Showing papers in "Journal of Web Librarianship in 2015"
TL;DR: Comparisons between feature use in the discovery system as observed in usability testing and feature use as measured by event tracking and log analysis are discussed, including implications for the design of future tests.
Abstract: In order to assess the use and usability of a new discovery tool, staff at the University of Kansas Libraries conducted usability tests with 27 users and analyzed three semesters of the tool's usage as measured by custom event tracking implemented in Google Analytics and usage statistics drawn from the discovery tool and server logs. An initial study with sixteen users was conducted prior to launching the new tool, and a subsequent study with eleven users was conducted a semester after the launch. This article describes test participants’ success using the new tool to complete basic library research tasks, details the specific features they used in their attempts (e.g., facets, “did you mean” suggestions), and identifies areas where changes were made to address problems identified in the studies, including changes outside the tool itself. In addition, comparisons between feature use in the discovery system as observed in usability testing and feature use as measured by event tracking and log analysis are ...
35 citations
TL;DR: Strategies and practices to measure Web site user experience, including classic usability testing methods (e.g., card sorting activities, focus groups, and task-based user testing), as well as the team's latest effort to assess Web site analytics and content to identify Web site usage patterns and areas of concern are presented.
Abstract: Usability testing is an important element when designing useful, usable academic library Web sites. Since 2001, members of the Florida International University Libraries Web team have worked toward establishing a process that identifies user needs through usability testing. Starting with the libraries’ first Web site redesign project in 2001, the team has taken an active part in improving Web site user experience. After engaging in multiple redesign efforts, the Web team has developed a process that supports awareness of user experience through continual usability testing and feedback gathering. This article presents strategies and practices to measure Web site user experience, including classic usability testing methods (e.g., card sorting activities, focus groups, and task-based user testing), as well as the team's latest effort to assess Web site analytics and content to identify Web site usage patterns and areas of concern. A history of the Florida International University Libraries’ Web site redesign...
21 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conceptualized a digital library acceptance model and its validation, based on the extant literature and interviews with experts, a sixty-three statement questionnaire was developed and a survey was conducted to test the proposed model.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to conceptualize a digital library acceptance model and its validation. Based on the extant literature and interviews with experts, a sixty-three statement questionnaire was developed and a survey was conducted to test the proposed model. The target population included library professionals and users from academic institutions in India including faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. These sixty-three statements were categorized into seventeen dimensions on the basis of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model and two information success models. The model was tested using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The findings suggest that digital libraries can become more useful and acceptable to targeted user groups when they are developed in accordance with four major factors: systemic aspects, informational aspects, perception of the relevant social group, and user learning. This study is unique as it is the first time such a model h...
9 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the economic and political implications of the invisible web have been investigated for the first time, and two main questions asked are: How is the Invisible Web shaped by economic, political and social factors and how, in turn, does the invisible Web shape those circumstances?
Abstract: The Invisible Web—defined as Web information that cannot be found by using general-purpose search engines—has been studied primarily as an access issue. In this article, the authors consider, for the first time, the economic and political implications of the Invisible Web. The article is divided into two parts; the first looks at the “open” Web, accessible through URLs, while the second delves into the Dark Web, hidden behind veils of anonymity. The two main questions asked are: How is the Invisible Web shaped by economic and political factors and how, in turn, does the Invisible Web shape those circumstances? With the answers to these questions, the authors hope to bring more awareness of the Invisible Web to the information literacy classroom.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that large libraries can benefit from creating a dedicated staff role for content strategy, and they explore how the University of Arizona Libraries moved from its first forays in content strategy to adding a full-time, permanent content strategist to the staff.
Abstract: Libraries were once the trailblazers for developing Web sites in the early 1990s, but today many library Web sites are bloated with outdated, irrelevant, and unfriendly content. Some institutions have recently turned to content strategy—the practice of planning “for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content” (Halvorson 2011, 23)—to address these problems. In this article, the authors argue that large libraries can benefit from creating a dedicated staff role for content strategy. They explore how the University of Arizona Libraries moved from its first forays in content strategy to adding a full-time, permanent content strategist to the staff. The authors describe the key elements that were important in making the case for this position and detail considerations for recruitment and hiring. They also discuss the role a content strategist can play for improving the overall user experience beyond just the library Web site.
7 citations
TL;DR: The study suggests to librarians the presence of less visible empirical literature on the web and to smaller, independent academic publishers, the need to apply better quality metadata and optimization strategies to their open access journal content.
Abstract: The intent of this investigation was to learn what factors may have contributed to low usage of a small set of reputable open access scholarly journals, as evidenced in graduate student reference lists. Inquiry into differences among open access sources referenced between 2005 and 2014 revealed that non-indexed journals were being used notably fewer times than their commercially indexed counterparts. A comparison of HTML source code between indexed and non-indexed journals illustrated that certain metadata and other coding features may have affected the visibility of non-indexed journal content. The study suggests to librarians the presence of less visible empirical literature on the web and to smaller, independent academic publishers, the need to apply better quality metadata and optimization strategies to their open access journal content.
6 citations
TL;DR: The process for examining 4,300 search queries conducted on the library homepage during an academic semester is explained and findings from the analysis are presented.
Abstract: The following study analyzes user search behavior using a tabbed-search interface. For this study, a transaction log was used to collect information about user searches and included tab used; search terms; date, time, and location of search (on campus or off campus); as well as a unique ID to identify the user session and another ID to identify each transaction. This article explains the process for examining 4,300 search queries conducted on the library homepage during an academic semester and presents findings from the analysis. The article also details enhancements that were made to the tabbed-search interface as a result of the transaction log analysis. Additionally, the article discusses the merits of using a transaction log as a method of ongoing assessment of a library Web site's search interface.
6 citations
TL;DR: The authors developed a “Snow Fall”-like application for a Special Collections’ exhibit, “Cradle of Coaches,” in the fall of 2013 and feel that this is a new and exciting medium to tell the stories within special collections and archives, as well as general stories about libraries themselves.
Abstract: “Snow Fall” is a Pulitzer Prize winning, digital storytelling project produced by the New York Times. It represents the next step in long-form digital journalism. The web application tells a compelling story about the fate of sixteen skiers and snowboarders during an avalanche. The textual element of the story is wrapped in a slick interface with gently appearing and disappearing images, strategically positioned HTML5 video and image slideshows, maps, and 3-D visualizations. Its title, “Snow Fall,” has become a verb in the digital journalism world. Upon seeing “Snow Fall” and other similar projects, the authors started to make the connection between this form of storytelling and Special Collections. Special Collections are full of interesting, rich, and unique stories. Their digital representation, however, while widespread in systems such as ContentDM, can be lacking in sensory appeal. Because of this, the authors developed a “Snow Fall”-like application for a Special Collections’ exhibit, “Cradle of Coa...
3 citations
TL;DR: The study concluded that the majority of vendor platforms are not optimized for viewing across smart devices, and desktop computers may still be necessary for database searching.
Abstract: An increasing number of users are reaching out to their academic library from their mobile devices to search for scholarly content. As a result, the resources offered through the library Web site should be equally accessible on all devices. Database content is a critical library resource, and vendor products must evolve to function effectively on all types of devices. This study examined 197 databases at Adelphi University Libraries to determine if they are universally accessible either through the provision of an app or a mobile-optimized Web site. The study concluded that the majority of vendor platforms are not optimized for viewing across smart devices. These findings indicate that libraries should encourage vendors to offer mobile-optimized databases, and desktop computers may still be necessary for database searching.
3 citations
TL;DR: The review process which led to the selection of Drupal as the platform is detailed and the steps in the initial setup, workflow patterns, content development, crowdsourcing efforts, and publicity are outlined.
Abstract: Recently, librarians have added new media and scholarly publishing to their portfolio of skills. While the bibliography is part of the traditional purview of librarians, databases are a new venture for librarians, capitalizing on the advent of open access and the availability of open source software. This article presents one such database, Database of the Smokies (DOTS), hosted by the University of Tennessee Libraries. The creation of DOTS required a new librarian skill set and an environment of collaboration between subject specialists and technical experts. To aid other librarians in the creation of databases, this article details the review process which led to the selection of Drupal as the platform and outlines the steps in the initial setup, workflow patterns, content development, crowdsourcing efforts, and publicity.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a Web site that uses JavaScript to track users' actions, modify the look of the page based on the size of the screen, or provide an interactive layer.
Abstract: Almost every modern Web site uses JavaScript to track users’ actions, modify the look of the page based on the size of the screen, or provide an interactive layer. The latest version of HTML (HTML5...
TL;DR: The development of Occam's Reader has been a watershed moment for academic libraries and interlibrary loan, and one of the unintended outcomes is an opportunity to partner with a publisher and use its content in a library-developed viewer.
Abstract: The development of Occam's Reader has been a watershed moment for academic libraries and interlibrary loan. One of the unintended outcomes from the Occam's Reader system is an opportunity to partner with a publisher and use its content in a library-developed viewer. This process is termed content collaboration. Content collaboration is simply the use of publisher-provided content in a presentation platform, a viewer that the library develops or customizes. The customization of the viewer is a tremendous opportunity for the academic library to develop a viewing platform that can directly address the unique expectations and concerns at the user's home institution.