Mobile Strategies Best Practices

Tony Medrano, President & Megan Vizzini, VP of Sales, Boopsie

People Spend Most Time on Mobile Devices: 2010, 1/2 hr/day, 2015, 2.8 hrs/day

90% of users’ mobile device time spent “in apps”: native apps vs mobile websites.

  • Using whatever works better on the situation at hand.
  • Apps can be configured to meet needs; website harder.
  • Apps are targeted toward specific purpose (quick)

Are apps a trend, monthly usage? — large growth

  • Usage only growing
  • 87% of millennials always have their smartphone at their side, day and night (March 2015, CMO)
  • 65% of US smartphone users check their phones within 15 mins of rising & 64% check their phones w/i 15 mins of going to bed (March 2015, CMO)
  • Smart-phone dependent — only device: young adults, ages 18-29, are more likely (15%) than other age groups to be smartphone-dependent (April 2015, Pew)
  • Use of mobile devices is only increasing

Why are User Trends Important?

  • You decide whether to ride the wave or battle mother nature
  • Every click or choice matters: Less = More
  • Increase engagement with your community by making your library an ICON on your patron’s home screen

Mobile Strategy Best Practices

  • mobile strategies are very unique to your community
  • community outreach
  • easy for staff to implement & maintain
  • increase usage of expensive subscriptions
  • keep operating costs down
  • protection from quick tech changes — scalability & apply to future tech changes
  • solution to patrons on mobile devices
  • use & build library’s brand in the community

Single App –> Digital Resource Usage Increases by 35%+ 

Unique Challenge: Small & Rural Libraries

  • Nearly 80% of libraries in libraries in the US are classified as small libraries (serving community under 25,00)
  • Often not staffed with a team of technology professionals
  • Can be geographically dispersed communities with small budgets, limited staff and hours
  • Balance the needs of the community
  • Look for a flexible solution with complete wraparound support
  • How are vendors helping small libraries? How should they be helping?
  • Unique challenges: small staff (1-2); tiny budgets; spotty broadband; vendor products are pushed at large libs

Apps for all types of libraries, because users use all types of libraries

Recommendations for developing your strategy

  • Establish your broad goals regarding mobile:
    • better reach certain communities;
    • increase circ
    • increase engagement
  • Identify your target audiences and their needs
    • expand beyond current library users
  • Define your ROI expectations and continuously measure
    • circs/card holder
    • new card holders acquired
    • increase in % of pop served that uses library per mo
    • reduction in cost per circ
    • increase in library use by a specific demographic (age, language, use of resources)

Case Studies

Why did your library implement an app? Apps here to stay; no longer a trend

  • patron demand
  • going mobile wasn’t so much a choice, but a necessity
  • majority of our patrons were using smartphones for everything

Has usage and circ increased since implementing your (Boopsie) app & by how much? 

  • Electronic resources — up 20% since advent of mobile app — Pasadena PL
  • Overall circulation up 11% — Hancock Co. PL

Boopsie’s Axis ILS service (I think that was right) — passes credentials through to different providers.