The University of Maryland Libraries identified a need to expand library employee knowledge regarding mobile technologies. Such devices are popular with patrons, yet library staff had little experience with mobile devices or mobilized content. Partnering with the campus Office of Information Technology, the Libraries developed and implemented a Mobile Technologies Pilot in summer 2010.

A coordinating group was established to create and oversee the pilot. The Group identified participants, chose Apps to be preloaded on the devices, developed a list of weekly activities, created a LibGuide (http://libguides.shadygrove.umd.edu/mobilepilot) to manage all of the information related to the pilot, established a blog and email reflector to facilitate communication, and coordinated a series of 5 meetings for participants to learn as a group and to share observations.

Three learning outcomes were established: (1) Pilot program participants will be able to use applications on iPod Touch; (2) Pilot program participants will identify parts of the public web site that need to be 'mobilized;' and (3) Pilot program participants will identify service points/library services that would benefit from having access to mobile devices and recommend whether iPod Touches would be useful as those devices. Participants completed an online survey at the conclusion of the pilot, and were polled in a 'farewell meeting' to determine if the learning outcomes were met and to make recommendations as a result of the pilot.

This poster describes the process undertaken to create the highly successful pilot including program successes, shortcomings and future directions for action.