你會透過手機上網使用圖書館服務嗎?

新加坡國立大學圖書館的Aaron Tay 上個月在他的部落格上比較了幾個資料庫的手機版本介面^[1]，不過在文章一開始他提到了2份很有意思的報告，顯示出一般讀者在行動裝置上(特別是手機) 使用圖書館服務的需求內容為何。

圖片取自M-Libraries: Information use on the move

第一份報告是2009年英國 Open University及 Cambridge University針對2個學校師生在行動上網的資訊需求做調查^[2]，在圖書館方面的使用需求如下圖：

圖片取自M-Libraries: Information use on the move

很明顯的，使用者較需要的是開館時間、圖書館位置圖、聯絡資訊、OPAC、及借閱紀錄，至於期刊全文、電子書的閱讀，則由於手機畫面大小的限制，需求明顯少很多。所以這份報告建議目前圖書館不值得花費太多精力來開發服務提供手機上的學術性閱讀。

These results suggest it is not worth libraries putting development resource into delivering content such as eBooks and e-journals to mobile devices at present.

另一份是去年底(2010) California Digital Library 的報告^[3]，顯示目前會以手機做學術性閱讀的人只占受訪者的 11%，會上學校及圖書館網站的也底於此比例，見下圖：

圖片取自CDL Findings Presentation ^[4]

有趣的是這份報告中引用了 Hinman, Spasojevic, & Isomursu (2008) 關於潛水與浮潛的比喻，足以說明在不同裝置上閱讀行為的差異。不過 CDL 這份報告仍然指出有半數的受訪者願意經常或偶爾透過手機查尋圖書館的資料庫或館藏目錄，只是比較可能搜尋一些已知或很快可以找到的資訊。

圖片取自CDL Findings Presentation ^[4]

人們花在查尋圖書館資料的時間只是生活中的一小部份，所以透過手機查尋的比例低是很正常的。圖書館要做的是提供讀者想要的資訊，並且很容易、很快的可以從手機介面查的到，至於是否需要開發 App，我個人是覺得沒有那麼迫切需要。

雖然這2份報告都顯示目前以手機瀏覽/查尋圖書館訊息的比例仍不普遍，但仍提出底下幾點建議：

• Set up testing practices and environments for most heavily used device platforms. (As of summer 2010, the top three mobile platforms are Apple’s iOS, RIM Blackberry OS, and Android OS.) Testing on physical devices is preferred over emulation environments.
• In general since CDL services are digitally-based, prioritize and support mobile web access as opposed to building standalone mobile applications unless the content or the main functionality of the service is something that users would utilize in a mobile context.
• Assess mobile experience for current web-based services as they stand to target the adjustments that need to take place to make them mobile-friendly.
• Be aware of multiple ways that users can access CDL content and services. For example, if users access a service through a persistent link or through Google search results, understand what that experience looks like for the user and prepare for how the access point should be supported in the mobile environment.
• Adopt and maintain web analytic tools with accurate mobile device tracking and usage statistics for online services.
• Consider creating a mobile optimized version of service if usage statistics shows a growing number of mobile device access hits or if service is something that constituents would use in a mobile context.
• Continue to survey constituents and end-users annually or bi-annually to capture rapidly changing behaviors that may result from new mobile product releases as well as future growth of 4G cellular network capacity.

延伸閱讀：
[1] Musings about librarianship － What are mobile friendly library databases offering? A survey
[2] M-Libraries: Information use on the move
[3] California Digital Library － Mobile Strategy Final Report – Mobile Device User Research
[4] Findings Presentation of [3]