91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — Library users increasingly expect access to their libraries anywhere, anytime. “,” a Special Report published by , provides practical guidance in how librarians can put the library in the palms of their users’ hands. Using the HTML skills that many librarians already have, along with flexible development tools, technology expert Scott La Counte shows how creating a customized mobile app doesn’t need to be expensive or require deep expertise. In straightforward, practical terms he:

• Demonstrates how to establish a presence on the mobile web with mobile websites and phone apps;
• Details open-source development tools such as that allow for the creation of mobile apps that work on a variety of mobile operating systems, with emphasis on the iPhone;
• Discusses methods for assessing a library’s user base and getting buy-in from administrators.

La Counte is a librarian at Anaheim (Calif.) Public Library. He is the author of the book “,” which began as a series for McSweeney’s Internet Tendencies. He teaches writing online for the Gotham Writers’ Workshops. His iPhone app, , gives the addresses and phone numbers of public libraries across the United States.

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