Bring Your Own Device

Bring Your Own Device

Last semester I had to visit an academic library; I chose to visit University of San Diego’s academic library: Copley Library. The layout and flow of the library had changed from a traditional earthy toned space with books to a more modern, minimalist, technology-oriented design. Many features of the library included wireless printing from one’s laptop, digital queues for study rooms, and ergonomic furniture. There are parts of the library that still cling to tradition such as their Mother Rosalie Hill reading room which was visually similar to an ivy league college. If I hadn’t known I was in SoCal, I would have easily thought I was in Harvard with the dark wood and high ceilings. As I mentioned earlier, most of the library had reoriented itself to be a place where technology was at the forefront of design. Every inch of the library had not just power outlets but the furniture implemented had power outlets as well as the ability to check out laptops and hot-spots. Copley had recently been remodeled and I imagine that before the remodeling, many plans were made to orient the library as a place of technology as well as information. 

In an article by Graham Walton, he addresses if smartphones and bring your own devices are shaping such library services. Personal computers, like a chromebook or Macbook, are the standard college must-have. However, tablets and phones are just as important and development of apps also assists students in their various coursework. Naturally, it just makes sense that academic services would be affected in the new forms of technology. Walton’s article came out in 2014 and mentioned how it is predicted “that smartphones could become a transient technology.” Ten years later and I don’t think this statement is untrue. More than ever, we’re using QR codes to access information as well as apps developed for various needs. At the heart of it, we don’t know what’s next in technology! At this moment in time, I think smartphones are here to stay but I think tablets are the devices that will be replacing laptops as the primary mobile devices. I could be wrong and that’s okay, too. There are no absolutes in technology and I think that’s also what makes it exciting!

*Ariana Johnson-Lopez

Walton, G. (2014). Will Smart Phones and Other Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD)                             Dominate How Academic Library Services are Developed and Delivered for the                             Foreseeable Future? New Review of Academic Librarianship, 20(1), 1–3. https://doi-                    org.palomar.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/13614533.2014.875294