Mobile Technology: Libraries on the Go by Val Andalon

 With mobile technology patrons are no longer having to wait to access their local libraries during business hours. With a mobile device and an internet connection, libraries can be accessed 24/7. Now that tablet and smartphones are the go-to, libraries are providing audio and eBooks via apps. Since mobile devices are the likely way a patron is viewing the library website and online catalog we are having to ensure it is being designed with mobile viewing at the forefront.

According to a survey done by Pew Research, as of 2019, only 81% of Americans own a small smartphone and 17% of adult Americans have access to the Internet only through their smartphone ( Mobile Technology in Libraries. Lee King, David). In my previous post about the digital divide, we discussed the need to provide access to digital devises and internet to our patrons. Here is where the library can step in and give patrons the opportunity to check out tablets, laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots and charging stations to makes sure patrons can fully charge up devices before they head out. Some libraries also are able to allow patrons to check-out portable chargers, to ensure that they can continue to use their mobile devices after they’ve left the building.

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Take a look at what this Los Angeles library is doing to get Mobile Tech in the hands of its patrons: 

Works Cited

Lee King, David. “Library Technology Reports.” Library Technology Reports, vol. 57, no. 2, Feb. 2021, pp. 5–36. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=148951869&site=ehost-live.