An Internet of Pings: Enhancing the Web User Experience of Physically Present Patrons with Bluetooth Beacons

摘要

Even for users who are physically in the library, the website has become a primary interface for interaction. This use case presents unique usability challenges. In many cases when a user needs to access contextual digital information or services inside the physical library, their first step is to find the nearest computer—possibly in their pocket—and navigate to the library website. Once there, the user must navigate through a likely complex information architecture concerned with her need only as one among very many other potential needs. This navigation can be rather disruptive to the task at hand.Learning the structure of a new website is usually not a problem for long. But if you agree that the website is the primary interface for getting things done in a library, you probably also agree that if it were practical to put usable hyperlinks on actual objects or areas that provide fluid access to their virtual equivalents, the endeavor would be worthwhile. Imagine moving around in the physical library space and always having easy access to the corresponding space on the web.Yes, there are QR codes and digital signage. While there are creative examples of their use, these solutions are typically either unappealing and impractical, or unnecessarily expensive, and they only solve part of the problem: the hyperlink. There are still issues of usability, user experience, and accessibility, especially for visually-impaired patrons. I’m writing this to propose another solution, built on Bluetooth: beacons.