The State Library of Kansas has been experimenting with setting up small stand-up posters within our library stacks with QR code generators linking library users to online versions of nearby paper serials.
A QR code generator (see the photo above) looks at first glance like a Jackson Pollock masterpiece. But rather than abstract art a QR code is a matrix bar code that contains information about an item... such as a link to a collection within the KGI Online Library! Using a QR code reader app on a cell phone one can bring up the web location for the documents on this poster's QR code and save that location to use later.
We currently have about four of these QR code generator posters in our library stacks. We have plans for adding more. They work well for directing people who would rather browse the stacks than use the catalog or people wanting to do in depth research online away from the library.
"Oh my gosh! I can look at this at home rather than sitting in the library!" (Not that sitting in the library is a bad thing of course!)
We're going to see if these QR code posters increase usage and hopefully report back months from now that the project has been a success. Yes, you may call me a cockeyed optimist! But heck, I'm a librarian... Optimism goes with the territory.