OU Library Services would like to invite you to take part in assessing our mobile library search tool in order to help us improve it. If you are willing to take part you will be asked to carry out any library searches that you need to do as part of your studies via our mobile search.
The mobile search tool will search across ejournals, ebooks and our own Open Research Online repository.
What’s involved?
You would also keep a journal telling us what you liked or didn’t like about the experience, how relevant you found the search results and whether you wanted to read the full text on the mobile or save a reference to read later. You would be asked to do this for a short period in December or January.
Your diary entries would be analysed anonymously by the project team and any research outputs would not reveal your identity as a participant.
Who can take part?
This invitation is open to non-academic staff who are students and OU academic staff (including Associate Lecturers).
All participants will be entered into a prize draw for one of ten £25 Amazon vouchers in return for taking part.
How do I take part?
You can use your own mobile phone, iPod touch or small tablet if you have one. The interface is designed for use on small screens (5 inches or less) where the desktop version is not suitable. Alternatively if you are a member of staff on campus we can supply a Wi-Fi enabled mobile phone or iPod touch for you to use.
Please note that if you use your mobile data connection (GPRS or 3G) rather than Wi-Fi your normal data charges will apply. Pay monthly contracts sometimes include mobile data, but we advise you to check your contract or you’ll be charged per use. Pay As You Go users will also generally be charged per use. For staff there are instructions for connecting to the campus Wi-Fi available from IT or an auto-configure tool for iPhones from MCT.
If you would like to take part please email Library-Webmaster by 13/01/2012.
M-Libraries Conference 2012