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1.
Academic libraries offer a variety of tools for students to find information, including discovery systems and traditional library databases. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on student information-seeking behaviors by comparing how upper-level students majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences use these two categories of search tools. Student search behavior and the use of search features, facets in particular, are quantified for each tool. The authors explore with statistical analyses whether these practices aid or hinder students in their search for high quality information. Qualitative data from student interviews is selectively employed to aid in explaining the results. Key findings include the differential use of search features in the discovery system versus the traditional database, and the relationships between the use of certain facets and the quality of sources chosen by students. Implications for instruction, search interface configuration, and default settings are discussed.  相似文献   

2.
Like many libraries, the Bridge Consortium (the shared library of Carleton College and St. Olaf College) had outgrown the existing catalog and needed to find an improved search interface for collections. Seeking something that would work with the existing Innovative Interfaces Inc.'s Millennium integrated library system, researchers explored everything from catalog enhancements provided by Innovative Interfaces to a completely separate, Web-scale discovery tool. For the past year, they worked to implement VuFind as a catalog overlay, continually customizing and enhancing it based on user feedback. At the same time, they continued to research a broader solution and recommended a discovery tool to their consortium leadership group that they believe will redefine student research at their colleges and give new shape and direction to their consortium. By thinking of discovery as more than a product and staggering their implementation, they were better able to meet their consortium's needs. This article details their evaluation process and provides reflection on the decisions made. Many libraries are considering Web-scale discovery products. As part of the process, they confront questions about open source tools, Web site redesigns, incorporating user feedback, and consortial needs. The researchers hope to contribute to these libraries' processes by outlining their process and considerations, and what they learned along the way to arrive at their current solution.  相似文献   

3.
Abstract

Usability and user experience are an important factor in the overall value of products and services offered by law libraries. User experience evaluation tools can help librarians make better decisions for their users when choosing databases to purchase or subscribe to, designing a library website, or selecting and implementing discovery layers. This article describes an array of evaluation tools and discusses how and when they can be implemented in the law library context.  相似文献   

4.
ABSTRACT

Discovery tools are used in libraries to bring together books, articles, and other resources. Research has focused on user and librarian evaluation of these tools, but there are few evaluations of non-book and non-article sources. Discovery tools can also include metadata for local collections harvested through the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). Creating these harvests can be time consuming for staff, so it is important for libraries to understand if and how patrons use these records. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries (UNL Libraries) harvests metadata from local collections into the Encore discovery tool. A study was conducted to analyze patron use of OAI-harvested records. This study analyzed usage data for harvested collections obtained from different discovery sources and referrals through Encore. Google Analytics was used to evaluate searcher behavior differences between content referred through Encore and other referrals. Although discovery through Encore did not result in high numbers of traffic, there is evidence that patrons who discover records through Encore take more time looking through records than patrons using other discovery methods. This increase in time is a measure of engagement and may be reason enough for libraries to consider adding OAI-harvested collections to their discovery tool.  相似文献   

5.
Some librarians embrace discovery tools while others refuse to use them. This lack of consensus can have consequences for student learning when there is inconsistent use, especially in large-scale instruction programs. The authors surveyed academic librarians whose institutions have a discovery tool and who teach information literacy classes in order to identify barriers to using them and to develop strategies to effectively integrate them into instruction. The authors used the survey results and recent studies on the research habits of undergraduates to propose strategies for integrating the discovery tool at the programmatic level in a more meaningful and sustainable way.  相似文献   

6.
Web-scale discovery systems are gaining momentum among academic libraries as libraries seek a means to provide their users with a one-stop searching experience. Illinois State University's Milner Library found itself in the unique position of having access to two distinct discovery products, EBSCO Discovery Service and Serials Solutions’ Summon. Two researchers at Milner conducted a usability study for the former product in 2010, and now two other researchers, including one involved with the EBSCO Discovery Service study, have conducted the same study on the latter product. The goals of the study were twofold: first, to identify user behavior while using discovery systems’ search features and to see whether using these features would improve the user's searching experience, and second, to compare user experiences with EBSCO Discovery Service and Summon at Illinois State University. The similarities and differences in user expectations, use, manipulation, and satisfaction with both discovery tools are explored in this article, with the ancillary hope that libraries investigating discovery tools might be able to make a more thoroughly informed choice in acquiring their own Web-scale discovery system.  相似文献   

7.
Within the next few years, traditional online public access catalogs will be replaced by more robust and interconnected discovery layers that can serve as primary public interfaces to simultaneously search many separate collections of resources. Librarians have envisioned this type of discovery tool since the 1980s, and research shows that discovery layer functionality and features have already resolved, or will soon remedy, many of the known issues with the traditional online public access catalog. The authors of this article review the literature on discovery, focusing on the evolution from the traditional online public access catalog to newer discovery interfaces, and summarize what has been published regarding the selection and evaluation of these new tools. Based on this review, emerging trends in the acquisition of discovery layers are described, including: the amount of time libraries devote to selection and evaluation, the staff involved and their areas of expertise, which discovery tools were selected to review, the evaluation methods used, and the features and functionality evaluated. The authors conclude with a discussion of the opportunities and concerns for libraries and their patrons related to discovery efforts, and provide direction for future research. While discovery layers are still developing, they show great promise in increasing the use and usability of library resources.  相似文献   

8.
Discovery tools have been widely adopted by academic libraries, yet little information exists that connects common practices regarding discovery tool implementation, maintenance, assessment, and staffing with conventions for research and instruction. The authors surveyed heads of reference and instruction departments in research and land-grant university libraries. The survey results revealed common practices with discovery tools among academic libraries. This study also draws connections between operational, instructional, and assessment practices and perceptions that participants have of the success of their discovery tool. Participants who indicated successful implementation of their discovery tool hailed from institutions that made significant commitments to the operations, maintenance, and acceptance of their discovery tool. Participants who indicated an unsuccessful implementation, or who were unsure about the success of their implementation, did not make lasting commitments to the technical maintenance, operations, and acceptance of their discovery tool.  相似文献   

9.
《The Reference Librarian》2013,54(91-92):117-138
Summary

The structure of ready reference Web sites in American public and academic libraries reflects answers to consistently encountered design questions. A survey of 100 Web sites shows widespread agreement about naming these resources, using subject categories, and relying on free unlicensed Web sources for content. Opinions are divided about the optimum number of listed sources and the best ways to organize hot links. Guides and explanations rarely are provided for users. Librarians have not built these sites around commercial products, although advanced search features could make the purchase of ready reference tools more appealing. Further study of user behavior would help librarians meet the needs of their clientele.  相似文献   

10.
Academic library websites need to support a variety of users (student, faculty, staff, administrator, alumni, etc.) with intellectual pursuits related to research, teaching, and learning, in addition to being user-friendly, valuable and informative. Although the CUNY Queens College Library (QCL) website has been redesigned multiple times, there has not been a formal user research study of the website and its users to inform the redesign. Taking a user-centered approach, specifically the user-centered design (UCD) methodology, this study explores users of an urban academic library website in the United States through the use of triangulation, a mixed-methods approach that includes user survey, user interviews, and website analysis. The findings reveal that the majority of users like the QCL website and find the content valuable for teaching and research, but users also thought the website design was dated (not a modern design), some of the content was inconsistent, and access of all types emerged as a major theme. The results provide recommendations for the library website redesign and are important in helping librarians of similar libraries use triangulation of data to gain a multidimensional understanding of their users in order to inform the design and development of library websites.  相似文献   

11.
The success or failure of any tool, service or system used in a library is predicated on the audience it finds. While web-scale discovery systems have developed widespread adoption in academic libraries, there is a sense from librarians that they continue to be in search of their true audience. Librarians play a key role in the utilization of web-scale discovery systems, and their experiences as an end user of these systems may influence their attitudes in many ways. The survey discussed in this article looks at the attitudes librarians have toward web-scale discovery systems when using them for their personal research, including feature preferences and inquiries into opinions regarding strengths and weaknesses of the system. The results of this survey provide some insights into why some librarians struggle with the idea using of web-scale discovery systems by themselves and by the patrons with which they work.  相似文献   

12.
ABSTRACT

Academic libraries are taking a closer look at how well they are serving the needs of their users. As a result assessment activities become more important. In this column, the authors will focus on and describe one major tool of assessment—the user survey.  相似文献   

13.
Abstract

Should libraries use virtual personal assistants (VPAs), such as Siri and Alexa, within the physical library? VPAs are interfaces that support users with information retrieval and task performance. They are largely proprietary software and hardware that exist in numerous, consumer-driven fields. They function as powerful tools for data aggregation that combine speed, user experience, and accuracy, making them of interest to libraries. These technologies are mainly unregulated and face issues of interoperability outside their own ecosystems, or system of compatibility. As a result, VPAs rely on a number of other digital and mechanical components to function, making their infrastructure fragile and their ability to parse and understand language unreliable or slow. While VPAs have the potential to enhance library search experiences, they also have the capacity to record and profit off patron data, calling into question issues surrounding privacy, confidentiality, and ethics.  相似文献   

14.
Users' perceptions of university library websites: A unifying view   总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1  
University libraries have invested a large amount of resources into digitizing information for the Web, yet scholars and practitioners question the value of this investment due to a lack of use of university library website resources (ULWR). Addressing this concern, researchers have investigated the use of ULWR and offered insights into the problem. However, studies have employed a single perspective rather than a comprehensive approach; as a result, the findings shed light on only part of the use issue. Also, existing studies have consistently reported that users with different academic roles have distinct usage patterns of ULWR and information sources. But they have not considered a wide range of users or systematically investigated such differences. This study examines these differences. This study examines (a) the user perspective, derived from technology adoption literature; (b) the website design perspective, embedded in human computer interaction literature; and (c) the library service quality perspective, based on information science literature. The second area is addressed by surveying a wide range of users, categorizing them based on their academic role differences, and then comparing their use of ULWR and information sources, thereby highlighting distinctive usage patterns. Research based on the responses of 315 participants shows that while users favorably rated factors derived from the perspectives of user and library service qualities for ULWR use, they perceived university library websites as somewhat difficult to use. Also, distinct user patterns are observed in this dataset.  相似文献   

15.
ABSTRACT

This article provides perspective on the research habits of Millennials, placing them in generational context while questioning whether adherence to generational differences hinders educational pedagogy. An exploratory survey at Pima Community College (PCC) East Campus provides context from which Millennial behaviors, commonly perceived by faculty and in literature, can be scrutinized. The article discusses the preference for experiential learning across generations and the misnomer of the digital native, while discussing the student as information consumer and the consumer behavior behind library use. The significance of customer service and user education to library use is demonstrated. The future of libraries is discussed to include service barriers and the outlook that the Web is enhancing rather than eliminating the need for libraries.  相似文献   

16.
ABSTRACT

Academic libraries customize, support, and provide access to myriad information systems, each with complex graphical user interfaces. The number of possible information entry points on an academic library Web site is both daunting to the end-user and consistently challenging to library Web site designers. Faced with the challenges inherent in designing online search interfaces and the ever-growing amount of resources available online, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries sought to explore how to build effective search interfaces that, at the same time, support a wide variety of computer users and provide comprehensive access to assorted collections of electronic resources. Over a nine-month period, the libraries designed, implemented, and tracked the usage of two different search interfaces on their home page. Each interface allowed users to choose between four different search targets. In this case study, the authors discuss the complexities of designing search interfaces, outline findings from the nine-month study, evaluate the effectiveness of the two interface designs, and talk about future research in these areas.  相似文献   

17.
ABSTRACT

This case study aims to describe how librarians at Indiana University Kokomo designed a marketing campaign to promote its discovery tool to undergraduate students during the fall 2012 semester. The authors illustrate how, through the use of a coordinated marketing plan, librarians applied marketing principles to select a target audience, create promotional designs, organize events, and assess campaign effectiveness. The authors express how libraries can construct cost-effective yet comprehensive marketing campaigns, as well as learn from both unexpected successes and shortcomings of such projects. Ultimately, these takeaways can inform a library's future marketing endeavors.  相似文献   

18.
Abstract

The number of ebooks continues to grow in academic libraries. Ebooks have many advantages that make them attractive as a library resource. However, ebooks also have restrictions. These include use and sharing restrictions, license restrictions, and technological barriers. Some students also prefer print books for specific tasks. The following articles examine many aspects of ebooks in academic libraries, including student preference, overall ebook use, and the advantages and disadvantages of various ebook acquisition models.  相似文献   

19.
This presentation summarized the results from primary research conducted by Profera and Jefferson that aimed to understand what libraries are doing to reach library end users. The authors aimed to explore the relationship between the physical and virtual library space and if this has an impact on student and faculty use of library resources. The study also sought to understand the extent to which libraries are already conducting marketing efforts, the success they have had in doing so, and how publishers can help to enhance the library/end user experience.  相似文献   

20.
ABSTRACT

To help librarians use their campus newspapers more effectively as a communications tool, this paper discusses the type of information about campus libraries that ten student newspapers published over the course of one year and discusses strategies that librarians can use to build more productive, collaborative relationships with the people who work for their campus newspapers.  相似文献   

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