software, 95–97survey resources, 90, 97–98SurveyMonkey, 12, 90tracking code, 98

Micropayments, 100–101Milestones, 15MIT Center for Mobile Learning, 29–30,

92Mobile applications

crowdsourcing, 2native applications, 7–10, 94, 99–100pros and cons, 5–6requirements, 9–10, 14trends, 99–100types of, 6–10See also Apps


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Mobile catalog. See Library catalog(OPAC), mobile

Mobile designapps, 30conventions, 27, 36, 76, 78, 91, 92–93,

95–96development, 89–93interface, user, 90–93options, 2–3, 87–89, 88f, 93–94popovers and alerts, 93

Mobile interface, 90–93tactical navigation, 87, 90touch, 7–8, 31, 37, 48, 66, 74, 78,

87–90Mobile Safari, 4, 91Mobile site generator, 23–24, 24f, 33–36,

34f“Mobile web-centric,” 3Mobile website, library

about, hours, and ask pages, 74–76

Android and, 28–31, 31f, 32–33building from scratch, 33–34,

33f–34f, 35–37and companion website, 28, 33, 37,

44, 59, 67creating, 23–27, 24f, 26f, 27f, 28f,

36–37defining audience, 11–13demo and files, 33framework, 33–34homepage, 70–72iui framework, 33–37, 33f, 34fmetrics, 95–98optimization, 90–91, 101portable library, 3pros and cons, 5–6requirements, 9–10, 14–15site generator tool, 34–35, 34fstatic information, 10support network, 20–21usage, 1–3where page, 76–78Winksite and, 23–27, 24f, 26f, 27f, 28f,

36–37MS Word, 11Murphy, Joe, 81, 100My Projects list, 30, 31f, 32

NNative applications, 5, 7–10, 40–41

apps and, 23, 38, 68, 91, 99–101building, 10, 93–94controls, 94metrics, 95platform, 37, 68software development kit (SDK), 8,

38, 43, 90, 92templates, 92trends, 99–100

North Carolina State University (NCSU)Library, 2

Notepad, 68

OObjective C, 100OCLC Library code, 9, 46, 48–49, 58, 92Offline storage, 7, 91, 99OPAC. See Library catalog (OPAC),

mobileOpen source software, 44Oregon State University, BeaverTracks, 7

PPalette, 30Palm, PhoneGap and, 44Patrons, 11–13, 20–21, 27–28, 28fPhoneGap, 8, 37–42, 40f, 44, 92PHP, 45–46, 49, 57–58, 74, 76Planning and developing, mobile

audience, 11–12goal, 13–14, 17–18market research, 11–13project requirements, 9–10, 14–15reasons for project, 13–14team, 14–15timeline, 15, 18

Platforms, mobileAndroid, 3defined, 1–2design, 87–89, 88f, 92–94development, 2–3history of, 2iOS, 3, 9, 37–38, 41, 44options, 3software development kit (SDK), 8,

38, 43, 90, 92

Index ! 111

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PollEverywhere.com, 90Popovers and alerts, 93Project management

Android app, 28–33goal, 13–14, 17–18iPhone app building, 37–44jQuery, 67–78Project Planning Templates, 15See also Library catalog (OPAC),

mobile; Planning anddeveloping, mobile

Promotion IT department and, 19–20library administration and, 19project goals defined, 13–14, 17–18QR code, 27–28, 28f, 80–81, 85stakeholders and, 19–21support network, 20–21URL, 27–28, 28fSee also Marketing

Properties, 30–31, 31fProtocol, 84Prototype, 9, 18, 32

QQR code, 27–28, 28f, 80–81, 85, 100

RResponsive web design, 59, 60f, 61RSS feed, 23–24, 24f, 25–26, 26f, 28f,

27–28

SSafari, 4SDK. See Software development kit (SDK)Search engine optimization (SEO),

81–85findability, 81–85, 91, 101key terms, 82–83optimization, 90–91Search Engine Optimization Starter

Guide (Google), 82web indexing robots, 82–84

Seattle Public Library, 9Sencha Touch, 8, 37, 92SEO. See Search engine optimization

(SEO)Server logs, 12–13, 95

Single frame or window, 93Site view, 91, 60f, 66–68Sitemaps, 82, 84–85Smartphone, 1, 4, 81

apps, 6–7platform, 59template, 2, 92

Smithsonian Institution, 2Social mechanics. See PromotionSocial networking, 21, 80–82Software development kit (SDK), 8, 38,

43, 90, 92Square, 100Staff, 19, 20–21, 85–86Stakeholders, 14, 18–21Statistics. See Analytics; Metrics; SurveysStories from Main Street (app), 2SurveyMonkey, 12, 90Surveys

audience, 12–13, 90Google Analytics, 13, 95–98measuring options, 90, 95–98web statistics, 12–13, 18See also Analytics; Metrics

Symbian, PhoneGap and, 44

TTablets, 1Templates, 2, 15, 34–37, 46, 59, 68f, 80,

92–93Texting, 2Thumbnails, 42, 89Timeline, 15, 18Titanium, 8Touch environment, 66–69, 74, 78, 87,

89–90jQTouch, 67–68, 92Sencha Touch, 8, 37, 92

Trends, mobile, 99–101Twitter, 80, 100

Uugl4eva (app), 9Undergraduate Library, University of

Illinois, Urbana–Champaign, 9University of Minnesota Library, 7University of North Carolina at Chapel

Hill Library, 33


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URLmobile, 36, 48, 55, 74, 78promoting, 27–28, 28f, 80–81, 85–86sitemaps and, 84source, 24–25web browsers, 91WorldCat Search API and, 49–53

Usability.gov, 15

VVideo, 2, 9Viewer, 30Visual prototype, 9, 18, 32

WW3C, 99W3C Geolocation API, 44–45, 56–57,

56fWeb browsers, 2, 4, 67

mobile applications, 6–8, 24, 34, 47,60f, 66, 70, 91

thumbnails, 89traditional view, 60f

Web indexing robots, 82–84WebKit Browser Engine, 91Website, library. See Mobile website,

library

Where’s My Car? (Android app), 4, 28,30–32

Winksite, 23–27, 24f, 27f, 28fdashboard, 25, 26ftemplates, 36–37

WolfWalk, 2WorldCat, 4WorldCat Opensearch XML file, 53–55WorldCat search API, 44–48

customize, 58–59geolocation application, 44–45,

56–58, 56fmaking requests, 49–53OCLC Library code, 9, 46, 48–49, 58parse to create results, 53–56

WordPress, 23–28, 24f, 26f, 28fWroblewski, Luke, 15WYSIWYG text editors and graphical

interfaces, 29, 33

XXcode, 37–41, 41f, 42–44, 43fXML, 53–55, 84–85

YYahoo!, 81, 83–84Yahoo Mobile Sitemaps, 85

Index ! 113

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Jason A. Clark


11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION

Building Mobile Library Applications

Clark

American Library Association50 E. Huron StreetChicago, IL 60611

1 (866) SHOPALA (866) 746-7252

This is the series to acquire and share in any institution over the next year. I think of it as a cost-effective way to attend the equivalent of ten excellent technology management courses ledby a dream faculty! TECH SET® #11–20 will help librarians stay relevant, thrive, and survive. It isa must-read for all library leaders and planners.

— Stephen Abram, MLS, Vice President, Strategic Relations and Markets, Cengage Learning

“”

Find out more about each topic in THE TECH SET® VOLUMES 11–20and preview the Tables of Contents online at www.alatechsource.org/techset/.

Each multimedia title features a book, a companion website, and a podcast to fully cover the topic and then keep you up-to-date.

Building Mobile Library Applications is part of THE TECH SET®

VOLUMES 11–20, a series of concise guides edited by EllyssaKroski and offering practical instruction from the field’s hottesttech gurus. Each title in the series is a one-stop passport to an emerging technology. If you’re ready to start creating, collaborating, connecting, and communicating through cutting-edge tools and techniques, you’ll want to get primed by all thebooks in THE TECH SET®.

New tech skills for you spell new services for your patrons:

• Learn the latest, cutting-edge technologies.

• Plan new library services for these popular applications.

• Navigate the social mechanics involved with gaining buy-in for these forward-thinking initiatives.

• Utilize the social marketing techniques used by info pros.

• Assess the benefits of these new technologies to maintain your success.

• Follow best practices already established by innovators and libraries using these technologies.

11. Cloud Computing for Libraries, by Marshall Breeding

12. Building Mobile Library Applications, by Jason A. Clark13. Location-Aware Services and QR Codes for Libraries, by Joe Murphy

14. Drupal in Libraries, by Kenneth J. Varnum

15. Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries, by Sarah K. Steiner

16. Next-Gen Library Redesign, by Michael Lascarides

17. Screencasting for Libraries, by Greg R. Notess

18. User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries, by Aaron Schmidt and Amanda Etches

19. IM and SMS Reference Services for Libraries, by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

20. Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians, by Robin M. Fay and Michael P. Sauers

12

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mobile applications for libraries

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