Title

Making Sense Of An Academic Library Web Site: Toward A More Usable Interface For University Researchers

Keywords

Affinity maps; Interface design; Search strategies; Think-aloud protocol; Usability; User-centered design

Abstract

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. © 2008 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Publication Title

Journal of Web Librarianship

Volume

2

Issue

2-3

Number of Pages

177-204

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1080/19322900802205742

Socpus ID

85009630243 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85009630243

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