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ERIC Number: EJ891734
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1932-2909
EISSN: N/A
Making Sense of an Academic Library Web Site: Toward a More Usable Interface for University Researchers
Kitalong, Karla Saari; Hoeppner, Athena; Scharf, Meg
Journal of Web Librarianship, v2 n2-3 p177-204 2008
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.)
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A