Web site 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 box - author search "Marc Bekoff"
reorders the author's name gets a list of books by Marc Bekoff but concludes "No" "doesn't look like it".. hearing the follow up question the student identifies the author's last name as the missing element and suddenly sees it: "oh wait" states that she would have expected it to appear exactly above the list of book titles

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Are students able to navigate to the catalog to look for a book? This student went directly to the Library Catalog quick search box without hesitation.

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: Library Catalog box - Title/Journal Title search -looks at the results and concludes "I assume, no" --> Back to Home -->eJournals A-Z -->Alphabetical list scrolls and succeeds

Observer's comment about underlying question of:   Do students use the eJournals A-Z list for electronic journals? Yes- but tried the library catalog first.

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: Library Catalog box - Title/Journal Title search: Journal of the American Helicopter Society  and found the journal

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Are students able to navigate to the catalog for a print journal? The student did go directly to the catalog.

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful______

Observer's comment: Clicked immediately on the Interlibrary Loan link

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:

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)? Used the Interlibrary Loan link not the How To box

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

Successful__X___                     Unsuccessful_____

Observer's comment: Research by Subject scrolled through the list--> Back - Library Catalog box - Subject search: depression - scrolled through the results--> Back --> Research by Subject --> Find Articles--> Indexes and Databases- scrolled through the list --> Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection -searched for "depression" in "default fields" and succeeds 

Observer's comment about underlying question of: Do students use the indexes and databases link to find articles? This student seemed very familiar with the Indexes and Databases link and especially the Web of Science.

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

Student's response: "Make it easier to find Indexes and Databases" - Usually uses the Science Library pages - likes the Library Catalog quick search box- "everything else seems pretty straight forward" 

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

Student's response: Make the Indexes and Databases link very easy to find. Uses the library links in the top banner part of the page. Noticed the "Ask-a-Librarian image "wait, what's this?"

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

Student's response: Prefers the web catalog over the ("black and white") telnet terminals. Likes the colors on our site.