ALA TechSource: What Smartphone Internet Usage Means for Libraries

eBooks have been the hot topic in libraryland for a few months now and with good reason. It seems like every other day there is some new revelation that makes us either jump for joy or groan in agony. While these conversations and revelations have been happening, there has been another revolution underfoot.

The Pew, Internet, and American Life Project released a report last month on the usage of smartphones. We have known that smartphone ownership was increasing dramatically, and that use was up among minorities, and this report confirms the trends.

“I think libraries have jumped on some of the fun aspects of smartphone ownership, like QR codes, but the needs of some of our patrons are much, much more basic than that. I am not advocating that we stop doing the fun things with technology; we should have fun. In doing those fun things, we just have to remember to put effort into basic technology support as well. Some of our patrons need to be able to access us from their phones and need to be able to walk through our doors to use our high speed internet. Perhaps, while they visit us online or in person, we can show them something else amazing that we can do for them.”