Introduction

Mobile access is in greater demand than ever by library users in today's modern world. Smartphones and other mobile devices are becoming the preferred way to access information, including resources and services from libraries. As user expectations for mobile services increase, libraries have an exciting opportunity to engage their users in new and dynamic ways. Providing mobile services allows libraries to stay ahead of the curve and stay relevant in an ever-growing mobile society. A common debate amongst libraries that are building mobile applications is whether to build a native or web application for their community (Nowlan, 2013). This paper will look at the differences between native and web applications and look at some of the best practices for building web applications.

About the University of Regina

The University of Regina's main campus is located in the capital city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Enrolment is more than 14,200 fulltime and part-time students and there are more than 2200 teaching staff. The University of Regina currently has 10 faculties and 25 academic departments, with programmes leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The University of Regina also works closely with its three federated colleges: First Nations University of Canada, Campion College and Luther College. The DR John Archer Library is the main library at the University of Regina.

Making our Library mobile-friendly

In 2011 the University of Regina Library set a goal of implementing mobile services within the next year. The first plan of action was to create a working group. The Mobile Applications Working Group comprised four Library staff who had a keen interest in the area of mobile technologies. The group's mandate was to explore the various options for creating a more mobile-friendly environment for the University community. Our strategy was to create a survey that would identify whether a web or native application would best fit our university population.

Mobile survey

The University of Regina Library conducted a mobile survey which was run between 15 March and 30 April 2011. This survey was open to all students enrolled at the University. Its purpose was to discover how students were currently using their mobile devices and how they might like to use them to access the Library's resources and services.