91´«Ã½

CHICAGO - The use of smartphones has exploded in the past year--nearly half of the U.S. Population currently accesses the Internet through a phone or other mobile device, and that number is rising sharply. The time to begin and build is now. In a new, two session 91´«Ã½ TechSource Workshop, library technology expert and innovator Meredith Farkas will teach you about exciting trends in mobile technologies that can allow libraries to market and highlight their collections, provide reference assistance and instruction and simply make their collections and services more accessible to patrons wherever they are.

Meredith will show you examples from both academic and public libraries of innovative services in action. You’ll gain the knowledge and foundation you need to keep your library on the cutting edge.

Topics covered in this workshop:

Part 1: Trends in Mobile Technologies Impacting Libraries

• Trends in mobile usage
• The app revolution
• Mobile social software
• QR Codes
• Location aware mobile technologies
• Augmented reality

Part 2: Mobile Technologies in Libraries

• Mobile outreach and marketing
• SMS Reference
• Mobile-friendly instruction
• Highlighting special collections

Registration for this 91´«Ã½ TechSource Workshop is available on the . Registration is available at both and rates. The workshop takes place in two 90-minute sessions, at 2:30 p.m. EDT/1:30 p.m. CDT/12:30 MDT/11:30 PDT on Thursdays, July 21 and July 28.

Meredith Farkas is the head of instructional services at Portland State University in Oregon and an adjunct faculty member at San Jose State University's School of Library and Information Science. She is also the author of the book "Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication and Community Online" and writes the monthly column "Technology in Practice" for American Libraries. She writes the popular library blog Information Wants to be Free (). Her professional contributions earned her the 2009 LITA/Library Hi Tech award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology.

91´«Ã½ TechSource Workshops are designed to give you and your staff the opportunity to participate in a hands‐on learning experience that will help you make the best technology decisions for your library.

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