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: Used the Library Catalog (from the top page box) changed the dropdown to Author and succeeded.

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: Went directly to eJournals A-Z and succeeded.

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___X___

Observer's comment: "Not sure where I would go for that.."

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: Suggests words "print copies" then comments "maybe I woudl try the Library Catalog" - trys it and is successful.

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

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: The student asks aloud "Other Library Catalogs??... NO... Oh!" points to "Request a Book or Article We Don't Own" and succeeds

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______

Observer's comment: Research Guides (begins to search a keyword in the search box) - selects--> Guides by Subject category--> "Social Sciences"--> Psychology and scroll around saying "I'm not sure??"

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: Suggests "Research by specific topics"

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?

  No.

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

Student's response: Question about finding Course Reserves. "Looks like it has everything I need"

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

Student's response: "I like that you can Ask-a-Librarian"

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

Student's response: "My eye doesn't go to anything"