Engaging with Expensive Tech Inexpensively

Too often, high tech is synonymous with high cost! As libraries seek to incorporate emerging technologies into our organizations, how can we deliver valuable tech experiences to our patrons without breaking the bank?

Mobile Has Increased Affordability

Modern smartphones and tablets are now widely available and extremely powerful. Since the release of the ARKit and ARCore developer kits, Android and Apple mobile devices have a plethora of augmented reality apps and experiences designed specifically for them. According to Statista, 85% of adults in the United States own a smartphone, meaning they are already in possession of an AR capable device. For libraries, an iPad is a versatile, relatively inexpensive entry point to introducing AR technology with patrons. Contrast the affordability of mobile devices with a high-end augmented reality headset, such as the Microsoft Hololens 2, whose base model retails at $3,500!

In addition to augmented reality, a smartphone can pair with Google Cardboard to become a virtual reality (VR) headset, and can capture 360 panoramas that can serve as an entrypoint to a VR tour. A smartphone or tablet can serve as a simple (but effective) 3D scanner with the installation of a relatively inexpensive app, potentially saving you thousands of dollars!

Identify Inexpensive Ways to Engage with Emerging Technologies

Expensive technologies often have an inexpensive point of entry. This may require that you modify plans or think creatively, but the results can still allow library patrons to gain critical access to an emerging technology. Consider 3D printing. High-end 3D printers can cost five thousand dollars, with even many budget models still approaching four figures. Switching your gaze from hardware to software, however, yields a plethora of free design software, including TinkerCAD, Blender, ZBrushCoreMini, and others.

The focus on design allows us to freely create, without the cost of a 3D printer or filament. Slicing software such as Cura can still allow us to examine the "printability" of a design without actually printing. 3D designs can be engaged with using the aforementioned AR technologies via mobile device; Merge Object Viewer is just one option available for iOS and Android.

Use Limited Budgets as a Way to Focus

While an infinite budget would always be my preference, the real world requires that we operate within a fixed budget, one which is often less than we had hoped for! If infinite budget equals infinite possibilities, a limited budget translates to limited possibilities. Treat these limitations as a way to focus your efforts and shape your approach on what is achievable. Simply put, eliminate hardware and software that is out of your price range, and tailor your approach accordingly. This may mean a reliance on mobile hardware, a focus on particular aspects of a technology (much as we focused on 3d design over 3d printing), and the curation of free/and or open-source software options.

Until Next Time

I hope you've found this article helpful! I'm always happy to talk tech if you're looking for a speaker for your library event. Looking to integrate emerging technologies at your library? Consider checking out the book Best Technologies for Public Libraries: Policies, Programs, and Services.