Hi Sue, I like your ideas and think you have pin-pointed some good functionality and features that are useful and desirable to the typical library user. However, I'd encourage you to design a great mobile OPAC rather than a native app. Koha's mobile layout has already done a lot of the work for you (and my library isn't on 3.14 yet, but it sounds like the Bootstrap OPAC theme is even better). Requiring folks to download a native app often seems like a novel approach, but in many respects it is unnecessary and can be a stumbling block for users. A native app takes up space on the device, requires learning a new interface (and learning how to download an app- which isn't an easy task for every user), and app updates require user authorization.
A web-based app (mobile-optimized OPAC) can offer the same functionality and provide access to the catalog without requiring new downloads or learning a new interface (when constructed well). In fact, a good web site's mobile and desktop layouts will be similar enough so that the user has very little to learn. You can figure out how to store the user's password (HTML5 localStorage?)- or even offer a video/web tutorial to teach your users about how to store passwords in browsers. This would teach users a skill that will be useful in many applications (and teach to online security, to boot). Any features already in the OPAC are available to the mobile user, so your work is almost done. Web apps can also be used across devices and operating systems- a good website already works on any device. Even the absolute best native apps require different programs for each OS and often for different devices/OS versions (e.g. a need for separate iPhone and iPad apps). The workload to develop a set of native apps (to avoid ignoring a segment of your user base) is far bigger than for developing a great web app. The most time-consuming aspect of creating a web app is in making the interface user-friendly. Since this is the most important part of developing an app (no one wants to use an unusable app!), that is a great place to put your efforts and resources- and you'll end up with a great product. Almost all of your bullet points are already available in the OPAC and those that aren't should be in the desktop website as well, anyway. All of those should be developments in Koha. One aspect that a native app can offer which a web-based app cannot is offline work. However, that would be incredibly messy with users trying to renew items and cancel holds. What if the app didn't update the ILS in time to avoid fines? Is that the fault of the library or patron? In many ways, creating an app that allows time-sensitive functions while offline is not optimal from a customer service point of view. This is, of course, all my humble opinion, but there are many great arguments about choosing which way to go- http://mashable.com/2012/09/12/web-vs-native-apps/ http://www.wired.com/2012/11/native-apps-vs-mobile-web/ http://uxmag.com/articles/native-or-web-based-selecting-the-right-approa ch-for-your-mobile-app And I'd be very interested in helping with developing a mobile web app that meets your goals! I've already worked with optimizing our library's mobile OPAC (http://sometimesmotion.wordpress.com) and am chomping at the bit to work on the Bootstrap theme :) Tim Miller Library Technician College of the Redwoods Library 7351 Tompkins Hill Rd. Eureka, CA 95501-9300 (707) 476-4256 -----Original Message----- From: Koha [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sue McMillan Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 1:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Koha] Possible APP development Hello everyone, After a brainstorming session this morning I have come up with the idea of an Apple and Android app that give users the ability to manage their Koha account without signing in the library catalogue. Not knowing the limitations of apps (so I may be asking for too much!) these are the features that I feel patrons would find useful in a Koha app. There may be other crucial tasks that I haven't listed below that other libraries or patrons would find useful. 1. The app keeps the patron signed in (probably by entering their Library card number and password into the app) 2. Lists all resources currently issued to their card (or maybe the ones due in the next x number of days?) 3. Alerts patrons to resources that are coming up overdue. 4. Gives the patron the ability to renew books from the app, with a single swipe or click 5. Alerts the patron to Holds that come available for pickup 6. Gives the patron the ability to delete the hold with a single swipe or click and at the same time alerts the library via an email or something that the book is no longer needed. 7. Gives the patron the ability to contact the library via the app. 8. Gives the patron he ability to review a resource and leave a star rating (if this is enabled in the catalogue). 9. And the nice to have would be the ability to have something like amazon recommendations "Patrons who read this book also read.....) I would imagine patrons would want the ability to download the app for free from the Google play or iTunes store. Is there any library interested in such a development and a developer with the skills to undertake the project? Or possibly someone is already working on this. Regards Susan McMillan Cataloguing and Systems Administrator| South Taranaki District Council 105-111 Albion St, Hawera 4610 | Private Bag 902, Hawera 4640, NZ Phone: +64 6 278 0555 | Cell: | www.southtaranaki.com This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies. Any dissemination or use of this information by a person other than the intended recipient is unauthorised and may be illegal. Please note that this communication does not designate an information system for the purposes of the Electronic Transactions Act 2002. _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org [email protected] http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list http://koha-community.org [email protected] http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
