UP Libraries app – a move towards student self-service

After many years of lobbying for an app for the UP Libraries, an app was launched on 20 July 2017. The project team that made this happen consisted of Elsabe Olivier and Carike Schoeman, with Dr Heila Pienaar as coach. This is only the second academic library app in South Africa. The first one was launched by UNISA.

The app can be downloaded from the Android and Apple stores – more information is available at: http://www.library.up.ac.za/quality/app.htm. The latest statistics indicate that the App has been downloaded 3 255 times and since July 2017 more than 20 000 queries (clicks, keystrokes) have been recorded. 

The move towards student self-service came about because of the closure of some of the UP Libraries during the student unrest. It became clear that library products and services must be more prominent in the online world.  Using the UP Libraries app, a student can be almost self-sufficient in terms of academic information content.

A Perdeby article on the UP Libraries app was published in the issue of 14 August 2017 :  https://www.perdeby.co.za/sections/news/tuks-news/5649-new-app-launched-for-ups-libraries

The August quality survey indicates that the mobile app has been warmly welcomed by students and staff members alike:

“I was wondering to myself just when the library would provide an app service that is more compatible with a phone than having to look for a free computer to search for books or information on and just today I noticed the new library app that was launched this month. Well done guys!”

“The library has developed itself by focusing on the current and future needs of the users, and this is illustrated through the creation of the Library App.”

“The new Library App is very helpful and user friendly.”