Mobile phone library service: seat management system based on WeChat

Purpose This paper proposes a systematic method to manage students to use limited seat resources in Chinese university libraries, with the aid of mobile phone app, at the same time, its use is being investigated. Design/methodology/approach Use mixed research methods, quantitative and qualitative research. Through observation, questionnaire and interview to achieve research purpose. The survey was conducted in the library of Nanjing agricultural university. Findings The result shows system can offer convenient, accurate, more personalized, mobility service to each user. Actual average seat usage rate is over 51.7% in a day, most of users are satisfied with the seat management system, students' satisfaction degree are 94.8%. It is also an extension of mobile phone library service. Originality/value Seat management system innovate traditional people-oriented service mode of study room into smart, readers can browse usage information of seats anytime and anywhere, get what they want, service become fast and convenient. In period of COVID-19, the seat system also plays an important role, it is easy for librarians to control the number of students to enter, the trajectory of readers in the library can be tracked and the possible epidemic risk can be accurately prevented and controlled.