Quick Response Codes allow users to scan a two dimensional barcode and receive A LOT of information.

A QR Code is a matrix barcode that is readable with a smartphone or other mobile phone with a camera. QR Code stands for Quick Response Code, because they access information immediately. They can also be called 2D Codes, 2D Barcodes, Matrix Code, and Mobile Codes.

They were invented in 1994 in Japan by Denso-Wave, a Toyota subsidiary. Denso-Wave holds the patent to QR Code technology, but they decided to make the technology freely available to the public. QR Codes have been widely used in Japan for years (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins).

One QR Code can hold up to:

QR Codes can link to:

7,089 4,296 2,953 1,817

Numeric Only Characters Alphanumberic Characters Binary (8 bits) Bytes Kanji Characters (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins)

They can also be encoded with text (Ashford)

URLs Phone numbers Instant Messaging or SMS messaging services V-cards (electronic business cards)

Have you tried scanning one?

Commercial Tracking
Capture statistics on who has scanned

Logistics
Tracking mailed items

Inventory Control Advertising

Embedding product and warranty information

Air Travel
Boarding Passes

Museums
Virtual Tours (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins)

Many phones now have QR Code Readers already installed on them. If your phone has a QR Code Reader, simply take a photo of the QR Code and the embedded information will appear on your camera.

If you have a phone, with a camera, that doesnt have a QR Code Reader. . . You can get one easily, usually for free, from multiple online sites.

BeeTag: http://www.beetagg.com/en/ Kaywa: http://www.kaywa.com/ Microsoft Tag: http://tag.microsoft.com/home.aspx Nokia Mobile: http://mobilecodes.nokia.com/scan.htm QuickMark: http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/index.asp UpCode: http://www.upcode.com/

While, QR Codes are cool in their own right, they actually have lots of library uses: Information Literacy Education Basic Tools Education Information Seeking Readers Advisory Displays Marketing Even Shelving

Link to instructional videos Link to authoritative electronic resources Link to a quiz that tests and reinforce knowledge learned

Link to in depth print instructions Link print materials to online resources on the same topic, such as:

Previous Editions Educational and Government Websites Podcasts (Walsh)

Layafette College Library created a game utilizing QR Codes that that teaches participants about the library along the way (Porter & King)

Kentucky State University Librarians suggested using QR Codes to link students to a short quiz to assess their knowledge before a lecture (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins)

Link to step-by-step instructions for how to use mechanical devices:

Copiers Scanners Printers Microfilm machines Value Transfer Stations

University of Colorado at Boulder librarians created location specific signs. Those posted above copiers included the question: How do I copy? with a QR Code to scan for the answer.

Link from the book shelves to subject index for what is shelved there (Porter & King) Link to catalog record that allows user to upload call number information to mobile device (Ashford) (Porter & King) & (Walsh)

Link to an explanation of the contents of a special collection (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins) Link to an explanation of shelving practices Link to maps and video tours of the facility (Hicks & Sinkinson)

Link to Read Alike books for popular titles (Porter & King) Link to other books in a series for all series titles

Link to Amazon for customer reviews, book images, and tie-ins (Hicks & Sinkinson) Link to music sites for music reviews

Abilene Christian University Librarians created a display of books & photographs around the book Same Kind of Different as Me.

Using QR Codes to connect to:

Videos of related events Complicated catalog searches Podcasts Online registrations for volunteer opportunities

Link to a librarys text message reference service and other contact information (Ashford)

Link to reservation making tools for Community Use Room Ashford) & (Hicks & Sinkinson)

Link to the library calendar of events

Link to renewal functions (Hicks & Sinkinson)

Link to the librarys Facebook or other online community page (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins)
Link to download of mobile catalog app (Porter & King)

Link to trailers for DVD s in the librarys collection (Ashford) Link to audiobooks (Porter & King) and music (Ashford) in the librarys collection Link audiobooks to author interviews (Ashford)

Link to reviews of books in the librarys collection, written by in house librarians, patrons, or on Amazon Link to collection related activities, for example, Author Lectures.

Kentucky State University librarians always need help shelving, but many work-study students do not work in the library long enough to learn their shelving system.

Using QR Codes allows student workers, with little training, to help with the essential task of sorting and shelving books. Scanned QR Codes provide all necessary shelving information.

Most of the sites listed earlier also allow you to generate QR Codes through them.
BeeTag: http://www.beetagg.com/en/ Kaywa: http://www.kaywa.com/ Microsoft Tag: http://tag.microsoft.com/home.aspx QuickMark: http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/index.asp UpCode: http://www.upcode.com/

Well use this site, because its the one Im the most familiar with: http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ But first, we need something we want to link to, like your local librarys webpage or even a Facebook page. Go to what ever page you want to link to and copy the URL. Now, go to the Kaywa QR Code Generator.

Be sure this is set to URL

Paste your URL here

Select the size you want. I made a Large QR Code.

Click Generate

Here are some options for saving the new QR Code.

Information embedded in [QR Codes] can be changed and updated without the extra expense of creating new codes for new promotions (Hampton, Peach, Rawlins). QR Codes follow an international standard (ISO/IEC18004) that makes the many. . .applications that create and decode these QR codes interoperable (Walsh)

As library users have become increasingly dependent on electronic access, librarians have worked to enhance their virtual presence with services such as instant messaging, with learning tools such as online research guides, and with research resources such as electronic databases. While these services are indeed valuable, the physical library remains an essential factor in supporting the research and learning needs of users (Hicks & Sinkinson, p. 60-1).

Ashford, R. (Nov 2010). QR Codes and academic libraries: Reaching mobile users. ACRL TechConnect. p. 526-530. Baker, L. (2010). Making physicaloObjects clickable: Using mobile tags to enhance library displays. Journal of Library Innovation.

1(2). p.22-28.

Hampton, D., Peach, A. and Rawlins, B. (Spring 2011). Reaching mobile users with QR codes. Kentucky Libraries. 75 (2) p. 6-10 Hicks, A. and Sinkinson, C. (2011). Situated questions and answers: Responding to library users with QR Codes. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 51 (1). p. 6069 Porter, M. and King, D.L. (May/June 2011). QR Codes in libraries: Some examples. Public Libraries 50 (3). p. 25-7. Rigby, L. (March 2009)."QR Codes in libraries and higher education." Just Another Dent in the Damage. Downloaded from http://www.lexrigby.com/2009/03/26/qr-codes-in-libraries-andhigher-education/ 11/15/11. Walsh A. (2010). QR Codes using mobile phones to deliver library instruction and help at the point of need. Journal of information literacy, 4(1), p. 55-64

http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL/article/view/PRA-V4-I1-2010-4