The Internet of Things: Mobile Technology and Location Services in Libraries
On Technology and Libraries
in the Twenty-First Century
Libraries face profound service challenges in the
twenty-first century. Some of the challenges relate to
changes in the networked information landscape of
the last several decades, including the massive and
direct availability of information without mediation
of a librarian, the challenges associated with curating
and describing massive quantities of data, and the
renewed challenges related to library as a place combined
with perennial questions about the future of
print. The intersection and culmination of several of
these effects of networks, spaces, and data are poised
to disrupt technologies within libraries as the so called
Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is comprised
of billions of connected devices that usher in a new
realm of possibility for library service development
and innovation.
Possible Futures of the Internet
of Things in Libraries
The hypothetical and supposed IoT benefits to
libraries involve issues around how technologists will
be able to combine data that might be produced, consumed,
or generated from IoT devices to provide innovations
in service understanding, which may in fact
lead to deeper automation. The data that are produced
by inventory control over libraries might in fact help
collection developers better understand how users
interact with physical spaces.
Mobile Technology, Location-Based Service, and the Internet of Things
Given the technological challenges, how do libraries
respond to the IoT strategically and with impact? In
this guide, written for the library generalist and those
with an interest in technology, we explore a case
study of an IoT implementation that makes possible
location-based recommendation services in an undergraduate
collection, discuss other approaches to providing
location-based services, and also give serious
consideration to the privacy and security issues associated
with such novel technology. The implementation utilizes commercially available
IoT technologies (i.e., proximity beacons deployed in
a grid system) in combination with existing mobile
device affordance for Bluetooth-based indoor locating. Several of those technologies include
near field communication (NFC) and new Wi-Fi standards. Software that delivers real-time
directions to our point of interest has generated high
service expectations for functionality based on location.
With these high expectations, we have found
from our iterative tests in the library that students
expect real-time location guidance within a building.
Maughan Library
I can see the benefits of libraries going mobile in an effort to amplify access to library services. Through mobile devices patrons are able to connect to a wide array of information in the library and enhance library services. The advantages of catering to this mobile technology provides patrons the ability to access library information and books on the go. Although there are plenty of benefits there is a lot more to consider like the security, safety and cost. "Libraries are headed towards meeting the expectations of 21st century patrons who are using mobile technology for work and play". In my opinion, as a mom, I would be concerned regarding the security and safety of children accessing the internet on their own without any limitations.
Hahn, J. (2017). The Internet of Things: Mobile Technology and Location Services in Libraries. Library Technology Reports, 53(1), 5-28.
Maughan Library-Wikipedia
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