Lending iPads 101: Steps to Loan from Your Library

The Phillips Memorial Library staff demonstrates, step-by-step, how to develop an iPad lending program at your library. The central goal of our iPad lending program is to provide access to iPads as teaching, learning and research tools for the Providence College community. The iPad lending program is intended to teach and facilitate for our patrons the effective use of iPads and iOS mobile technologies and their applications and to foster a greater understanding of how these and similar mobile technologies can enhance teaching, learning, and research. In our presentation, we will cover the initial roll out of the iPad lending program, including staff training and education, technology purchases, security and loan policies, campus partnerships to aid the program, creation and implementation of a patron survey assessment, unintended results, and our future plans to build and improve upon the program. We will also highlight our use of mixed mode installation of apps. We maintain and continuously update a specific selection of apps included in the iPad image for lending/circulation, while still giving patrons the ability to use their Apple ID to add apps and use the device in a personal context