Editorial Team: Proceedings of the Rural ICT Development Conference ’07 (RICTD’07), 20 – 21 November, Executive Development Centre (EDC), UUM. © Faculty of Information Technology, Universiti Utara Malaysia. 2007 MOBILE-BASED LIBRARY LOAN SERVICE (MBLLS) Naji Shukri Alzaza & Abdul Nasir Z. Faculty of Information Technology, Universiti Utara Malaysia, 06010, UUM Sintok Kedah, MALAYSIA. naji_sh@yahoo.com & nasirzul@uum.edu.my ABSTRACT Most libraries provide book reservation and renewal services through the library counter as well as online computer. However, through the counter, these services are only available during office hours. Even though through online computer, users are able to access the services anytime, but they must be connected to the Internet which limits their access to these services. Since the need of library users have increased tremendously, an alternative technology is required. Thus, mobile technology has been identified as a potential alternative since it is able to provide the two services anytime and anywhere. This paper discusses a prototype Mobile-Based Library Loan Service (MBLLS), a facility which has been developed for library users to access online library services through mobile devices. MBLLS was developed for book reservation and renewal services. Results of user evaluation on the MBLLS indicate that it has good usability in terms of Usefulness, Ease of Use and Outcome/Future Use. The results also indicate that there is a significant difference between novice and expert users for Usefulness and Ease of Use, while no significant difference for Outcome/Future Use. Keywords: Mobile Technology, Library Loan Services, Mobile Loan Service 1.0 INTRODUCTION Mobile technologies are rapidly growing, and they have played an important role in the management of relations between people in social, economic and in everyday life [1, 2]. Throughout history, people need to have access to information. Previously, they have to obtain information from scientists, clergy, libraries and universities. However, today people can access information without the need for such efforts [3]. The need remains, but the acquisition ways have changed to suit people’s needs. With the rapid growth of the means of communication, the learning and education has adopted technology based systems such as E-learning [4], distance learning (DL) [5] and mobile learning (M-Learning) which is an approach of E-learning [6]. Libraries are considered as the most important tools of education in all stages, whether in high level education or at the school level. Some of library services do not offer electronic loan operations, and others lack complete loan operations. It depends on the library staff to carry out such operations. However, Library systems and e-learning systems actually need to interact in a variety of ways [7]. Consequently, the needs of library users have increased rapidly. And their needs should be available every where and every time rather than anywhere and anytime. Thus, to overcome the lack of loan services and to meet user s’ needs, this paper proposes Mobile-Based Library Loan Service which utilises mobile technology that allows users to carry out operations every where at all time. 2.0 MOBILE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS Mobile applications increasingly affect the diffusion of information as well as business activity. They gain broad acceptance due to the increased need in supporting the mobile workforce and the rapid improvement in the devices and wireless technologies for communication. Many mobile applications provide personal services such as sending and viewing email, browsing the world wide web (WWW), viewing traffic and weather reports , watching movies and chatting with others [8]. Mobile services appear to be an obvious choice for travel and tourism as the travellers are on the move, which is the first criterion for mobile services to be relevant. Nevertheless, based on a study conducted by [9] in 2003; few users have expressed their desire to use their mobile phone whenever possible. The travel and tourism industry have been undergoing many dramatic changes during the last decade, due to the possibilities offered by Internet technology. Based on a study by [10] which focuses on the improvement of organizational infrastructure for campus and student needs, it indicates that there are still many weaknesses in the current version of Wireless Application Protocol