Alden Library has opened its books and allowed remote access to its library catalogue with the recent launch of its mobile application.
Last fall, the library released the Alden Library Mobile Information Site and decided to begin licensing the development of the Alden app because of strong usage and support from students.
Kelly Broughton, assistant dean for research and education services, said after eight weeks of working closely with a library app developer, Alden released the app.
“Students were saying they wanted to be able to do things like renew books and perform simple and quick searches on ALICE,” she said. “That’s why we chose to develop the app.”
Sarah Kaplan, a senior studying specialized studies in multimedia and history, designed the graphics.
“This brought together everything I’ve learned in the past four years through working at the library and taking classes in VisCom,” she said.
Kaplan has worked in Alden since June of last year and said designing the graphics for the Alden app brought her talents together for the first time.
“I have the app on my iPhone, and the experience has been great,” she said. “Searching is so much easier now.”
Although iTunes has not yet released information about how many people have downloaded the Alden App, Broughton said feedback has been positive.
“There are people using it on all different platforms,” she said. “Any information we can get out there to help (the students) is what we’re looking to do.”
The app also allows the renewal of library items, library and Café Bibliotech hours, and the opportunityto ask a librarian for assistance.
Kaplan said apps are a great advantage to both students and the university.
“I would love to see the university create more apps,” she said. “It’s just a great way to display information.”
The app is available for Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Palm and Windows Mobile and can be downloaded at alden.boopsie.com.
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