Kill the search button II - the handheld devices are coming

  • Jørn Thøgersen, Statsbiblioteket/State and University Library, Aarhus, Denmark. jt@statsbiblioteket.dk
  • Michael Poltorak Nielsen, Statsbiblioteket/State and University Library, Aarhus, Denmark. mn@statsbiblioteket.dk, (aka the Danes - some of them).

code4lib 2012, Tuesday 7 February 2012, 13:40-14:00

Web based library search engines are traditionally operated using keys, input fields, buttons, and links. Being equipped with touch screens, accelerometers, GPS's, and cameras, smartphones and tablets offer a whole new range of input options. In this talk we'll demonstrate some of our ideas of how to utilise these new input options interacting with a search engine. The basic idea is to have no traditional GUI input elements, but only use touch interactions (pinch, zoom, swipe, long-press, etc) and gestures (shake, tilt, turn, etc.). Using these interactions, we’ll demonstrate how to:

  • do searches
  • toggle search result views
  • switch pages
  • request materials, add to favourites
  • interact with your stuff, renew items

We'll also show you some (conceptual) ideas about using the device camera for locating and checking out materials.

On a general level, what we are trying to achieve is a move away from a web based paradigm and establish new ways of interaction better suited to the new devices and on their own terms. The demonstration will feature working mobile prototypes including both native apps (iPhone) and web apps. In both cases they will run on live data from our OPAC on www.statsbiblioteket.dk/search/

This talk is actually also a continuation of our Code4Lib 2010 talk called "Kill The Search Button" (http://code4lib.org/conference/2010/schedule), which we unfortunately never got around to do, due to a Danish blizzard.