23 Mobile Things: Thing 16 (Audio)

There are a lot of really neat apps out there for libraries able and willing to create audio content. Some examples of what libraries can do are regular podcasts highlighting library programs and resources and informing patrons about things they might otherwise miss. Libraries can create interactive book discussion and review features, showcase resources on a particular theme, demonstrate community members' and community leaders' support for the library in testimonials, and maybe even provide spaces -- real and or virtual -- for library users to share creative endeavors (poems, short works, reader review, etc.) with each other. Audio is a great feature because it can help to engage users who may be pre-literate or individuals who are visually impaired, and it can be a great stepping stone for people who are aural learners or prefer aural methods for conveying and receiving information to consider traditional and unconventional library services, resources, and programs in a new light.

Because I am a bit of a music hound, I am already very familiar with SoundCloud in my everyday life. It tends to be the spot I find really cool music. Also, the Poetry Foundation encouraged people to "Record-a-Poem" on SoundCloud as part of National Poetry Month 2014, and it resulted in the most romantic thing I have ever heard. Libraries can maybe help get the word out about things like Poetry Foundation's Record-a-Poem movement and engage and encourage patrons to participate.

Confession: I played with this, but I can't do it. I have a face for radio and a voice for silent movies. I tried recording myself, heard my own voice, and couldn't bear to share it.














But I will happily share my all-time favorite reading of my all-time favorite poem as recorded by my all-time favorite man. (Forgive me, love of my life.)

23 Mobile Things: Thing 15 (Infographics)

Infographics: The Fast Food of the Information Buffet

From 11 Infographics about Infographics (Yeah! Meta!)

Let's talk about some accessibility factors here. Infographics Hub and i Visual info Touch Lite (Who names these?) are iPad, but not iPhone/iPod Touch, compatible. I was not able to find Viz/Visualize Free.

This brings us to info.Graphics, an app that has no rating because it has had so little feedback. This is an app in which you (don't) get what you (don't) pay for. This app allows one to browse a smaller selection of already-created infographics on a broad range of subjects. Some of the information is dated (an infographic on chocolate talked about projected sales in 2011), some of the information is interesting if a little superficial, but I saw nothing particularly revolutionary or inspiring or motivating. This app might be of limited-to-moderate interest for individuals who enjoy trivia, possibly-outdated statistics, and or USA Today. Generally speaking, infographics are not meant to be read on one's small iPhone screen. If we as library professionals are using infographics to convey cool information, if we truly do care about accessibility of information for all, we need to be prepared to have that cool information available in formats that will work on a variety of platforms and devices.

I couldn't find any hip, free apps for infographics creation, but I did find a site that looks intriguing for those willing to make the fast food of the information world: http://infogr.am/ (I am not disparaging fast food or infographics too badly; they do big business.)

Also, for cynics and doubters and curmudgeons, there is this:

I was led here by the fantastic Future Tense blog on Slate. 

Infographics can be misleading (or "lies, damned lies, and statistics"). While infographics might be great persuasive pieces, it helps to find where the information presented in the graphic is coming from. One of the infographics I found on info.Graphics noted the sources of its information at the bottom of the screen, but the sources were not directly connected to the actual numbers and facts used.

This infographic would flunk English 101. Cite your sources when and where you use them.

At first, I was pretty disappointed with this thing. I was hoping for better free create-an-infographic apps, but, then again, that would result in a proliferation of bad infographics out there, wouldn't it? Maybe the lack of something is actually not a bad thing? Fast food for thought . . .

23 Mobile Things: Thing 14 (Videos)

I guess Zelda is now an action movie star.

I chose to try out Vine, because I know it's a very popular social video app/site/what-have-you. The videos are short, great for people who can convey something visually and succinctly and great for people with short attention spans. I can see using this for memorable bits and pieces of a library program, and, if one has good timing, one can probably catch some of those memorable moments. I do like the editing features in Vine, and that's great for doing a short clip to convey the spirit of something like a program. I wonder if a library could do a book summary or "guess the plot" Vine; six seconds is not a lot of time to convey a message. If a library does Vine well, I can see it being a successful viral marketing gimmick, but, otherwise, it might just be something people scroll past. Like subpar cat videos.

It's hard to film and hold a laser pointer at the same time.

23 Mobile Things: Thing 13 (Presentations)

I was really excited to try out Haiku Deck, even on my modest little iPhone 4, until I saw this in the introductory materials . . .

Coming soon? Well, this surely is disappointing for a non-iPad-owner. Why does an app for this exist for my iPhone to purchase if it's not fully-functional yet? Can someone in software development explain this one to me? Please?

Now, let's hit the Deck . . .

I used Deck to create a presentation. Considering I did this all on my almost-outdated iPhone 4, I thought it turned out pretty well -- I was able to type my points, add pictures, add charts, and I thought it looked pretty good and that I could proudly show it off here on my blog. Until I tried uploading it to SlideShare. After one failed attempt, I tried again five more times, using both the PowerPoint and PDF formats, and was unsuccessful in getting the presentation uploaded. Also, each time I went into my presentation after shutting down Deck, the photos I had selected for certain points were deleted, so I had to reinsert them each time. Super frustrating.

This is probably a great idea and a great app when it works, especially for busy professionals on the go who need to make and give and update presentations, but I found it to be especially frustrating in its non-working mode.

Seeing this allegedly-uploading-to-SlideShare screen was getting really old, really fast.

Sigh. On to the next thing . . . 

23 Mobile Things: Thing 12 (Books, Books, & More Books)

For Thing 12, I tried Wattpad (Who names these apps?), which offers access to free books. The app itself was simple and straightforward to use. On the iPhone, it uses a finger swipe or tap to turn pages, it is customize-able, and it offers some of the considered-literary-classics that are not bound by copyright, along with some free titles. However, there are some features I don't quite understand; for example, I think the star icon indicates one can vote on the popularity of a book's section -- why? There are lots of opportunities for social networking features while reading a book, and that might be really desirable for some people who like reaching out and making reading a book into a more communal experience; however, I am a very private reader. I don't always like to share my thoughts on a work until I'm done, and sometimes not even then, so a feature like private notes might be nice in a reading app. Also, this app seems almost overly-customize-able, if that's a thing. For example, if you want to read the words of James Joyce's Dubliners as if they were written on a Packers fan's chest:

That somehow seems very wrong to my eyes. However, the customize-able aspect gives the reader the option to personalize, if not optimize, his or her reading experience.

23 Mobile Things: Thing 11 (Library & Reference)

Dakota County Library's Boopsie mobile app (DCL Mobile) is a pretty standard-feature, standard-functioning public library app. I was able to log into my account with my library card number and PIN, I was able to renew one of my items, I was able to get into our library calendar and link to the event and registration details on our EVANCED calendar, and I saw what was featured for our "Cool Stuff" (Mango Languages, Medline, Novelist Plus, and Zino -- all very cool). The app did not run as quickly as I would have liked, but, then again, I may have mentioned that I have a nearly-out-of-date iPhone 4. I have talked to patrons who have and who use the DCL Mobile app, which is great, as it's another way to make the library experience more convenient for and connected to our library users, but I wonder how many people realize the cost attached to these apps. Also, I would like to see what a really innovative, customize-able, homegrown library app might look like, just to compare to the cookie-cutout library apps.

At the 2012 Minnesota Library Association annual conference, I attended a really great, really interesting session on the Electronic Library for Minnesota mobile website design. Minitex librarians Jennifer Hootman and Matt Lee discussed how the ELM site was streamlined and specifically designed for mobile and tablet use and the rationale behind creating a mobile-friendly website (like, oh, how mobile web traffic from smartphones and tablet devices is exponentially increasing over traditional larger screens of desktop and laptop computers).

ELM: smartphone view versus computer view

23 Mobile Things: Thing 10 (Sharing Photos)

Today, we learn . . . 

Instagram - I have a sometimes-used Instagram account, because I tend to share most (okay, all) of my pictures unfiltered through Facebook. (Seriously, have you seen my cat? She doesn't need to be filtered.) I find that Instagram, like some of the previously-explored apps like Flipboard, are for people who are strongly visual people, people who are visual learners, people who are visually literate, people who are visually artistic, and that's great. I tend not to be so strong in my visual skills, and I get easily overwhelmed with the onslaught of imagery on Instagram. However, that being said, I do like the effect some of the filters have on my pictures, and I like being able to share "artsy" shots back and forth with friends. This is my long-standing favorite of my personal Instagram photos:

I've heard of the new trend of "shelfies," and I have to say I'm rather fond of the idea for marketing library materials, especially read-/view-/listen-alikes.

Snapchat - Snapchat seems to be visual ephemera shared among friends. I use it to keep in touch with two friends of mine, Marie and Ryan. It feels a little like the e-photo equivalent of passing notes in school. I'm not the biggest fan of Snapchat, but I am a fan of both Marie and Ryan, so I'll keep using it. I have a feeling this is an app that drives people who are curators to their core absolutely bonkers.