ALA 2010: Mobile Technology in the Library
RSSBy SLJ Staff
Mobile technology is changing the relationship between libraries and their users--by expanding services and posing new challenges to reader's privacy, says Timothy Vollmer, a consultant to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy.
Vollmer, one of three panelists at Sunday's well-attended two-hour session "Mobile Devices, Libraries, and Public Policy" at ALA's annual conference in Washington, DC, says that as the information revolution continues to grow, more libraries will be forced to include mobile devices in their services to support the information needs of their remote users-wherever they're located.
But the growing capabilities of mobile devices also comes with some important concerns related to content ownership and licensing, digital rights management, and access to information in the digital age. Despite these concerns, however, a growing number of tech-savvy libraries--like the D.C. Public Library--have developed mobile apps and are embracing mobile technology."Libraries can reach out to other potential users who've never stepped into a physical library building, and who never may," Vollmer says.
Joined by two other panelists, Sherwin Siy, deputy legal director at public interest group, Public Knowledge, and Cody Hanson, Technology Librarian at the University of Minnesota, Vollmer talked about his just-released policy brief, There's an App For That! Libraries and Mobile Technology: An Introduction to Public Policy Considerations, which explores some of these issues. ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy has been tracking mobile device research for the past few years, and the information it's uncovered represents "just a tip of the iceberg" in how libraries can use mobile apps to their advantage. "Mobile devices are really bringing the power of the Internet to life on the go," Vollmer says.
Studies show that in 2009 there were nearly 250 million wireless data-capable devices in the United States. At the same time, adoption rates for mobile technology dwarf those for non-mobile technologies. For example, there are eight times more iPhone/iPod Touch users in the two years since their launch than there were AOL users two years after its launch. At the end of 2009, there were 4.6 billion cell phone users worldwide, representing two-thirds of the world population. At the same time, a 2010 study finds that that 66 percent of public libraries offer e-books to their users, up from 55 percent the previous year. And an estimated 83 percent of libraries offer online audio content, while 63 percent offer online video content. "We live our lives slightly more public these days," Vollmer says. "And the opportunities for learning all these extends the opportunities for learning and outreach from libraries."
Mobile devices and services offer tremendous flexibility for those who want to take advantage of library services. With a simple 3G connection, a user lying on a beach can access e-books and multimedia content from a local library. Smartphones can access networks and content can be continually streamed over a network, providing content on demand and making it unnecessary to maintain a paper copy of the material. "By going mobile, then, a library takes a giant step toward becoming a round-the-clock service," Vollmer's policy paper reads.
Although mobile devices hold great promise for library services, there are some things to watch for. One is the reach of an external vendor into the digital collections and technologies, as shown by Amazon's removal of George Orwell's 1984 from users' Kindles without their knowledge or consent, Vollmer says, explaining that sustained access will be an extremely important issue for libraries if they adopt mobile technology and services that offer content from providers outside of the library.
Another pressing concern about mobile technology in the library is privacy, Vollmer goes on to say, because of the risk that patron usage information can be used and exploited by law enforcement official and those who commit identity theft.
Indeed, issues related to trust and security will arise as more libraries collect digital information that's stored in the cloud, he adds. "Libraries should be wary of entrusting user information to locations in the cloud that may offer a different level of protection from that provided by in-house library infrastructure," his report says.
Vollmer recommends that libraries conduct analyses and make smart decisions, such as supporting staff education, exploring partnerships and new funding models, and being prepared to compromise when it comes to their traditional information delivery models. Libraries also need to protect themselves from deceptive content agreements with third party providers. For instance, some digital content can only be accessed on certain devices, and this can have a "chilling effect" on learning and library service because it locks some people out. "We need the expert knowledge of mobile devices to flow through the profession" and not just lie in the hands of recent library school graduates.
Visit ALA Annual Conference News for ongoing coverage of the conference by the editors of Library Journal and School Library Journal.
