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: Library Catalog (Quick Search box)--> (leaving the dropdown as Title search) searches for Marc Bekoff - adjusts to Author search - corrects name order 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?

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

Successful___X__                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: Goes directly to eJournals A-Z types in the journal title and is successful.

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?

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: Seems uncertain and states "..not sure how I would do that.." Reads the options under Research Tools. Trys eJournals A-Z. Reads the "Sorry, Boston University does not subscribe..." screen and goes back to Home--> eJournals A-Z and trys scrolling to the title using the alphabetical list and not finding it states "I don't think so..."

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: "paper copy" then goes to the Library Catalog and is successful.

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

  May have interpreted "print" to mean print from electronic rather than a paper volume of the journal.

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: Goes immediately to the InterLibrary Loan link (not in the How To box) --> Virtual Catalog

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)?

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

Successful_____                     Unsuccessful__X___

Observer's comment: Library Catalog (top page "quick search" box) Subject search. Comments "Oh, but we want a journal article..." --> Home
States that ordinarily she would do a Subject search in the Library Catalog and then scanned for a journal.

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: "Not sure -- what would work.. maybe eResources by Subject? maybe Psychology?"

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?

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

Student's response: Likes the "How To" options- "It's not obvious what's included in each category" "Don't know what the differences are by the words used."

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

Student's response: "The Library Catalog, Renew Your Books, InterLibrary Loan and the How To links..."

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

Student's response:

  Easy to use.