Reference in the Pocket: Mobile Reference Services for

Dr. Sanjay Kataria John Paul Anbu K Head – Learning Resource Centre Head- Periodical Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (Noida) Swaziland University Library India – 201307 Swaziland [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract Mobile communication technology and its 1. Introduction rapid growth in the field of E-commerce The Educause study on “Undergraduate have set an unprecedented tone in the students and the Information Technology” growth of information and consumer (Educause centre for Applied Research) science. The current E-commerce carried out in 2009 clearly portray the fact applications invariably combine the that the teens and adults use mobile advancements of the current web technology not only for communication, technologies and the novelty of mobile entertainment or for commercial technology to offer advanced level of service applications but they use it for information and business propositions to the general as well. This sampling of research is not public and target the customers who are only applicable for the United State but also constantly on the move. Though libraries for the entire spectrum of students and are perceived to be the sanctum sanctorum researchers around the globe. While the new of man’s quest for Information, where and exciting computing environment with humanity has traditionally journeyed to the advent of web 2.0 and its allied services quench their thirst for knowledge, today’s has enthralled the information seekers there information society seems to be living in a is no doubt that the mobile telephony has world where the library is engulfed in their further enlightened the information hungry own mobile phones right in their very own modern society. While there is no doubt that pockets. This paper looks at the overall the mobile and satellite communications are impact of mobile services and applications triggering a wave of unprecedented growth in libraries and looks at the specific area of it is common knowledge that people are Reference services in the libraries where the becoming more dependent on wireless potential, demand and opportunities are communication systems (Olatokun: 2006). more for mobile applications. There is no doubt that Mobile phones have become an inseparable part of everyday life. Jacobs observes that “everywhere we go we Keywords Mobile Communication Systems; Reference cannot help but notice the number of mobile Services; Mobile Library Applications devices being used; cell phones, ipods, MP3 players, GPS systems, blackberries and even mini-laptops. Mobile access is the remediation of wireless internet” (Jacobs, 2009). While mobile communication system was born out of necessity, the consumer centered business world has quickly exploited this prolifiration of services to its

114 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011 advantage and provide services which are (www.budde.com.au/research/global- easily reachable for users who are constantly mobile-subscriber-statistics.html), which on the move. During this time of represents more than 50% of the global information explosion, Libraries cannot population. Infonetics research predicts that shun away from this development hence we by 2013 the number of worldwide mobile see a number of services in the libaries subscribers will reach 5.9 billion which are becoming more and more (www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/newslog), mainly mobilised targetting the users who are on due to the anticipated growth in mobile the move. The advent of library services communication in Africa, India and China. over the internet proved to be a blessing for Along with the mobile network and mobile users who found it hard to visit the physical users the mobile gadgets have also started library for accessing its collection. With the growing from the humble beginning of 2 advancement of these services through pound heavy solid mobile phones to modern mobile network it has become much more ultra lightweight mobile phones with a simple and easire for libraries to deliver number of services embedded in them. With them for the users who are on the move and the future promises of TDMA (Time delivers the entire spectrum of library Division Multiple Access), CDMA (Code services in the palms of today’s library users Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global and information seekers. Murry observes System of Mobile Communication) the that by providing these specilised services to mobile communication system is poised to its users the librarires not only “provide new an exciting zenith. The future Mobile services or enhance traditional services, but communication system promises much also make it more relevant to their users” better gadgets with increased internet (Murray, 2009). accessibility with DSL and broadband with “possibilities of video conferencing and other related web 2.0 services which will 2. Growth of Mobile Communication resemble an ultra mobile personal system The mobile communication services have computer”. grown dramatically from its humble beginning during the Second World War. 3. Mobile applications and Libraries The mobile network of that time was called Libraries have greatly utilized the growth of as zero generation (0G) mobile networks internet technologies, especially the where it was mainly used for military advancements of web 2.0 applications in its communication. This was followed by the library services. This positive trend has a first generation (1G) of cellular network, great implication on libraries and its various established in 1973, followed by the 2nd rd services it provide. In the modern e- Generation (2G) in 1991 and the 3 commerce world most of the works are Generation (3G) in 2001. The current th easily accomplished through the mobile mobile network which hovers around the 4 telephone. The emerging Information generation is yet to be fully operational Service Delivery trends in libraries also tend hence we see most of the 3.5 Generation to follow the same pattern. The users expect services which are currently provided the information to be delivered where they through the mobile networks. While the are rather than going to the information. mobile network kept growing in its stature This is mainly because of the influence of e- the mobile users also steadily grew over the commerce and entertainment services which years. The current mobile users in 2010 are make use of the internet and mobile estimated around 4.2 billion 115 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011 revolution to skillfully market their products funding and human resources are very and service especially targeting their limited but at the same time they have the customers who are on the move. Making use inclination and need for mobile based of such opportunities created by these websites. commercial services the library and information centers have also started using 3.2 Mobile OPAC (MOPAC) mobile technology to further their cause. Murray quotes Spires with the observation Traditionally the Online Public Access that “the adaptation of mobile initiatives by Catalogues (OPACs) served as the binding libraries and began with medical wine between the user and the library libraries, as medical professional were collection. With the advent of mobile among the first user groups to implement an services, new Mobile based OPACs are information-on-the-go philosophy into their being developed for mobile users in various daily work lives (Murray, 2009). Followed libraries. Development of mobile optimized by this there are libraries that have modeled OPACs nicely cater for both the regular their services to mobile revolution and desktop OPAC users and mobile OPAC provide library services on the move in other users. The biggest challenge in this endeavor areas of library labyrinth. While a number of is to scale the information display into the mobile based applications are available for mobile optimized output. Sometimes it is users the Reference Section in the library very difficult since most of the library seems to be the ideal place for mobile based catalogues make use of the web 2.0 service as it has the potential to transform advancements and use lot of content the face of the library. enrichment and other allied services to their regular catalogues which will be very 3.1 Library Website difficult to scale for the mobile phones. Many of the Integrated Library Services The adaptation of internet technologies into (ILS) has taken up this challenge and libraries saw the emergence of library already there are some products which websites which promote the library services provide a good MOPAC service. through these websites. Any mobile phone Millennium ILS provides a catalogue which supports internet connectivity can service for mobile users called AirPac access these library websites and its various (AirPAC) which is a good model for services from anywhere. With this dynamic consideration. Notable advancements such development it is important for the library as Library Anywhere from LibraryThing administrators to provide due consideration (Bowker 2009) and initiatives of SirsiDynix for mobile users, who will be accessing the and others in developing specific Mobile library website through their mobile devices OPAC ignites a enchanting mobile since the viewing area and the downloading catalogue revolution in libraries. speed between the desktop user and mobile user will be vastly different. In modern context most of the libraries provide parallel 3.3 Mobile Collections websites for mobile as well as desktop Apart from the above mentioned specific websites. Though this is a good services libraries are also engaged in development it is time consuming for library developing their collections specifically for web-administrators since simultaneous mobile users. As more and more digital updating becomes mandatory when the medium come into the library collection a updating of the websites is warranted. This number of libraries are looking ways into is a huge challenge for libraries whose market them to the mobile users. 116 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011

of the notable databases and services which 3.3.1. Ebooks are available through mobile networks. The advent of digital resources saw libraries Some support services like MobiLIB embarking on Ebooks to strengthen their provide users with service which link to and optimize its already existing information providers and usage. The advent of mobile phones has act like intermediates and create simplified taken these Ebooks to the next level of interfaces to the different services of the readership. While Ebooks can be used by libraries such as its OPAC, Directory, any computer connected to the network, the library operations etc., mobile access to them have transformed these collections to be read and carried 4. Mobile Reference Services anywhere. There are a number of libraries which offer to their mobile users a number of audio books from their collection to be downloaded and used by them. Most of the libraries which give the mobile Ebook service concentrate on providing audio books for their patrons.

3.3.2 Journal Databases Researches in modern libraries are greatly enhanced with the introduction of Electronic journals which are normally accessed through the desktop web. But the current trend is slowly moving towards providing Among the many services which are capable mobility to these databases which offer of changing the library landscape Mobile some full-text access exclusively for the Reference is one of the foremost and notable mobile users. Ebscohost (EBSCO, 2009), service where the impact of mobile interface LexisNexis (Mintz, 2009) are few notable can be readily felt. The reference section is advancements in this area. These databases often considered to be most potential place provide current and time critical information where dynamic data are often consulted by which a user might need urgently while on library users. The advent of web 2.0 the move. Following EBSCOhost, Swets applications into library services, especially Information Service has also announced that the Instant Messaging service saw the their aggregation of electronic journals will advent of an enhanced and dynamic web be available soon on mobile. PubMed based reference service into the library database is also available through mobile mainstream. Most library catalogues make interface. use of the Instant Messaging to provide services like “” and “Ask a 3.3.3 Other Databases ”, where the librarians are Apart from these specific resources there are connected through an instant messaging or a number of other databases and services voice chat environment to get most of the which provide a combination of e-book, e- reference queries sorted. This healthy journals, e-reference and a number of other interactive trend along with the mobile services exclusively for mobile users. BBC telephone facilities has started adorning the Audio books, arXiview, IEEE Explore, library services. With more and more users Social Science Research Network are some wanting reference information on the move, 117 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011 most of the libraries provide reference different reference access on a subscription services through mobile interface. There are basis to libraries which can be effectively many specialized services and reference provided to the library users. These Mobile products which has made a great impact in Reference websits have a selectable module Library services. based subscription approach where the needed subject references can be choosen 4.1. Mobile reference services and for subscription. products 4.1.1. Mobile Encyclopedias 4.1.3. Free mobile reference resources While a number Imp orta of subscriptions nt based mobile refe references are renc adorning the e library collection sour there are a ces number of free are reference sources now which are also available which provide good incr mobile interface and can be effectively easi tagged into the library mobile services. ngly available as mobile reference sources FreeDictionary.mobi and for users. Time tested reference sources such FreeTheasurus.mobi are some of the leading as Encyclopedia Britannica are now mobile reference sources which can be available for mobile users. Subscription to added to the mobile library services in a this can be done individually or it can be library. Services like google Mobile routed through the network authentication (http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/), which allows the users to access them while Mobile GMAPs (http://www.mgmaps.com/) on the move. Britannica has specially provide a simple but effective atlas and map optimized this site for mobile phones which services to the mobile users which are ensures a wonderful experience for mobile available free. These utilities can be users. Increasingly more and more reference effectively added to the library. suits are opening up for mobile users. Merriam Webster mobile English Dictionary 4.2 SMS Reference System: Series (http://mcyclopedia.blogspot.com), Over the years it has been proven that SMS the concise Encyclopedia Britannica, the Big Referencing can be a major service which English Encyclopedia 8.3 can be effectively run on mobile networks. (http://downloads.zdnet.com/abstract.aspx?d Beth Stahr (2009) observes that “Text ocid=800313) are some of the growing message library reference has several encyclopedias for mobile users. inherent advantages for the patrons. It is convenient, available, immediate and 4.1.2. Mobile Reference website comfortable”. A number of very simple Increasingly a number of mobile reference referencing services are run through the websites provide a third party reference SMS system in various libraries. The most interface to Libraries. Services like Mobile common and simple way of using SMS Reference.com, provide a handful of referencing is by making use of the Instant 118 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011

Messaging (IM) service. Many university the noble path of adhering to the libraries including American University, technological route. There is no doubt that Monash University and Rice University mobile applications are influencing a major have implemented this type of reference change in libraries. The underlying principle system which is very cost effective and of providing next generation of library reliable. Libraries which don’t want to services is to connect – people, technology depend on the IM services opt for and information in the same context; to independent SMS gateways. Through these connect using their choice in the mode of independent gateways, as soon as the user communication – telephone, SMS, IM, sends a reference query as a SMS it reaches texting email, name anything. By the library in form of an email. Once the acknowledging and adapting to these newer library sends the reply through the email it technologies there is every possibility of reaches the users as a SMS. advancing the field of information science and providing quality service to the users at large. 4.2.1 Commercial SMS Reference Systems Currently there are a few commercial SMS Reference Systems available which help the 6. References libraries in formulating a SMS based Reference service. Altarama’s Reference by 1. AirPAC. “AirPAC: Innovative SMS Interfaces”: (http://www.altarama.com.au/refxsms.htm) http://www.iii.com/products/airpac.s and Mosio’s Text a Librarian html (http://www.textalibrarian.com) are two important commercial SMS referencing 2. Bowker. Library Anywhere from system currently used by a number of LibraryThing. libraries worldwide. Both the systems are http://www.bowker.co.uk/products/le very simple to implement and easy to aflets/LibraryThing%20Mobile.pdf operate. In case of Altarama, the users can send their questions to a local number 3. EBSCO. EBSCOhost Online marked for SMS Reference and receive their Research Database for Colleges and SMS reference answer through Altarama Universities. system which either sends the question as an http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic email or as a text to the library. Mosio’s .php?marketID=1&topicID=1336 text-a-librarian also uses a similar process where the reference quarries are routed 4. Educause Center for Applied through their server to the library and back Research “The ECAR study of to the user. undergraduate students and information technology 2009”, 5. Conclusion: available at The availability of a number of mobile www.educause.edu/ers0906 based applications for libraries and the realization of the fact that the technology 5. Encyclopedia Britannica Mobile. evolves every day and newer applications Britannica Mobile -iPhone Edition: and innovations are implemented in every http://i.eb.com/ walk of human life there is no wonder that the Information dissemination has also taken 6. Jacobs, Michelle Leigh (2009), “Libraries and the mobile revolution: 119 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011

remediation=relevance.” Reference Services Review, Vol. 38, No. 2, Services Review, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 233-249. 286-290. 9. Olatokun, Michael Wole & 7. Mintz, Mike. (2009, November 05). Bodunwa, Ibilola Oluseyi (2006), “Need to Get Cases and “GSM usage at the University of Shepardize?”“ Ibadan”. The Electronic Library, http://blog.martindale.com/need-to- Vol. 24, No.4, pp. 530-547. get-cases-and-shepardize-weve-got- an-app-for-that 10. Stahr, Beth (2009), “SMS library refrence service options” Library Hi 8. Murray, Lilia (2009) “Libraries “like Tech News, Number 3 / 4: pp.13-15. to move it, move it”. Reference ------

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120 International Research: Journal of Library & Information Science | Vol. 1 No. 2, Dec. 2011