Reference Services Review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review one library's experiences of creating mobile services and illustrate how, by developing expertise in emerging technologies, libraries can foster partnerships with other groups on campus and play a leading role in providing relevant student-centred services.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a brief summary of mobile services offered by the Ryerson Library prior to the fall of 2008, discusses the results of a mobile device survey conducted that semester, and outlines the resulting mobile services that were developed by the Library which led to a campus-wide collaboration to develop the framework for a student-led mobile initiative. The technical framework and project management issues are also discussed.

Findings – A survey performed by the Ryerson University Library in the fall of 2008 indicated that smart phones were owned by approximately 20 percent of the student population but that within the next three years this figure could reach as much as 80 percent. To remain relevant, it is important that libraries adapt their services to this new environment.

Practical implications – The paper illustrates how library services can be adapted to the mobile environment and how the library can play a role in broader campus mobile initiatives.

Originality/value – All libraries will be interested in exploring the library services that were developed and adapted for mobile devices and of particular interest to academic libraries will be the building of collaborative relationships with other academic departments to provide services to students.