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I think iPads are great tools to be used in libraries. Are you guys iRoving or looking into it? On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 3:11 PM, Ian Walls <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The original (white) Square reader is unencrypted, and the output can be > read by an app, but you'll need to a) know how to write an app for the > platform(s) you wish, and b) figure out how to decode the serial data, > which > isn't particularly well documented out there in the world. > > If you're using Chrome Canary, you can load up this page: > http://webaudiodemos.appspot.com/AudioRecorder/index.html and connect a > Square, and see an oscilloscope output of the data. Again, you'd have to > interpret what that serial data means for you, but this is the kind of > stuff > that will eventually be possible with HTML5, once it's widely adopted. > > Camera access is also forthcoming in HTML5, so there may come a time when > you can natively do barcode scanning using the rear-facing camera of your > tablet/smart device. > > For now, while things still require mobile apps, the most sustainable > solution may be to develop the app in Phonegap (http://phonegap.com/) so > it's already in HTML5 when the technology is finally ready to just do this > in the browser instead of a compiled app. > > Or, Bluetooth. That works too. > > -Ian > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Jason Griffey > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 1:27 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Tablets to help with circulation services > > FWIW: All of the card-readers I've tested (Square, Paypal) require their > particular apps to "read"...there's no generic output that's readable by > the > device. > > At least on iOS, access to the camera is via an API only accessible by an > app, which means no generic browser based access to the camera output > either. If you were to write an iOS app, of course, all bets are off...you > could do what you wanted with the camera, including barcode reading. > > Android is much less locked down than iOS, but I'm not as familiar with it. > > If I were doing this, I'd look into using a bluetooth scanner in combo with > the tablet. In that case, the scanner just presents as if it were a > keyboard, passing the data off to the tablet just as if it were keyed in. > That would work in-browser, in app, or where ever. We're considering this > model as a possibility for some services in our new building, with the > hangup being desensitization of the materials after checkout. > > Jason > > > On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 11:34 AM, Stephen Francoeur < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > We're looking into ways that tablets might be used by library staff > > assisting patrons in a long line at the circ desk. With a tablet, an > > additional staff person could pick folks off the line who might have > > things that can be handled on a properly outfitted tablet. > > > > I am wondering if anyone has any examples of a library using the > > camera on a tablet to scan barcodes on library materials (for check > > out or check in) or if anyone has used one of those magnetic stripe > > readers that you can attach to some tablets (such as the Square > > Register for the iPad which can be used to process credit cards)? I'm > > sure it's been done with a netbook; we're solely interested in doing this > with a tablet. > > > > We're trying to see if we can install the GUI for Ex Libris Aleph on a > > tablet running Microsoft RT. If this might work on tablets running > > Android or iOS, that would be interesting as well. > > > > Any examples or thoughts about this would be most welcome. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Stephen Francoeur > > > > User Experience Librarian > > > > Newman Library > > > > Room 516 > > > > Baruch College > > > > 151 E. 25th Street > > > > New York, NY 10010 > > > > > > > > 646.312.1620 > > > > [log in to unmask] > > > > http://stephenfrancoeur.com > > > -- Cornel Darden Jr. MSLIS "Compound interest is the greatest invention in the history of mankind." - Albert Einstein-