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___X__

Observer's comment: Find Books--> Library Catalog(author search: Marc Bekoff) (checked the "BU Library Web Sites" dropdown briefly) concluded that the library did not own any books by Marc Bekoff

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Are students able to navigate to the catalog to look for a book? used the Library Catalog - but didn't see the "Change search to bekoff, marc"  link or observe the order of other authors displayed

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 (title search: Journal of Asset Management)- success

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

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--> Home--> Find books (Library Catalog) "only for books" -->Home--> Indexes and Databases "are these all journals?"--> Mugar home--> Library Catalog (title search: journal title- success

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? with difficulty - usually only uses online journals

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

Successful__X*___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: Other Library Catalogs-->("I know there is a blanket search for all of these places") BLC Gateway--> Members' Online Catalogs--BLC Gateway-->Virtual Catalog link ("that's cool") types in U# - unsuccessful

Follow-up to Q4 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: could search individual catalogs... a better way?

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)? sees the "Request a Book or Article We Don't Own" link in "How To" box

*mostly unsuccessful- some success in follow up conversation

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: eJournals A-Z (link types keyword: psychology in the search box) retrieves a list of journals - chooses one - publisher search: depression- finds some articles-success

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:

  Realizes that the page being tested is different from the live page. "I like this better" goes to the SEL page- "Cut it down on the first page?" "Actually, it's pretty straight forward" Suggests combining eJournals A-Z and Research by Subject
"pretty good"

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

Student's response: eJournals - most useful thing

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

Student's response: Does not like the library catalog interface