“My Information:” Digital Libraries, Social Networking, and the User Experience

Abstract

The constituents of our universities, whether they are students or members of the academic faculty, are using information systems in a wide variety of ways. Information is woven into their lives through the myriad systems that they access and the social networks in which they participate. At present, most individuals who work in the academic environment own a variety of devices and use them for varying purposes; most of their devices are used for more than one activity. For example, a mobile phone may be used to telephone others, to send and receive text messages, to take photos, and to wake up the owner in the morning with the alarm clock capabilities. It is uncertain at this stage of development whether individuals will continue to own and use a variety of devices or whether they will prefer to adopt one or two devices which allow them the functionality they need in a convenient physical package.