Library Goes Live With QR Codes…08.14.09

The Civil Librarian has posted about the Sacramento Public Library with their first application of QR Codes:

“Sacramento Public Library has ‘gone live’ with our first application of QR codes! This is a small one but I’m excited nonetheless because of the great potential that QR codes have in improving our services. On our library blog, Grand Central, we now have a QR code posted in the sidebar that, when scanned, will load the contact information for our SMS reference service directly into the user’s phone…”

Libraries and QR Codes…08.11.09

(QR Code for the Lone Wolf Librarian blog)

There hasn’t been much discussion of libraries and QR codes lately but today there is a good post from the Emily Brown, Outreach Librarian at Northeastern State University, Muskogee campus, on her blog brownez@thelibrary titled Tuesday Two.Oh! Tools for Advertising which is excerpted here:

“…We will actually be taking a look at two sites today, both of which are easy to use and easy to navigate. So, get out those cell phones and let’s start talking QR Codes…

I was introduced to this technology by an innovative librarian at the University of Central Oklahoma, Amanda Lemon. Amanda and Jason Cimock (also of UCO) presented at this years COIL workshop, unCOILed. They spoke about mobile phones in the classroom, and their presentation can be found here. Part of the presentation focused on todays tool, QR Codes. It’s a very interesting presentation, and if you have time, I suggest that you take a look.

On to the tools! The first tool we’ll be taking a look at is Mircosoft Tag Beta…

There are a lot of potential uses for this technology.

To be fair, there are a lot of code creations sites out there. Spend a little time on Google and you’ll find a site that fits your needs. With that in mind, let’s look at another code creation option. Q-Lytics…”

Of course, Europeans seem to be more committed to QR Codes as this video will attest:

More on Mobile QR Codes Used in Libraries…06.26.09

If you are interested in QR code use in libraries, there are several older posts to check out.  Here is an excerpt from Helene Blowers who has a discussion  on LibraryBytes today QR Tags & Concept Leadership:

“Concept leadership is one of areas that my department, Digital Services, tries to focus on. It’s important for us to continuously keep on top of new and emerging technologies and explore ways that the library and our customers can benefit from them.

QR tags is a technology that has actually been around for a few years. But until the mass adoption of smartphones with cameras, there wasn’t a dominant market yet for their use. When we launched our mobile text-based catalog early this spring we began to think of ways that we could use technology to market it smartly. QR tags seemed like a natural choice, since they are specifically designed for mobile devices. While we’re still playing with this idea some and refining the concept, the idea of placing QR tags in strategically defined places within the library on informational signs does seem to have a lot of merit. Not only does it have the potential to introduce the public to a new technology, it also tells those who are already tech savvy and familiar with mobile QR tags that the library has a mobile catalog.

For those that are not familiar with how QR tags work, here’s a short overview and a video demonstration…”

Lorcan Dempsey included a piece today about library barcodes in Apple, Netbooks and Barcodes :

“…One of the hits of the conference was the discussion by Kate Robinson of the use of QR Codes in the catalog at the University of Bath (blogged here earlier this year). It prompted discussion of the variety of ways in which people and materials could be tied into the network.

The Globe and Mail had several stories about capturing data from codes.

• Databars. A discussion of the use of Databars, smaller than barcodes, in retail and supply-chain operations.
• Samplesaint: a story about how this company, which creates digital media for cell phones, now distributes discount coupons for redemption by on-screen scanning at the checkout. Coupons can be received in various ways, including in response to an on-the-spot request by texting a number found on the relevant shelf.
• There is also a general discussion of the use of cell phones as payment devices.

Interestingly, these were opposite an advert for IBM (featuring a barcode image) which promoted its ability to make supply chains smarter and more efficient.”

See Also: Simple Use of QR Codes in Libraries

Libraries and Nex Gen Mobiles

QR Codes – “Transpromo Cross Media Interactivity”

Simple Use of QR Codes in Libraries…05.21.09

Bath University library has added QR codes to their OPAC search results. “…One click of the QR code will result in a text based QR code which will display the resource title, author and the exact location of the book in the library. Scan the QR code and keep the information displayed on your mobile while you to navigative those unweilding pathways.”

Good Tricks and Tips from BeeTag:

“In theory a QR-Code can store up to 4296 characters.  For Mobile Tagging 40-60 characters are feasible (depends on the physical size of the QR-Code). Otherwise average phones will not be able to detect them anymore…

Most problems arise because the tester has a good phone (like Nokia’s N95) with a high quality camera, but the actual user has an average phone with an average camera.

Whitespace / Quitezone
Make sure you leave an empty space (marked in red) of around 4 modules on each side.

Amount of data
You should not encode more than 60 characters in a QR-Code. Otherwise detection will be too bad with average phones …

Color
You should always use black and white. If contrast is too low code detection will be impossible.

Design
Some people add logos in the middle or change colors. You should not do that (although it looks very cool) as detectability goes down and people will have difficulties to recognize it as a QR-Code.

Size
The code should never be smaller than 2cm (with ~40 characters encoded). The more characters you encode the larger the code has to be. But you should never encode more than 80 characters…”

QR Code for this blog (Proverbial Lone Wolf Librarian):

QR Codes – “Transpromo Cross Media Interactivity”…05.14.08

Since I have many posts on QR Codes, specifically their use or potential use in and by libraries and I just really liked the description of the use of QR Codes as “transpromo cross media interactivity” by Code Z QR I thought I would bring attention to their QR Code blog which is worth keeping tabs on for ideas on using this technology – plus they are also from Texas.

QR Codes in the Library Stacks…05.12.09

This is an excerpt from Claire Cramer’s post “Meet QR Codes” in which she describes her university library’s working group on QR code use:

“…I work at a major university library, and I’m currently serving on a working group to assess the use of QR codes in our stacks…

QR codes are currently used to store addresses and URLs. When someone takes a picture of the code with their camera phone, the phone’s browser launches and redirects to the encoded URL. That is, if their phone can read QR codes. QR codes can be read by most Japanese phones as purchased, but in the United States, nearly none can read them. However, I’ve found this helpful list of software to download to your phone…

Okay, but how do QR codes fit into libraries? Imagine a graduate student walking into my library, swiping their ID, and entering the stacks. After heading to the other side of the building, five floors in, they select their books and notice another interesting title on the shelf. They hold it in front of them, QR code displayed, and snap a picture. Immediately, a link with relevant information is launched. Perhaps it’s to the catalog record for that book. Or maybe it’s to an in-house research guide which includes that text. It could even be to an outside page relevant to that particular book.

There are two benefits to using a QR code in this situation.

1. You don’t have to stop and write down a call number, title, and author. How long can it take to stop and write down a title? you may ask. If you are asking this, I’m a bit envious of you. Because multiply that act by several dozens and it becomes tedious, and leaves the researcher more likely to misplace important information with each additional title hastily scribbled down.
2. You don’t have to look it up again. You have the QR code saved! You did remember to save the image, right? One click and you have access to contextual information prepared by trained librarians. And I thought EndNote was groundbreaking…

We’re currently trying to figure out whether reception within the stacks will be there, and if it’s too early to promote QR codes as a library service in the United States, when many people will have to have the concept explained to them, and may need to download a reader as well. In the meantime, though, if you want to get your hands dirty, there are many QR code generating sites online!

In other words, check out Lex Rigby’s post on the subject from last month. Try out some generators. Or, if you’re interested in mobile technology, take a look at David Harper’s post from a whopping three years ago!…”

SEE ALSO:

Mobile QR Codes and Library Uses

Using QR Codes in Libraries

QR Codes in the Library – Projects to Watch

QR Tags and Mobile Phones in the Library

QR Codes Intro Presentation for Libraries and Others

QR Codes in 2009

QR Codes in the Library – Projects to Watch…05.08.09

This is an excerpt of a post on the PLA blog today about QR Code projects in libraries:

“…Also great was Bonnie Pierce of the Dover Town Library.  Bonnie is a champion of QR codes and other 2d barcode systems, and she clearly sees the opportunites associated with linking objects and physical spaces with information and virtual spaces.  Check out her site. Expect to keep hearing about this technology- Bonnie has something exciting brewing in Dover, and I’ve got a QR code project in the works down in Greenpoint, Brooklyn…”

QR Code (Quick Response Code) News…05.06.09

For regularly updated news and more about the world of QR Codes and their use, visit QR Code News, Videos and Forum. QR Code tracking service from QRme.

“QR Tags and Mobile Phones in the Library”…05.05.09

QR Tags and Mobile Phones in the Library is a University of Huddersfield blog in the UK by Andrew Walsh described as “Currently trying to introduce elements of the mobile world into our University library. This is to keep track of what I’ve done!“

Here is an outline of his QR Code Project:

“Over the coming year I’ve received some funding to spread QR codes around our (University of Huddersfield) library.

Dave Pattern (hello Dave!) had already put them on our catalogue just a few weeks ago.

So far the outline plan is to:

1) Survey all students coming into the library on a particular day to check awareness of QR codes and then repeat this in a years time.
2) Put QR codes on all our printed journal boxes linking to SFX which will check our online holdings – so print journals link up with electronic.
3) Put some directional codes (containing just text) in various places (so scan the one for law on floor 4 of the library, small staircase and it could display text saying “go up 2 floors, turn left and you will pass first the law journals, then law reports, then get to the books.”.
4) Link some QR codes with mobile friendly videos and display then put them in the places where the help would be needed most (e.g. “how to use the copiers” near each photocopier.
Put codes in a lot of the printed guides to link to relevant online resources or contact details.
5) Find an interesting way of promoting what the codes actually are! May be able to get a little game set up by September…”

Use of QR Codes in a Library OPAC at the UK’s University of Bath:

QR Code Decalogue (10 Commandments)…04.20.09

Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17 – also Deuteronomy 5:7-21) in QR Code form from QR Code on Facebook.

QR Codes Intro Presentation for Libraries and Others from JISC Conference 2009…04.03.09

Presentation at JISC Conference 2009 on March 24, 2009:

Note on JISC:

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) is funded by the UK HE and FE funding bodies to provide world-class leadership in the innovative use of ICT to support education and research. JISC funds a national services portfolio (e.g. JANET) and a range of programmes (e.g. Use of Technology to Support Admissions to HE) and projects (e.g. Google Generation project).”

Using QR Code in Libraries…03.27.09

I have had several posts recently on QR code use in libraries and elsewhere. It seems the University of Bath in the UK is on the forefront.  Here is an excerpt of a post this week titled QR Codes in Libraries and Higher Education which highlights developments in this arena and are worth considering:

“…In libraries there are (upon reflection) a number of ways to get using QR codes…Barcodes are used within libraries mainly to link items to a catalogue record. Using the traditional barcode the information contained is very limited and only by scanning the barcode (at the library counter) are you able to find further information contained within the catalogue record.

… If instead we started to use QR codes to label books, journals, audio/visual, offprints etc and a user wanted to see further information about that resource all they’d need to do is scan the QR code. They’d be able to find descriptive information, images, useful URLs etc all at the touch of a button on their phone. And what if at that moment in time they have too many books out? Well, by saving the QR code as an image they’d have a record of the resource stored on their phone so they’d be able to easily find it when they’re ready to loan it. Brilliant.

…Bath University are working on their catalogue adding text as QR codes to the bibliographic record summerising the key information, the resource title, the author, and the shelf location. For example see Bath’s library catalogue result for Sloman. By scanning the code from the screen I’ll have my own record of  ‘Economics for business / Sloman, John, 1947- Level 5 330 SLO’ on my phone to take to the shelf with me. Perfect.

What else?

How about using QR codes on your promotional/marketing materials to link users directly to where information can be found on the Internet? Do you have a library weblog? Are you producing leaflets to inform readers where they can find it? Why not stick a QR code on there so that they’re able to link directly to you? Got some particularly good skills tutorials you want your users to know about? Stick a QR code on your promotional material and they’ll find it straight away! Got an extensive reading list you want your students to read? Why not put a QR code on there to link students directly to the library catalogue record or even the article itself!!…”

TechTips on Using QR Codes in Libraries…03.23.09

Here is an excerpt from TechTips: High Capacity Bar Codes which was posted today on the Ohio State University Libraries System TechTips blog about HCB’s like QR Codes:

“…While conventional bar codes can store about 20 digits of information, a single HCB [high capacity barcode] is capable of handling nearly 8,000. Characters can include numeric and alphabetic characters, symbols, and binary data.  They can contain descriptive information, images, or URLs which can connect to different web sites based on time, day of week, or customer preferences. They are also scalable so they can be read them in various levels of magnification – only limited by the resolution of the available printing and imaging techniques.  HCBs are quite durable since the can still be readable with up to 30% of the code to be obscured or removed by dirt, marks or damage.

One type of HCB is the QR code (quick response), an established ISO (ISO/IEC18004) standard.

A few possible uses for HCBs in libraries quickly come to mind – codes on books, journals, and even journal articles could link customers directly to bibliographic information, reviews, or additional networked support materials. Codes on devices could lead customers to help and tip sheets. Codes on promotional and marketing materials could lead customers to the library web site. Codes on handouts could direct customers directly to databases, a journal article or a current bibliography…”

QR Codes in 2009…03.23.09

(QR Code for this blog url from the FREE – Kaywa QR Code Generator — You can also download The Kaywa Reader to your mobile device)

QR codes are prevelant in Asia, particulary in Japan were they began. However, Europe and the West are beginning to take notice of their applicability to marketing.  I have blogged about QR code use in libraries and am anxious to see their adoption in marketing in different areas.

Here is an excerpt from The State of QR Codes and What to Expect in 2009 from Mobile Marketing Watch at the beginning of the year which I found interesting and helpful in sharing with others about the potential of QR code marketing uses:

“Though QR (Quick Response) barcodes haven’t been as prolific in 2008 as maybe some of us had hoped, 2009 looks to be a whole different story.  I’ve been following the technology since its inception, and though I knew it would be hard to catch on in the US due the state of our mobile technology compared to elsewhere, I still thought we’d be further along then we currently are.  With that being said, 2008 still brought some large scale innovations with QR as well as some large-scale mobile campaigns that were centered around using QR… As Adena reported on last month, Pepsi introduced one of the first large-scale QR-based mobile campaigns to date in Europe, with over 400 million QR barcodes being distributed on Pepsi cans.  Likewise, Micheal reported on one of Australia’s first large-scale QR deployments in a campaign to help promote the new James Bond movie by way of a ‘treasure hunt’ of sorts. The campaign attracted over 10,000 users without any help from the mainstream media.  If that doesn’t show potential than I don’t know what would. Beyond the obvious uses in mobile marketing, 2008 brought to light many others. CitySearch and Antenna Audio began a program last spring in San Francisco in which they placed QR codes on historical landmarks and restaurants.  The QR codes can then be linked to a public review site, a wiki, or a forum, and anyone can lend a hand in chronicling a certain site’s history. A company called EventBrite tested a new ‘green ticketing’ service along with a barcode-based attendee registration system that will ultimately allow event organizers to ‘check-in’ attendees on-site using a basic webcam.  They’ve even created ‘barcode check-in scanning’ as well to coincide with their QR-based ticketing services…”

Here is an example of billboard advertising using QR codes:

(Image: www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=273)

QR Jumps – More on QR Codes…03.22.09

If you’re interested in QR codes, you may be interested in QR Jumps:

“QRJumps.com is an online free QR code generator, with more advanced options than any other qr code software.

QR Codes or Quick Response Codes are two dimensional bar codes.

QRJumps are like QR Codes except they have advanced features such as QR code redirection, being able to change the destination URL without changing the QR Code, password protection, and the ability to have your QR codes expire on a certain date…”

© Copyright 2008 QRJumps.com

How to Use QR Codes in the Library OPAC…03.20.09

As a follow-up on the subject of QR Codes in recent posts, I am posting here comments from a solicitation by Dave Pattern‘s question “Just wondering if anyone out there is already experimenting with QR Codes in their OPAC?” from his posting March 10, 2009 “QR Codes in the OPAC?“:

Using QR Codes in Libraries and Other Learning Environments…03.29.09

QR codes seem to be of great interest to librarians and others but there are not many examples of actual use available.  The e-learning case studies blog yesterday posted about their use of QR Codes at the University of Bath in the UK in Using QR Codes during Innovations Week which I have excerpted here:

“…I recently used QR Codes (http://www.bath.ac.uk/barcodes) to support the University’s Innovations Week in Teaching and Learning. The aim was to include QR Codes on the supporting material to enable the mobile (phone) user to more effeciently connect to online material and complete any required tasks.

What was the role of the technology?

The QR Codes were used in a number of different contexts;

Poster displays

QR Codes were used around the poster display area to allow people to scan the code and connect with the supporting blog. In this scenario the person would scan the code, access the blog and either leave a comment for the author or read and comment on other people’s views. Alternatively, they could scan a second QR Code to send a submit their comments via SMS. The outcome is a reduction in barroers to leaving comments. For instance, the person was not required to leave the poster display area to find a computer.

Access to online support materials

We provided a large number of different forms of publicity materials, from fliers and posters, to fortune cookies. These included a QR Code which linked to further online support material. The thoughts behind this was to provide just in time information to where the person was located.

Examples of these are available from: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=iw2009…

One positive outcome was from the perspective of the people generating the QR Codes. There were around 4 people in the team who used the University of Bath’s QR Code Generator (http://www.bath.ac.uk/barcodes ). They had no problems, or support needs in generating and including them within their materials…

Issues / Problems

Given this is such a newly emerging technology within Learning and Teaching, I’d divided the issues as follows;

Raising awareness…

Motivating people to install the software…

Maximising usability…

What tips do you have for others?

Firstly, address the issues and problems raised in the previous section. Secondly, a very practical tip would be to implement an image management process. For instance, we generated a large number of QR Codes on this project and to reduce repetition at creating the same link numerous times we used share drived / shared file repositories. At the University of Bath, the LMF (http://www.bath.ac.uk/lmf ) is perfect for this task.

Plans for the future

Overall, I was very encouraged by this pilot. It highlighted a considerable number of issues surrounding how we might ensure that QR Codes are effectively implemented. I’m already building on this experience as I’ll be working with UKOLN on the effective use of QR Codes to support their 2009 Workshop.”

New FREE QR Code Generator – QReateBUZZ…03.16.09

QReateBUZZ is a new QR Code Generator and more as they describe:

“QReateBUZZ is not your run-of the-mill QR Code generator—it’s a complete QR Code generation, management, and analytics solution. QReate and manage one or many QR Code campaigns in one spot.

QReateBUZZ allows you to create, manage, and analyze real-world QR Codes in action. Whether you’re marketing your business, group/organization, or the brand that is ‘you,’ QReateBUZZ has all of the right 2-Dimensional Juju to make it happen…

QReate and manage your entire portfolio of QR Codes in one interface.

 

• QReateBUZZ is Free to Use
• QReate, Track, & Analyze
• Redirect URLs On-the-Fly…”

Copyright © 2009 & beyond, QReateBUZZ

 

Library use of QR Codes noted from QR Codes and Libraries:

“…the Brooklyn Public Library has been experimenting with QR codes. They use the codes to identity each of their branches. They add the library branch QR code to flyers and posters. This allows patrons to grab the library branch QR code and quickly add it to their mobile phone. Then, using the code, the patron can then get the latest news about what is going on in their local library via their mobile phone…

Other options could be:

• To create QR codes for your patron’s special interest. How good would it be to allow patrons to get web based information on their phone about the things that interest them. You could set up a QR code for different sections of your collection. These could even be posted on the end of your shelves, or against your Dewey numbers. Patrons can then choose if they want to be told about the latest cook books or crime fiction in the library.
• In the future every book and or author could have their own QR Code. Nate Hill from Brooklyn Public Library suggests that QR Codes linked to the Open Library’s ”goal to give every book its own web page, could prove useful in offering online information about any given book.”
• Libraries could use a QR Code as a receipt for library events. The QR Code could also automatically add the date, time, and location to the patron’s phone. 
• QR codes linked to RFID could mean that patron’s could then check out items using their phones. The library would not need to use special RFID readers. Using the QR code on a book, CD, or whatever; the client could also use the QR code to renew the item with their phone without having to log onto your web site…”

Libraries or Librarians: Create Your Own QR Codes FAST & EASY!

You can create your own QR Codes at the QR Code Generator – Create Your Own QR Codes from Winksite :

“…A QR Code is a bar code that can be scanned using your camera phone and a QR Code Reader. You can easily create QR codes that serve as hyperlinks to mobile content. In many parts of the world the scanning of a QR Code has become the door to the mobile Internet for the average mobile user….”

You can easily create a QR code in .jpg or .png for web, SMS, data, text, RSS feed.

Here is the QR Code for The Proverbial Lone Wolf Librarian’s Weblog I creates in seconds:

More on QR Codes and Libraries…03.01.09

A post titled QR Codes Talk  from the University of Leicester Library staff blog  is excerpted below here:

“…attended a QR code meeting…. The main advantage to QR codes is that on mobile devices they get over the need to type URLs.  QR codes  not only link to websites, but also can be used to send prewritten SMS to phones, transfer phone numbers, and provide further text.  They are designed to cope with a high level of error, hence are suitable for outdoor use. 

I was also surprised at the relatively high level of student awareness of QR codes; about 13% have heard of them, although only 2% have actually used one.  Whilst that may not sound like much, given the potential growth in mobile devices for accessing the web, and what we were assured by our own in house IT experts is the relative robustness of QR codes in comparison to other types of code, then seem to be worth watching. 

…Here are the main ideas that stood out to me in a library context:

• Special collections:  to a podcast/vodcast, further information, interactive task or questionnaire. 
• Library Induction: a treasure trail of where to find resources.  An audio tour. 
• Departmental slide collections: instructions or support materials.
• Ejournals: from the physical location of a journal a link to the electronic version. 
• QR code linking to availability of wireless networks around the campus.
• Training sesssions: could link to feedback or interactive elements (not unlike voting software).
• Peer support: relating to information literacy training or general teaching across the University.  Students can create a QR code on the fly that links them to their support /discussion group… 

There was brief discussion of the barriers, such as equity and sceptical management cultures… Also there are issues around the potential for phishing. When a QR code is in a physical location out in the world, what is to stop someone sticking their own QR code on top that takes you to a fake site?…”

More on Library Uses of QR Codes…02.23.09

Eric Schnell has written some more useful information about QR Codes and libraries today in his post Can High Density Barcodes Connect the Mobile Library User? on his The Medium is the Message blog which is excerpted here:

“…While conventional bar codes can store about 20 digits of information, a single QR (quick response) code is capable of handling 7,089 characters including numeric and alphabetic characters, symbols, and binary data. One can store just about anything as a QR code, including images. QR codes are quite durable since the allow up to 30% of the code to be obscured or removed by dirt, marks or damage and still readable. The nice thing is that there are many online services which generate QR codes and they can be printed as a graphic image. The QR code is an established ISO (ISO/IEC18004) standard.

Another emerging high density bar code technology is the Microsoft Tag, which uses up to eight-different colored triangles which are aligned left to right with each shape placed from point to base or vice versa. That combination of colors and orientation of the triangles creates distinct patterns which can be read by piece of software which deciphers the data. Up to 3,500 characters of information can be held in the Tag.

High density bar codes like QR codes and Microsoft Tag can both serve a similar function: linking the physical to networked resources for either objects or locations. Librarians could put these bar codes on handouts could direct customers directly to databases, a journal article or a current bibliography. Codes on various physical services could lead customers to help and tip sheets. Codes on promotional and marketing materials could lead customers to library resources.

As Educause points out, the greatest importance of high density bar codes like QR codes may not lie not in their specific use, which may be superseded by newer codes and interpreters, but in the opportunities they offer for moving away from keyboards as input devices in learning environments. This will grow in importance as library users rely more and more upon mobile devices.”

7 Things Librarians Should Know About QR Codes…02.22.09

From iLibrarian  Ellyssa Kroski  here is her brief but helpful post from last week with more on QR Codes titled 7 Things You Should Know About QR Codes:

“Educause has put together another of their ’7 Things’ guides titled 7 things you should know about QR Codes. Quick Response codes are 2-D mobile tags which contain information such as URLs, and can be read by mobile devices with a barcode reader installed. Waving your camera phone in front of the above barcode would give you a quick link to the mobile version of the iLibrarian blog, which you could then access on your cell without having to type in a URL. To find out more read the 7 Things document, and you can also check out my report on the mobile Web, On the Move with the Mobile Web which is available open access on E-LIS.”

Here is a video about QR Codes:

You also might want to check out barcode.com‘s interesting recent posts about “wild and weird” applications of QR Codes.

Mobile QR Codes and Library Uses…02.18.09

This is food for thought from a recent post on the University of Leicester Library blog discussing the potential uses of QR Code for libraries entitled QR Codes Talk :

“… The main advantage to QR codes is that on mobile devices they get over the need to type URLs.  QR codes  not only link to websites, but also can be used to send prewritten SMS to phones, transfer phone numbers, and provide further text.  They are designed to cope with a high level of error, hence are suitable for outdoor use.

…where might they actually be of benefit in the real world now?  Here are the main ideas that stood out to me in a library context:

Special collections:  to a podcast/vodcast, further information, interactive task or questionnaire. 

Library Induction: a treasure trail of where to find resources.  An audio tour. 

Departmental slide collections: instructions or support materials.

Ejournals: from the physical location of a journal a link to the electronic version. 

QR code linking to availability of wireless networks around the campus.

Training sesssions: could link to feedback or interactive elements (not unlike voting software).

Peer support: relating to information literacy training or general teaching across the University.  Students can create a QR code on the fly that links them to their support /discussion group. 

…Alan Cann emphasised that the task the QR codes takes you to should be viable and usable on a mobile.   Also there are issues around the potential for phishing. When a QR code is in a physical location out in the world, what is to stop someone sticking their own QR code on top that takes you to a fake site?…”

 

Here are further comments on library uses of QR Codes from the Civil Librarian yesterday:

“…I’ve been thinking a lot about how we might make good and creative use of this technology in our libraries. One idea that seems to hold a lot of promise is using the QR code to link to videos for users to watch on their phones.

One such application might be related to library instruction. Say, for example, I wanted to put together a 30 second video about how to place a hold on library materials using our catalog. I could post that video to YouTube, create a QR code from the permalink, and include the printed code on a bookmark along with codes for several other ‘how to’-type videos. The user then has hand-held audio instruction about how to do any number of tasks that many of our users tend to find difficult… 

Or how about posting a QR code next to your library building’s dedication plaque? It could link to a video that provides some historical information about the building or even a Flickr slideshow of historical photos of the building!…”

UPDATE: Libraries or Librarians: Create Your Own QR Codes FAST & EASY!