Library Terms That Users (Don't) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021

Fuente: ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Courtney McDonald, Nicole Trujillo
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 2024
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author Courtney McDonald
Nicole Trujillo
author_facet Courtney McDonald
Nicole Trujillo
Courtney McDonald
Nicole Trujillo
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents Library Terms That Users (Don't) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021 Courtney McDonald Nicole Trujillo Academic Libraries Users (Information) Web Sites Usability Guidelines Vocabulary Jargon Classification Information Seeking Search Strategies Misconceptions This paper compares website usability--specifically library users' understanding of library terms--for fifty-one original research studies between 2012-2021, with the findings of John Kupersmith's 2011 white paper "Library Terms That Users Understand." Studies reported approximately twice as many terms that users didn't understand than terms users did understand, with some terms appearing in both categories. Analysis of the findings suggests a majority of Kupersmith's guidelines remain applicable to today's online environment, with some adjustments related to technology advances. We propose an additional guideline that acknowledges the role non-library websites play in guiding how users interact with library terminology.
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_EJ1439776
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 2024
record_format eric
spellingShingle Library Terms That Users (Don't) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021
Courtney McDonald
Nicole Trujillo
Academic Libraries
Users (Information)
Web Sites
Usability
Guidelines
Vocabulary
Jargon
Classification
Information Seeking
Search Strategies
Misconceptions
Library Terms That Users (Don't) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021 Courtney McDonald Nicole Trujillo Academic Libraries Users (Information) Web Sites Usability Guidelines Vocabulary Jargon Classification Information Seeking Search Strategies Misconceptions This paper compares website usability--specifically library users' understanding of library terms--for fifty-one original research studies between 2012-2021, with the findings of John Kupersmith's 2011 white paper "Library Terms That Users Understand." Studies reported approximately twice as many terms that users didn't understand than terms users did understand, with some terms appearing in both categories. Analysis of the findings suggests a majority of Kupersmith's guidelines remain applicable to today's online environment, with some adjustments related to technology advances. We propose an additional guideline that acknowledges the role non-library websites play in guiding how users interact with library terminology.
title Library Terms That Users (Don't) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021
topic Academic Libraries
Users (Information)
Web Sites
Usability
Guidelines
Vocabulary
Jargon
Classification
Information Seeking
Search Strategies
Misconceptions
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1439776