Intelligent Library Navigation using Location-aware Systems – The Newman Project

Finding resources in an indoor facility can be a difficult task, especially for patrons who are not familiar with what the facility has to offer. Current methods of indoor navigation involve the use of static maps, directions posted on walls and other traditional systems. However, as we see greater mobility of alwaysconnected computing devices, we believe a better solution can be developed. As campuses and facilities begin to be covered with wireless internet access, we can access the web seamlessly from any location. In this paper, we explore the possibility of using a handheld device that can leverage that technology to search for and locate services and resources within a library. By displaying maps with directions and introducing several other features to aid library exploration, we believe we can reduce search and retrieval times as well as enrich the user experience