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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Recurso educativo Open Access |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
2008
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ891734 |
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Table of Contents:
- Making Sense of an Academic Library Web Site: Toward a More Usable Interface for University Researchers Kitalong, Karla Saari Hoeppner, Athena Scharf, Meg Protocol Analysis Academic Libraries Web Sites Users (Information) User Needs (Information) Researchers Computer Interfaces Search Strategies Search Engines Library Personnel College Faculty College Students Information Seeking Access to Information Research Methodology Testing Pilot Projects Library patrons familiar with Web searching conventions often find library searching to be less familiar and even intimidating. This article describes and evaluates a series of usability research studies employing two different and popular methodologies: user-centered redesign and usability testing. Card sorting and affinity mapping were used to conceptualize how information should be classified and presented on the library's main page. Usability scenarios and think-aloud protocols were used to explore how students, especially those new to the campus, conceptualize the information-seeking process and how they go about conducting a search. Participants included library employees, university faculty, staff, and students. These methods can be replicated by any library, large or small, and demonstrate that even small-scale usability evaluations can improve patrons' understanding of and access to library resources. (Contains 6 figures, 6 tables and 28 notes.)