November 2002 — Special Feature

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Wireless Library Aids Student Productivity

By Mahesh S. Raisinghani, Ph.D.

Currently, the university is looking forward to improving its service with tools like the one offered by Online Computer Library Center Inc. (OCLC), which provides an affordable tool that helps create and legally customize an integrated gateway to the library’s electronic resources. Among some of its features, the service can set up access to the library’s electronic resources, integrate them in one search interface, customize this interface to offer local information, create links from the existing library home page, as well as provide patron authentication via an IP address.

Questia Media Inc. also offers a powerful search tool that is being analyzed. The tool allows researchers to search through a full selection of credible, high-quality books and journals by word, phrase or concept. Users can view, copy and paste text from any page of any book; save them online; or compose new papers. The Blakley Library is also looking into implementing a service by ebrary Inc. that would allow authors and publishers to protect their copyright from such things as photocopying a book. The service enables publishers to use the Internet to maximize exposure and generate revenue, while maintaining their copyright protection; therefore, users can effectively research, analyze, understand and acquire protected information.

The Future

One constraint of wireless capabilities is the amount of bandwidth available for data transmission. The current infrastructure puts a greater burden on current bandwidths available for wireless transmissions, so alternate bandwidths must be opened. In addition, the security measures typically implemented with a wireless application delivery approach can add to the costs, making the computing system more complex to administer and use.

The next three years will see the convergence of two major trends: software as a service, and the rapid growth of wireless network and device capabilities (Citrix Systems 2001). The University of Dallas’ Blakley Library is truly a sample of what an innovative university library should be in an environment where progress is a law of life.

Reference

Citrix Systems Inc. 2001. Wireless Application Access White Paper.

Online Resources

  • ebrary
    www.ebrary.com
  • Online Computer Library Center Inc.
    www.oclc.org/home
  • Questia Media Inc.
    www.questia.com