Ramapo College has just launched two mobile applications to make life a little easier and more convenient for students.
The Ramapo College Library and Ramapo Mobile apps give students full access to resources and information through their smart phones.
According to library lab assistant Danielle Corcione, “admissions was particularly enthusiastic about it just because it’s a way to promote Ramapo as an institution.”
The library locator tab on the library app tells roadrunners the study center’s location, hours and phone number, while the catalog tab allows them to search for books and movies.Students have to sign into the library app with their R number in the username field and last name in the password field.
Corcione mentioned she has noticed a drop in the number of students in the library asking questions and for help.
“[The app] has a bigger presence in people’s lives. As far as like studying, I think it’ll make at least first-year students more aware of the library, where it is, how easy it is to do research there and whatnot,” she added.
The mobile college app gives students access to the course catalog, staff directory, academic calendars, shuttle schedules, maps, athletics, news and events. Unlike the library app, the Ramapo Mobile app was somewhat difficult to find through the applications icon on a phone, and had to be downloaded from the “downloads” section of the school site.
Bill Johnston, the school’s Applications manager and programmer for the college app, explained how they came up with idea for a Ramapo app.
“Our software vendor who supplies Banner, the main administrative software for the college, offered the shell of the App,” he began. “And after seeing what the possibilities were, I suggested that we find a programmer with the correct skill set to help us use that shell to created the Ramapo Mobile App,” concluded Johnston.
Samantha Wittenberg worked with Elizabeth Siecke, the Ramapo College Librarian and Dean, and Tibor Csokasi, Systems and Special Projects Administrator, on obtaining a library grant that eventually paid for the Ramapo College Library application.
“I just checked with the app developer and the number of downloads for August 2012 was…166,” Wittenberg said. The numbers for September are not yet available. “We didn’t really start promoting the app until the first day of classes,” she added.
The Ramapo Mobile application in particular is very impressive; it has so many capabilities- I would describe it as a more organized and trimmed down version of the school’s mobile site.
“I think the college app is great because a lot of times when I try and go on my iPhone to the Ramapo website it’s hard to get around because you have to scroll a lot and zoom in,” junior Alyssa Covello said.
“This app is so much easier to quickly see my professor’s info, or my schedule or my grades. My favorite features of both apps have to be the personalized ones. Students can sign into their accounts to view class schedules and information in the “Ramapo Mobile” app, and can renew and request books through the “Ramapo College Library” app.
“I think it’s a great way for students to have access to the library because a lot of people don’t even want to walk to the library just to renew their books,” added Covello. I know with me, personally, I don’t like to go to the library at all because I’m too lazy,” she explained.
According to Johnston, the school will be keeping up with any improvements and changes that the vendor makes. Ramapo will soon be testing a new version and appreciates all feedback. So far, feedback has been “all positive,” stated Johnston.
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etarkazi@ramapo.edu
