Librarians prepare to help patrons overcome the digital divide in Northeast Florida
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this innovative, highly replicable paper is to teach library staff learn to use mobile apps to lead and assist patrons and effectively market library services.
Design/methodology/approach
This web-based class introduces participants to one mobile app a week. Participants must download the app to an Apple or Droid device, complete an activity and answer a few thought-provoking questions. Participants’ time commitment does not exceed one hour per week.
Findings
Participants were proud and excited to have mastered their mobile device and 23 mobile apps. They reported that they planned to create programs to teach apps to patrons, market their services using apps and continue to stay current with technological advances.
Researchlimitations/implications
Participants need to have access to a mobile device.
Practicalimplications
Library directors allowed staff to use an hour a week of work time to complete this program.
Socialimplications
Library staff enjoyed talking about the apps and working together. Each Monday morning when a new app was revealed, they competed to be the first to complete the activity and post answers to the questions online. They had fun.
Originality/value
This program allows customization. It was customized to meet the strategic needs of the authors’ organization, encouraging a sense of community among participants, marketing their services and highlighting member libraries that were already using some of the apps well. (One of our libraries had their own app and that became one of the Things.)
Keywords
Citation
O’Neill, J. (2016), "Librarians prepare to help patrons overcome the digital divide in Northeast Florida", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 6-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-12-2015-0081
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited