Website Usability

Data

Q1: Using the library web site, can you tell if the library has any books written by Marc Bekoff?

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment:

  Circulation--> back to Home--> Mugar-->Library Catalog--Author search: Marc Bekoff (seeing the results page) retypes Bekoff, Marc and is successful.

Follow-up to Q1 if unsuccessful: If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?

Student's   response:

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Are students able to navigate to the catalog to look for a book?

  No- this student does not see the Catalog box or the words Library Catalog in the box.

Q2: Using the library web site, can you find an electronic copy of Journal of Asset Management ?

Successful__X__                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment:

  eJournals A-Z--> uses the Alpha list (scrolls to the correct title)

1 st Follow-up to Q2 if unsuccessful: If the participant goes to the catalog and stops, the librarian should ask, "is there somewhere else on the library web site to look for this?"

Student's   response:

2 nd Follow-up to Q2 if unsuccessful:   If the student still does not find the eJournals list, the librarian should ask, "what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?"

Student's   response:

Observer's comment about underlying question of:   Do students use the eJournals A-Z list for electronic journals?

  Seems very familiar with the eJournals A-Z list comment: "I use it a lot"

Q3: Using the library web site, can you find a print copy of the Journal of the American Helicopter Society ?

Successful__X__                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment:

  Student comments immediately "I never use print stuff" and seems uncertain...
Mugar-->Library Catalog--> selects "Title or Journal Title" search and finds the journal record successfully.

Follow-up to Q3 if unsuccessful: If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?

Student's   response:

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Are students able to navigate to the catalog for a print journal?

  Does not see the Library Catalog on Library Home but sees it right away on the Mugar page where it is the first link on the top left.

Q4: Using the library web site, how would you get a book or article we do not own?

Successful__X__                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment:

  Student comment: "[I am] looking for Interlibrary Loan" finds it but seems somewhat uncertain- if it is the correct page and what to do next.

Follow-up to Q4 if unsuccessful: If students did not make it to the ILL page, the librarian should ask, "what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?"

Student's   response:

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Do students navigate to the ILL page and if so, how (through the how to box or the ILL link)?

  This student knew to look for "InterLibrary Loan" and did not use the How To box.

Q5: Using the library web site, how would you find a journal article about depression?

Successful_____                     Unsuccessful___X___

Observer's comment:

  eJournals A-Z-->begins to do a "keyword " search but comments "[this is] only for titles"--> Home-->types in the Library Catalog (Quick Search box!)-->selects Subject search comments: "are these just books?"-->Home--> Mugar-->QuickLinks-->Home-->returns to the Library Catalog (Quick Search box)--> Mugar--> Library Catalog-->selects Subject search comments:"This is going to give me books again" "it should say journals or search a topic" "[I] need a database"

1 st Follow-up to Q5 if unsuccessful: If the students navigate to a database through research guides or similar, the librarian should praise the student and show her the indexes and databases link and ask, "is there a better way to word that?"

Student's   response:

2 nd Follow-up to Q5 if unsuccessful:

Student's   response:

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Do students use the indexes and databases link to find articles?

  At first, seemed at a total loss but later mentioned needing a "database" and yet did not see the "Indexes and Databases" link on Library Home.

Q6: How would you change the library's web site to make it more useful for you?

Student's response:

  In response to this question- went to the Law Library's website- looking at the organization of that page - expressing the belief that it is necessary to go to each library to search the collection of that library... "everything is obvious except finding print resources" "[The llink to the] library catalog is small and journals in print are hard to find"

Q7: What do you find useful on the library's web site?

Student's response:

eJournals A-Z-"use it all the time"
Likes the ASK oval (mentioned twice)
"Is there a tutorial on using the website?"

Q8: Is there anything you would like to tell us about the library's web site?

Student's response:

[Can't tell] what's important: fonts are all the same size"
[Can't find the] "points of entry"