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: Llibrary catalog box -- author search --reverses name order -- succeeds

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: eJournals A-Z link -- title search: Journal of Asset Management
Number of Links: 1

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: "electronic journals" spelled out would be "better"

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: Indexes and Databases -- back to Home-- Library catalog box word search: Journal of the American Helicopter Society-- succeeds

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?

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: "Request a Book or Article We Don't Own" from the "How To" box-- 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__X____

Observer's comment: Library Catalog box- subject search: depression ("How do I know if it's a journal article?") -- Home-- Indexes and Databases-scrolls through the list-- Home-- Research Guides- search box: depression -- Home -- E-Resources by Subject-- Clinical Medicine-- Home - unsuccessful

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Do students use the indexes and databases link to find articles? Students might select this page but the names of the indexes and databases and their use are not understood.

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

Student's response: "the words are small" (rolled over the list of libraries and the "How To" box)- would like the Library Catalog box or a similar box but with links to different types of research - "finding criticism is hard"

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

Student's response: Library Catalog box "it's helpful"

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

Student's response: (links) are "scattered around"  too many lists - "too many steps" would like to have links for subjects "like criticism"