From the time I was young, I always remember having some form of portable device. From my walkman, tape recorder, my disc-man, my pager, my Nokia phone, my series of iPods, smartphones and iPad. At some point I even had a Dell Laptop and I am pretty sure I will be getting a MacBook soon so I can work outside and away from my children.
I fully embrace portable technology and love these wonderful devices like they a part of my family. I know, a bit over exaggerated, but I love the freedom and independence that these devices offer and make everyday tasks a little bit easier.
I am happy that libraries have chosen to start embracing the BYOD movement whether it be for patrons and or Library staff. I have chosen to list some positive outlooks/examples on the BYOD movement.
Coming from a Patron Stand Point of View
While at the library, one option I can access from my device is the Library’s App and accessing their catalog to find material rather than take up a computer space when someone else needs it or having to wait on a computer. It is a faster option for me when I am in a hurry to get what I need. As Krishnan mentions in her article sometimes a person requires information quickly and having the device within easy reach allows that to happen.(Krishnan 8)
Another portable technology option is my library card barcode on my iPhone. This is a recently added feature for the San Diego Public Library and I love it. I can’t even count the number of times where I have had to hunt down my library card in my purse or on my keychains, it drove me crazy. Mobile devices are more personal than desktop pc’s and having a mobile friendly “Library in your pocket” is a great way for libraries to “reach out to patrons in a more personal way”(Johnson and Gutmann 31).
Another fabulous option on the San Diego Library’s App is being able to check your account to see if you have any items checked out or past due. Half the time I forget what I checked out and even more so what and how many items my kids have checked out. Having these options available is showing how the library is embracing the BYOD movement by developing services that can be used on mobile devices (Krishnan 8)
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| Cell Phone Photos of SD Public Library App by Keli Ingrande |
From a Library Point of View
Library staff help patrons out a lot when technology is concerned anything from downloading apps to navigating through the library’s website or mobile site(Lyttle and Walsh 2) , it definitely helps if the library staff member to have their own device so they can show the patron how to operate or do a certain function on their own devices rather than the patrons. I, in particular do not like someone else handling my gadgets, so if a library staff member could help me by demonstrating on their phone instead of mine let the happy dance commence!
Librarians can learn new technology from experimentation such as navigating new apps, sites, and new devices . Having staff members utilize BYOD may save the libraries time and money when it comes time to evaluating what devices to bring into the library by observing staff members use their own devices(Lyttle and Walsh 2) .
Portable Devices, such as Library Staffs personal smart phones could help reduce delay when helping out a patron in case of an emergency, a server going down, or power outage by being able to pull up information, material or even calling emergency responders if required.(Lyttle and Walsh 2)
Even though I do not work at a library, I have had a computers go down and I was able to help out one of our golf patrons navigate how to use the program because I was able to pull up the program app on my phone.
I do not think I will ever stop loving my portable devices and I hope that Libraries continue to embrace the BYOD movement.
I have attached Links below to the some other articles BYOD for you to read:
Works Cited
Johnson, Bob, and Ted Gutmann. “IPhone, Android, or Kindle: The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library Has an App for That and So Can You.” Computers in Libraries, vol. 33, no. 1, Jan. 2013, pp. 6–8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1008708&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Krishnan, Yvonne. “Libraries and the Mobile Revolution.” Computers in Libraries, vol. 31, no. 3, Apr. 2011, pp. 6–9. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ926255&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Lyttle, Melanie A., and Shawn D. Walsh. "Is Your Library Ready for BYOD?" Public Libraries Online., 2013. Web. Apr 29, 2020.
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