Some electronic resources (eg. databases, eBooks, magazines, etc.) are accessible via apps provided by the vendors. This thing is not a recommendation of any particular vendor or product, but is designed to get you to think about your library client’s experience when they use these apps to access your content. Throughout 23 Mobile Things you will have discovered for yourself how variable the experience can be depending on the device you have, the connectivity in your area and the compatibility of apps. All of these factors are important for user experience (UX).

DISCOVER:

• a list of library apps via University of Twente (NL)
• The Library Success wiki lists quite a few vendor apps
• Journal apps can offer your clients a browsable shelf or newstand eg. Browzine  (Android and IOS)  and Zinio  (iOS, Android and Windows 8, and other platforms for any device)
• Guus van den Brekel reviews the features of some journal apps
• Some libraries highlight quite a lot of different apps for their clients eg. Toronto Public Library and Concordia University Library

EXPLORE:

• Mango Language apps
• EBSCO host apps
• Baker and Taylor Axis Reader 
• Hoopla and 3M Cloud Library
• OverDrive Media Console  (Android and iOS apps available) for library ebooks and audiobooks
• There are more links and examples to explore on our Pinterest board

THINKING POINTS:

• What information do the vendors collect from your clients via the app?
• What use statistics do you get from vendor apps?
• Are clients who use the app easily able to move to other library resources?
• How do you evaluate vendor apps before offering them to your clients?
• Which vendor apps could your staff use (e.g. library management system)?
• In what ways does offering core library services via mobile apps change the way the library reaches people?