Future of the Digitally Society

Designing a Mobile Application for the Library of Tomorrow

The future of libraries is here, and it's digital. Idean Singapore, a renowned design team, has created a groundbreaking mobile application that merges the physical and digital worlds of libraries. This innovative app aims to bring the library experience to the digital natives, making it relevant and appealing in today's fast-paced, technology-driven society.

The newly designed app focuses on creating a consistent brand experience between the physical library and its digital channels. Transactions, data, and history seamlessly flow across all platforms, ensuring a continuous and personalized journey for library users. The goal is to bring the romance and charm of physical books into the digital space, creating a quaint place for readers to unleash their imaginations.

What sets this mobile application apart is its delightful browsing experience and efficient searching capabilities. Users can easily explore the library's vast collection, add favorites to their shelves, and receive smart and personalized recommendations. The app also allows users to build communities through sharing, fostering a sense of connection and collaboration among readers.

Enhancing the physical finding and borrowing experience is another key feature of this app. By leveraging AR mapping and low-power beacon technology, library users can effortlessly locate books or seek assistance within the library premises. The app's integration with beacons, a Bluetooth wireless technology, enables personalized messages to be delivered to users' mobile devices, introducing new books added to a particular library branch and providing real-time updates on book availability.

The realization of this design involved extensive testing and meticulous placement of the beacons to ensure accurate detection. User-testing was also conducted to ensure the feasibility and effectiveness of the technology in enhancing the overall library experience.

Operating the app is simple and intuitive. When a library user enters the range of the beacon technology, they are welcomed with a personalized message from the library. The app then displays contextual information and content specific to the library branch, keeping users informed about new books, upcoming workshops, and other relevant updates. Users can easily track the location of a book, reserve it through the app, and conveniently borrow it by scanning the barcode at the library.

The design team behind this mobile application includes Creative Director Ignatius Ong, Deputy Head of Design Nicholas Tan, Design Architect Adib Ramzali, User Experience Researcher Gigi Teo, User Experience Designer Yuen Pei Yun, and Associate Designer Sherilyn Kan. Their collective expertise and dedication have resulted in a design that caters to the needs of today's digital natives while providing a seamless and enriching library experience.

The project, which started in May 2019 in Singapore, was completed in September 2019. Throughout the design process, extensive research was conducted to understand the reading habits and preferences of digital natives. Best practices from physical bookstores, online bookstores, and libraries worldwide were analyzed to ensure the app's design aligns with current trends and user expectations.

The design team faced various challenges during the project, including breaking away from the traditional app design for e-reading and browsing books on a small screen. They also had to cater to the diverse needs and behaviors of different user types, from avid readers to casual browsers. Balancing efficiency and discoverability in browsing the vast collection of books was another hurdle. Ultimately, the team successfully created a modern design that speaks the language of both younger and older generations, providing a seamless and enjoyable library experience for all.

This mobile application design has received recognition for its innovation and creativity. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Mobile Technologies, Applications, and Software Design category in 2020. This prestigious award acknowledges designs that demonstrate technical and creative excellence, contributing to improvements in quality of life and making the world a better place.