Be sure to register by May 1 to receive the early bird discount for NISO’s one-day forum on Mobile Technologies in Libraries, to be held May 20, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA. This forum will look at both issues and solutions for offering library information resources to mobile equipment.

ABOUT THE FORUM

iPhone. iPad. Android. Blackberry. Kindle. App store. 3G. These are just some of the now ubiquitous mobile devices and technologies in use today. Libraries are daily faced with a perpetually connected user base demanding mobile access to information resources traditionally accessed from desktop or laptop computers.

This event will benefit anyone who wants to learn more about libraries’ interactions with and promotion of mobile technologies. How informed are libraries and their resource providers about what users want to do with mobile devices? Are information providers’ recent mobile interface offerings useful to libraries and mobile users? How can libraries take advantage of existing popular mobile apps? Can individual libraries be effective in addressing mobile technologies and user demands on their own, or will development dollars be best spent on collaborative efforts or vendor-supplied services? In focusing more attention on mobile users, are libraries neglecting other user populations who do not have access to mobile devices? Do mobile device and service providers have any incentive to work with libraries and serve neglected populations? Are special standards needed to address mobile information delivery in library contexts? These and other issues will be explored by the forum’s invited speakers.

NISO educational forums are routinely praised for their excellent selection of speakers representing a diversity of viewpoints across the scholarly information community and the small size which provides opportunities to network with speakers and other attendees.

AGENDA

Introduction: How Standards Fit (or don’t fit) in Mobile Computing -- Todd Carpenter, Managing Director, NISO

Opening Keynote -- Brian O’Leary, Founder and Principal, Magellan Media

Mobile Computing, Libraries, and Users: Providing Context

• Using Surveys to Find Out What Users Want with Mobile Devices -- Bennett Claire Ponsford, Digital Services Librarian, Texas A&M University Libraries
• MedLine Mobile: The Why, What, and How -- Loren Frant, Head of the Health Information Products Unit, National Library of Medicine (NLM)
  
  

Examples of Mobile Technologies

• Models for Mobile in Teaching and Learning -- Chris Millet, Manager of Advanced Learning Projects at Education Technology Services, Penn State University
• Mobile Sensors: Building an Open Source Staff-Facing Tablet App for Library Assessment -- Jason Casden, Digital Technologies Development Librarian, N.C. State University Libraries
• Mobile Interfaces & the Impact on (and Opportunities for) Publisher Content -- Nicki Augustyn, Managing Editor, CHEST, American College of Chest Physicians

"Ask Anything" Session -- Bring your questions, comments, and ideas to share with the entire group.

REGISTRATION

Early bird discounts are available through May 1, 2011. NISO and LSA members receive additional discounts. A student discount is also available. A complete agenda, registration, and hotel information are available on the event webpage http://www.niso.org/news/events/2011/mobiletechnologies/

Cynthia Hodgson

NISO Technical Editor Consultant

National Information Standards Organization

Email: hodgsonca@verizon.net

Phone: 301-654-2512