[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] GSOC query

[Kathy Lussier]

Hi all,

>>However, I would like to take your query as a springboard for a general
>>question to the librarians on this list: what would you like to see in
>>a patron-facing Android app?  And in a staff-facing one?

I didn't see any feedback to Galen's suggestions, so I'll throw a couple of
ideas out there. For the staff-facing client, I was thinking of tasks that
take staff from their desk. 

The ability to search the catalog is an obvious choice here as well as the
inventory app that has already been mentioned on the GSOC ideas page.
Another useful application might be a mobile version of the library's holds
pull list to minimize the amount of paper that is used for this process each
day. The library would need to be able to configure which fields display
here and control the sort order (copy location and then call number is
usually the preference.) It would be nice if the user could check off the
titles as they pull them off the shelf so that they could easily see which
items have already been pulled - maybe they could be crossed off or removed
from the display. Bonus points might be an additional check by the system
when the item is checked off to see if it is still needed for a hold. If
another copy has filled the hold through opportunistic capture, the mobile
app could provide some kind of alert so that staff can immediately return
the copy to the shelf rather than doing it later in the holds pull process.

The Browse Holds Shelf may also be something useful to access on a mobile
device, but, since it doesn't require as much travel as an inventory or pull
list process, I'm not sure it is necessary.

I don't have much to add to the ideas for a patron-facing app other than
what has already been added to the ideas page. However, I could see where
geo-location might come in handy with a mobile app. Allowing users to search
for material in the library closest to them or libraries within a x mile
radius would be pretty nifty.

Kathy

-------------------------------------------------------------
Kathy Lussier
Project Coordinator
Massachusetts Library Network Cooperative
(508) 756-0172
(508) 755-3721 (fax)
klussier at masslnc.org
IM: kmlussier (AOL & Yahoo)
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kmlussier
 
 

>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org [mailto:open-
>>ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Galen
>>Charlton
>>Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:16 AM
>>To: Evergreen Discussion Group
>>Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] GSOC query
>>
>>Hi,
>>
>>On Mar 19, 2012, at 10:26 PM, Sajan Kedia wrote:
>>> I want to contribute to project "create android client(s) for
>>evergreen". I am having 3 month summer vacation and i don't have any
>>summer internship and i love to do development and programming so i
>>will devote my full time to GSOC project. I just need a initial help
>>about the project. Because here two app are given to be build :
>>> 	. a library patron app - enable a user to search the catalogue,
>>renew items, manage holds, change their address information
>>> 	. an inventory app - attach a USB barcode scanner to a tablet and
>>scan the collection
>>> i need the proper format of app, what should like be.
>>
>>If you search the archives of the open-ils-general and open-ils-dev
>>mailing lists, you find some earlier discussion of ideas for patron and
>>staff Android applications for Evergreen, including a discussion of a
>>mobile app that was developed for the King County Library System.  Some
>>useful links to look at for ideas for your proposal to become a GSoC
>>student include:
>>
>>http://www.kcls.org//usingthelibrary/gomobilewithkcls/
>>http://kcls.boopsie.com/
>>http://code.google.com/p/evergreen-mobile-opac/
>>
>>However, I would like to take your query as a springboard for a general
>>question to the librarians on this list: what would you like to see in
>>a patron-facing Android app?  And in a staff-facing one?
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Galen
>>--
>>Galen Charlton
>>Director of Support and Implementation
>>Equinox Software, Inc. / The Open Source Experts
>>email:  gmc at esilibrary.com
>>direct: +1 770-709-5581
>>cell:   +1 404-984-4366
>>skype:  gmcharlt
>>web:    http://www.esilibrary.com/
>>Supporting Koha and Evergreen: http://koha-community.org &
>>http://evergreen-ils.org