iPhone app from Gale/Cengage – Access My Library
Posted by: Sue Polanka
Gale/Cengage announced last week the launch of a new iPhone app called Access My Library (AML). AML is a free app, based on Gale’s site – www.accessmylibrary.com, that provides a list of public libraries within a 10 mile radius of one’s geo location. A user selects a library and the Gale/Cengage products subscribed to by the library are listed for users to search. A great feature of the AML app is no authentication. Gale decided that users could easily drive to a library in a ten mile radius to use the resources for free, so the app provides the free access without the drive. Gale will provide use statistics to libraries from the AML app. In time, this data will be merged with other Gale use reports. Gale plans to add school and academic libraries to the mix, but it is more complicated for these groups due to authentication. They also plan to add apps for encyclopedia.com and other smartphones. Those of you attending ALAMW may want to check out Gale’s lunch and learn sessions where they will feature more information on encyclopedia.com and AML. They also have some big announcements coming out at ALAMW which we will pass onto you when released.
To download the AML app, go to the iTunes store.
For more information on Access My Library and encyclopedia.com, see the Booklist Online article from September, 2009.
