Augmented Reality Navigation App and Metadata Icon Design for Children’s Library

Abstract

Innovative services, digital technology, and quality information are increasingly required in libraries to meet the needs of digital natives (i.e., children). The information-seeking behaviours of children in the process of book selection, searching, browsing, and using a library differ significantly from adults. In this study, we have developed an augmented reality (AR) navigation app to help children find books and bring children a novel library experience.

Based upon the knowledge structure of children and how they perceive the thematic order of books, we designed visual interfaces for the AR navigation app, targeting children between the ages of 6 and 12. In order to align with their cognitive abilities and reduce their cognitive load, this study changed each subject category into a graphical icon. We also designed a corresponding monster icon for each user category, which will assist the children in navigating the positions of bookcases in the library. The interesting presentations not only evoke curiosity in children while allowing them to learn about the meanings of the subject categories, but our presentations also enable the children to explore the diverse range of physical books and abundant digital learning resources within the library.

The ability to navigate was achieved by constructing an indoor positioning system that combined iBeacon with our AR navigation app system while utilizing important physical markers and virtual visual icons within the library. The above app can be used to accumulate electronic records from various information systems and interfaces and thus allow children to better locate materials or books that they seek in a smart library. Furthermore, we employed big data to determine the correlation between “children of different needs or preferences” and “their information-seeking behaviours” in order to better understand the future development of smart libraries.