EBSCOhost and Summon from Serials Solutions To Offer Mobile Friendly Versions
Thanks to ResourceShelf friend (he's also quoted in the piece), Gerry McKiernan at Iowa State University, for letting us know about a new LJ article by Josh Hedro that discusses new mobile mobile friendly versions of Summon from Serial Solutions and EBSCOhost.
Summon from Serials Solutions
The Summon mobile interface should provide students and researchers most of the same features and options as the regular search interface, including access to both local materials and electronic resources available from the library. The mobile search site will debut today in time for the opening of the Charleston Conference in Charleston, SC.
The mobile search option is an alternative interface, [our emphasis] not a separate downloadable app.
EBSCO will soon release EBSCOhost Mobile; according to a post on EBSCO's support site, “the interface will include many features for an enhanced mobile experience, is optimized for internet-enabled handheld devices, and qualified for all the major SmartPhones (such as iPhone, Blackberry and Treo)."
ResourceShelf has also learned:
+ Mobile functionality can be turned on or off with desired options by the staff who handle online databases
+ The mobile service will be available for all EBSCOhost databases that use the EBSCOhost interface (there are a few that don't),
+ A library can select which databases to "mobilize"
+ A persistent link is then available which can be placed on the library web site (portal)
+ Another method allows users with an id password to go to new short urls
The article goes on to ask an essential question. Will searchers utilize these tools? Gerry McKiernan says:
"At this point [mobile-specific searches] are supplemental, or impulse, such that if you're on the road and you want to search a particular resource ... you could do that," he said. But, he added, "The mobile phone is becoming an all-in-one tool for a variety of functions," and as that happens, users will come to expect some kind of mobile interface to the tools they're grown accustomed to using.
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