Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library is working to maximize students’ social media education and convenience through specialized workshops and updated technology.
Frances Coleman, dean of libraries, said these modernized resources aim to make the library conducive to academic success and information literacy.
“Our goal is to bring to students as much technology and connected programs as possible to help them in coursework and learning to evaluate what they read,” she said.
More white boards will be added to study rooms, and tables with outlets on the top will make rooms more laptop-friendly, Coleman said.
Students and faculty can expect to see a new large television screen in the auditorium. Several screens will also be added to rooms outside the library’s administration facilities on the third floor.
Stephen Cunetto, the library’s administrator of systems, said increase of mobile applications puts library resources at students’ fingertips.
“You can now search the catalog and have the call number texted to your cell phone, which makes it easier to find a book on the shelves,” he said.
Students can also use library resources without leaving Facebook, Cunetto said.
“Within the past six months, a new app allows the library catalog to be searched within Facebook. If students “like” a book, it will show up on their news feed page,” he said.
The research guide for mobile resources at blogs.library.msstate.edu/webservices/?cat=18can help library users determine which mobile apps are suited for their research and MSU-specific needs, such as apps for transit maps, tours of the library and MSU athletics.
Beth Downey, the instructional services librarian and assistant professor, said the combination of library services and mobile applications promotes research opportunities anytime, anywhere.
The EBSCOhost search engine, regarded as one of the world’s premium research services, is now available to students through their phones. 
“Students can use the EBSCOhost Mobile app for searching for articles, journals or books on their phones, just as they would on a computer, ” Downey said.
The BookMyne app provides access to library services, such as scanning barcodes to see if a book is available and social recommendation searches that allow searching for books and titles friends have read.
“BookMyne allows users to search the library’s catalogs and access databases from their smartphones or iPods and is downloadable through iTunes,” Downey said.
Cunetto said social media presence will last forever and students should take advantage of the library’s wide range of educational workshops on utilizing and navigating social media.
“One workshop might cover the basics and another will show students how to download content the library has onto a nook. Students can learn how to use the iPad with e-books, download related services free of charge, and use them effectively in and out of the classroom,” he said.
Upcoming library workshops include “iMovie on the iPad” at 10 a.m. and “Using Alert Services” at 3 p.m. on Sept. 21, and “What’s Hot in Social Media on Campus” at 10 a.m. and “BookMyne” at 3 p.m. on Sept. 27.
Visit library.msstate.edufor a full list of the fall 2012 workshops.
Students can download the apps from the library’s mobile website at library.msstate.edu/m.