Library Web Apps and Mobile Apps

[Robin Hastings]

We use LibraryThing's mobile LibraryAnywhere to do just that. It's
pretty cheap, for the service it provides, but it only affects our
catalog, not our main site. Since most of our visitors come for the
catalog, though, it seemed the place to make the investment. Louise, I
know you know how to get a hold of me if you have questions... ;)

Robin Hastings
robin.hastings at gmail.com
http://www.rhastings.net



On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 2:50 PM, Louise Alcorn
<Louise.Alcorn at wdm.iowa.gov> wrote:
> I agree with Leo that it would be better to have mobile-enabled websites, which would auto-detect mobile use and simply swoosh (technical term) people over to a mobile-optimized site for our catalog, online databases, other services, etc.  That is, indeed, our eventual goal.  Realistically, we have a 5-6yo website content management system we're locked into for a bit longer, plus a 10yo ILS which (library gods willing and the creek don't rise) we can update soon.   So "middleware" apps or similar might be an interim solution to keep us from losing patron support.
>
>
> Louise E. Alcorn
> Reference Technology Librarian
> West Des Moines Public Library
> 4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
> West Des Moines IA 50265
> (515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm.iowa.gov
> (note new email domain as of July, 2011)
> http://www.wdmlibrary.org
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Leo Robert Klein
> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 2:19 PM
> To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Library Web Apps and Mobile Apps
>
> Well, I can absolutely see the need to make our content 'mobile-friendly'*.  I just don't see how 'mobile-friendly' translates into obliging people to download a site-specific 'app' just to access the content.
>
> That's where I'm wondering what the traffic and usage is.  I mean, if I had it my way, we'd simply send someone a bookmark and call it an 'app'.
>
> LEO
>
> _____________
> * Using such 'built-in' tools as HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, etc.
>
> -- -------------------
> www.leoklein.com (site)
> www.ChicagoLibrarian.com (blog)
>
> aim/msn/yhoo/goog: 'leorobertklein'
> -- -------------------------------
>
> ============================
>
> To unsubscribe: http://bit.ly/web4lib
> Web4Lib Web Site: http://web4lib.org/
>
> 2011-11-14
>

============================

To unsubscribe: http://bit.ly/web4lib

Web4Lib Web Site: http://web4lib.org/

2011-11-15