Showing papers in "Journal of Web Librarianship in 2016"
TL;DR: Using the events feature in Google Analytics, the team responsible for Web design was able to track user flow, and be able to quantify how many users were actual “drop-offs” versus those that were clicks into library resources.
Abstract: The primary purpose of an academic library Web site is to serve as a portal to library-acquired content. Navigational design of a library Web site affects the user's ability to find and access content. At Albertsons Library, the goal of the navigational design of the Web site is to mimic user behavior on the Web site to help them access information and articles from over 300 different library vendors. Coordinating with different vendors makes tracking the navigational flow of user behavior difficult with the tool Google Analytics. Using the events feature in Google Analytics, the team responsible for Web design was able to track user flow, and was able to quantify how many users were actual “drop-offs” versus those that were clicks into library resources. Decisions made after acquiring these data resulted in a Web site with a 10 percent or less bounce rate, and decreased the number of clicks required for users accessing the library's content.
20 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss four successful faculty-driven digital scholarship projects that their library system has supported in the last two years, and serve as an example of how academic libraries and centers for di...
Abstract: About twenty years ago, the Internet began to change the way people create, access, publish, and share information. The impact of this information revolution has been felt in every industry. For instance, the Internet has enabled new models in the publishing sector, which has subsequently impacted education and changed the landscape of teaching and learning. About a decade ago, the introduction of new buzzwords such as open access, electronic publishing, digital humanities, and digital scholarship continued to challenge the scholarly production and dissemination of knowledge. Undoubtedly, these changes also created new opportunities for collaboration among multidisciplinary groups including researchers, scholars, students, technologists, librarians, and others. In this article, the author discusses four successful faculty-driven digital scholarship projects that his library system has supported in the last two years. His team's work serves as an example of how academic libraries and centers for di...
14 citations
TL;DR: Analysis of the search results of four main Internet search engines on three newly created digital collections at Texas Tech University Libraries suggested that metadata and PDF files can supplement each other to facilitate discoverability of the digital collections on search engines.
Abstract: This study analyzed the search results of four main Internet search engines on three newly created digital collections at Texas Tech University Libraries, in order to assess the search engine indexing on metadata and PDF files of digital items that are published in the institutional repository. The exploratory study found that only one search engine discovered PDF files, while the others only discovered metadata. The results of the study also suggested that metadata and PDF files can supplement each other to facilitate discoverability of the digital collections on search engines, and revealed some findings that are contradictory to conclusions in previous research.
11 citations
TL;DR: The State Library of New South Wales as discussed by the authors is working to create trusted environments for Indigenous peoples and collections with both physical and digital spaces, and explores how the digital environment can be an effective extension of the physical site in which cultural collections are held.
Abstract: Promoting and facilitating access to historical collections for Indigenous communities has recently increased across Australia. Such activities have been integrated into the practices of archives and libraries seeking to reunite Indigenous people with materials that not only document their past but also inform their future. Challenges in accessing these materials go beyond retrieval and include concerns about their emotional content. The State Library of New South Wales is working to create trusted environments for Indigenous peoples and collections with both physical and digital spaces. Through the presentation of work undertaken at the State Library, this article explores how the digital environment can be an effective extension of the physical site in which cultural collections are held. In addition, this article looks at issues that must be addressed to ensure the success and ongoing viability of Web spaces, specifically, the long-standing power dynamics that often dominate interactions with I...
10 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the use of microblogs and social networking services by academic libraries in the United States and China with data collected from library Web sites, social media accounts, and search engines.
Abstract: In this exploratory study, the researchers examined the use of microblogs and social networking services by academic libraries in the United States and China with data collected from library Web sites, social media accounts, and search engines. The top 100 universities from each country were included in the study, and the use of these two types of social media by the main libraries of the universities was examined over a period of about four months. The findings indicate that the adoption rates of these social media were higher among the U.S. libraries as measured by the number of libraries that had an account in each type of social media studied. However, the number of accounts for the Chinese libraries was increasing faster during the study period. In the area of microblogs, where the data from the two countries were more comparable and in-depth analysis was feasible, the U.S. libraries were found to have started using the social media earlier, but the Chinese libraries attracted more users meas...
10 citations
TL;DR: A quantitative survey was used to investigate the knowledge and use of online databases and the library's online public access catalog by final-year business associate degree students in five selected Jamaican community colleges to determine students’ knowledge of electronic library resources.
Abstract: This study used a quantitative survey to investigate the knowledge and use of online databases and the library's online public access catalog by final-year business associate degree students in five selected Jamaican community colleges. The study sought to determine students’ knowledge of electronic library resources, their value for electronic and print resources, the purposes for which students use electronic library resources, the influences on student use of electronic library resources, and the effects of training and instruction. Results from the study indicated that students are increasingly using Internet search engines for research purposes rather than online databases. Results also indicated that electronic library resources such as the OPAC are being underutilized by community college students. It was evident that proper instructional guidance is needed and welcomed by students. The findings of the study are critical to the implementation of policies and procedures geared toward sensiti...
10 citations
TL;DR: What focus groups are, why libraries should consider conducting focus groups for Web site testing and development, how focus groups can complement usability testing, and if focus group sessions are worth the time and effort are discussed.
Abstract: User feedback on Web site design can be vital to understanding what issues library users may encounter when visiting a Web site, but obtaining this feedback can be time consuming, difficult to structure, and expensive. In past years, staff working on the Cal Poly Pomona University Library Web site collected user feedback from surveys and usability testing. This team was interested in acquiring a more basic understanding of how users interact with the Web in general, whether for research or other purposes, and how such experiences could inform design decisions. This article will discuss what focus groups are, why libraries should consider conducting focus groups for Web site testing and development, how focus groups can complement usability testing, and if focus groups are worth the time and effort. Results from focus group sessions will also be shared and discussed including information that fueled design decisions and benefits that participants gained from the experience.
9 citations
TL;DR: The article provides a basic overview of what topic modeling is and its potential applications in libraries, describes some popular tools and potential workflows, and illustrates how the author tested a potential workflow.
Abstract: Information centers are increasingly being confronted with the challenges of shifting information environments. The development of a digital information society has dictated that libraries devise strategies to capture, describe, and provide access to these digital documents in addition to physical formats. This is nowhere more apparent than in the field of government information. With a public access mandate and a distribution model that has forever been destabilized by the development of low barrier Web publishing technologies, libraries providing access to government information face more challenges than ever. This article looks at the possibility of using topic modeling to increase access to the growing number of poorly described digital texts distributed to libraries and archives. The article provides a basic overview of what topic modeling is and its potential applications in libraries, describes some popular tools and potential workflows, and illustrates how the author tested a potential wor...
9 citations
TL;DR: The implementation of Primo had a noticeable negative impact on both direct database access and overall electronic resource usage during the first year post-migration.
Abstract: Web page views of databases by title and databases by subject pages, in conjunction with COUNTER Database Report 1 and Journal Report 1 statistics, were examined to determine what impact a migration to Primo, a Web-scale discovery layer, had at Central Washington University Brooks Library. The analysis determined that the first year post-migration (2015) compared to the two years pre-migration (2013–14) saw a decline in Web page views of database Web pages, journal full-text article requests, and database record views and result clicks. The implementation of Primo thus had a noticeable negative impact on both direct database access and overall electronic resource usage during the first year post-migration.
8 citations
TL;DR: The need to strategically incorporate self-service information literacy and research skills help into the library Web site, and to implement navigation and design changes to the library homepage, discovery tool interface, online catalog, and across all the library's Web services is indicated.
Abstract: The researchers conducted a task-based usability test of the effectiveness of online research beginning on the library Web site homepage. The participants included five university faculty members, six graduate students, and six undergraduate students. All participants reported feeling satisfied with their overall research experience, though most were unable to effectively complete all the research tasks of the test. The researchers identified weaknesses in the approach and process of many participants, and overall usability issues of the library discovery tool and other library Web site pages and research interfaces. Findings indicate the need to strategically incorporate self-service information literacy and research skills help into the library Web site, and to implement navigation and design changes to the library homepage, discovery tool interface, online catalog, and across all the library's Web services.
8 citations
TL;DR: Advice is provided on how libraries' mobile Web sites may be improved and areas for consideration and improvement are presented across Orbis Cascade Alliance libraries that can easily be applied globally.
Abstract: This article analyzes 37 Orbis Cascade Alliance members' Web sites to determine ease of use across mobile devices. Based on that analysis and a literature review, guidance is provided on how libraries' mobile Web sites may be improved. Web sites were examined to determine ease of locating frequently accessed resources on mobile devices that were identified in the literature: contact information, hours, databases, library accounts, and search boxes. Scalability of Web sites on mobile devices was also evaluated and was found to be non-existent in nearly a quarter of examined libraries. Areas for consideration and improvement are presented across Orbis Cascade Alliance libraries that can easily be applied globally.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight how cross-campus collaboration is not just a phrase but an underlying foundation for the development and success of a digital scholarship lab at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).
Abstract: Not all digital scholarship or digital humanities centers are created equal. Some focus on service, while others conduct research and analysis or are more experimental with research and development applications. All of these usually claim an important component of collaboration, whether that is the sharing of ideas, resources, tools, or staff expertise. However, collaboration is often talked about but not practiced, whether in the library or across campus. This article highlights how cross-campus collaboration is not just a phrase but an underlying foundation for the development and success of a digital scholarship lab at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). The start-up framework includes defining digital scholarship, leadership roles, steps to success, investing in partnerships, and the foundational documentation that has led to the successful establishment of the library as the digital scholarship hub of the university.
TL;DR: In the aftermath of a consortium migration to a shared cloud-based resource management and discovery system, a small college library implemented a Web usability test to uncover the kinds of difficulties students had with the new interface.
Abstract: In the aftermath of a consortium migration to a shared cloud-based resource management and discovery system, a small college library implemented a Web usability test to uncover the kinds of difficulties students had with the new interface. Lessons learned from this study led to targeted changes, which simplified aspects of searching, but also enhanced the librarians' ability to teach more effectively. The authors discuss the testing methods, results, and teaching opportunities, both realized and potential, which arose from implementing changes.
TL;DR: This case study describes how an academic library in Portugal responded to institutional needs, illustrating how libraries everywhere must connect to the larger vision and demonstrate value through technologies, integrating digital and print resources to provide access built around users' needs.
Abstract: This article describes a library's implementation of digital resources for research, teaching, and learning at a higher education institution in Portugal. A school specializing in education and teacher education established strategic performance areas related to digital resources for the fulfillment of its mission, which included some functions of the academic library. The library implemented a discovery system, and the school invested in a wider range of resources, including e-books, both acquired and institutionally published. The library's training programs were also revised to promote the new system and electronic resources. This case study describes how an academic library in Portugal responded to institutional needs, illustrating how libraries everywhere must connect to the larger vision and demonstrate value through technologies, integrating digital and print resources to provide access built around users' needs.
TL;DR: There is evidence that patrons who discover records through Encore take more time looking through records than patrons using other discovery methods, which may be reason enough for libraries to consider adding OAI-harvested collections to their discovery tool.
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 thr...
TL;DR: This case demonstrates that it is possible to produce high-quality guides that meet student needs with minimal costs.
Abstract: Small academic libraries must produce Web-based subject guides despite limited budgets. This practical communication describes how one such library in Australia used freely available wiki software and third-party hosting to create a set of Web-based subject guides. A subsequent redesign was then based around typical student tasks. This case demonstrates that it is possible to produce high-quality guides that meet student needs with minimal costs.
TL;DR: This case study reviews the responsive Web design project undertaken by the Library, Institute of Technology Tallaght, with Granite Digital, including the preparatory literature review, the design process, task allocation, and the technologies leveraged to deliver the final design.
Abstract: This case study reviews the responsive Web design project undertaken by the Library, Institute of Technology Tallaght, with Granite Digital, including the preparatory literature review, the design process, task allocation, and the technologies leveraged to deliver the final design. The library is a small academic library with limited resources, and the project took place during a particularly challenging period in Ireland. The different types of testing the site underwent before launch are discussed, including testing of the design itself across browsers, accessibility testing using free online resources, testing the responsive design using free online resources, and physical device testing. The article outlines how feedback was gathered and addressed, and discusses plans for future upkeep and development. Finally, the article concludes that it is possible for a small academic library to successfully deliver a high quality library Web site using responsive design.
TL;DR: Results indicate that Pakistani academic library Web sites have effective features such as contrasting color schemes, easily readable text, minimal use of horizontal scrolling, and English-language text.
Abstract: This study explores the current status and features of Pakistan's academic library Web sites. A checklist describing features and content was prepared based on a review of the literature related to academic libraries’ Web sites. Then, all 85 library Web sites of Pakistani universities and degree-awarding institutions recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan were surveyed and analyzed using the checklist. Interviews with library professionals were conducted to learn more about the problems and issues with building and maintaining library Web sites. Results indicate that Pakistani academic library Web sites have effective features such as contrasting color schemes, easily readable text, minimal use of horizontal scrolling, and English-language text. Staff information, OPACs, and navigation features are also widely found on the Web sites. Features found less frequently include the use of Web 2.0 technologies, Web site aid tools, information about library buildings, and general ...
TL;DR: A modern, usable Web site is critical for libraries, as it is their virtual front door, and having a mobile-friendly site has become just as essential as mentioned in this paper. At its core, responsive Web design (RW...
Abstract: Having a modern, usable Web site is critical for libraries, as it is their virtual front door, and having a mobile-friendly site has become just as essential. At its core, responsive Web design (RW...
TL;DR: Important aspects of RGDB's activities are the development of electronic resources and setting up the library site for distant users, and the future steps of the project are focused on.
Abstract: The Russian State Children's Library (RGDB) is the largest children's library in the world and has been serving as a cultural and educational center for more than 45 years. Important aspects of RGDB's activities are the development of electronic resources and setting up the library site for distant users. The National Electronic Children's Library in Russia is a specialized digital collection of publications about children and for children. This article focuses on these aspects and the future steps of the project.