The increased availability of wireless technologies to transfer data and information
between mobile devices is changing the service expectations of medical
library customers. While there are challenges in meeting the growing
mobile needs of library users, the portability and convenience of mobile devices are creating new possibilities for innovative library services. In
response, medical librarians have investigated and implemented a variety of
services that utilize the emerging wireless technologies being built into each
generation of mobile devices. One such wireless technology now available is
Near Field Communication (NFC). A library’s decision to allocate resources to
building and supporting NFC-based services will be partly based on the
number of customers with devices that can use the technology. The rate of
NFC development in libraries will largely depend on librarians having a basic
understanding of the technology, allowing them research and deploy pilot
projects and share their knowledge and experiences. This column provides
an overview of wireless technologies and describes the basic features of
the NFC technology. It also discusses considerations that can help guide libraries
when developing their mobile technology strategies.