Website Usability

Data

Q1:  1 . When beginining a new topic most students and other researchers start by Googling some key words. Let's assume you have done that and now you have decided or your Professor has asked you to find some more scholarly sources. Using the library website, and not having a specific source in mind yet- how would you begin?

User's response/comments: Went to catalog keyword search and typed in a topic

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q1 if unsuccessful: If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask, what word or phrase or LINK you were looking for, but did not find?

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful___x__                     Unsuccessful______

Q2:  Using the library website, can you tell if the library has any books written by Al Gore?

User's response/comments: Went to catalog, clicked author. Typed in Al Gore. Found referral link to Gore, Al and then chose Gore, Albert 1948-

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q2l: If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask, what word or phrase or LINK were you looking for, but did not find?

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful__x___                     Unsuccessful______

Q3:  Using the library website, can you find the electronic edition of the Journal of Asset Management?

User's response/comments: went to catalog first, clicked journal title. No match. Then went to e-journal locator and typed in title.

Observer's comments:

First follow-up to Q3:  If the participant goes to the catalog and stops, the librarian should ask, "Is there anywhere else on the library website to look for this?"

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Second follow-up to Q3:  If the student still does not find the eJournals list, the librarian should ask, "What word or phrase or LINK were you looking for, but did not find?"

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful___x__                     Unsuccessful______

Q4:  Using the library website, can you find the print edition or hard copy edition of the Journal of marriage and the family?

User's response/comments: Went to catalog, clicked journal title. Spelled incorrectly but when retyped, found the title.

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q4: If the student is unsuccessful, the librarian should ask, what word or phrase were you looking for, but did not find?

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful___x__                     Unsuccessful______

Q5:  Using the library website, how would you get a book or article we do not own?

User's response/comments: Went to "How To" and found Request Books or Articles we don't own. Chose Virtual Catalog

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q5 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?"

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful___x__                     Unsuccessful______

Q6:  Using the library website, how would you find a journal article about stem cells?

User's response/comments: Went to Find Articles, selected ScienceDirect, typed in keyword stem cells and found many articles. Commented that he would have to narrow the search.

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q6:

If the students navigate to a database through research guides or similar, the librarian should praise the student and show her the FIND ARTICLES link and ask, "Is there a better way to word that?"

If the student is unable to get to a location to find an article, the librarian should ask, "What word or phrase or LINK were you looking for, but did not find?"

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful__x___                     Unsuccessful______

Q7:   In addition to Mugar Library Boston University has several branch libraries and some very specialized libraries (for example, the Science & Engineering Library or the Pardee Management Library). Using the library website - is it possible to find information about those libraries or any one of the libraries- (for example,  the hours or services offered)?

User's response/comments: Went to All BU Libraries and picked SEL. Found hours and directions.

Observer's comments:

Follow-up to Q7:

Note if sucessful by using About -- Departments or All BU Libraries dropdown.

If unsucessful ask "What word or phrase or LINK were you looking for, but did not find?"

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments:

Successful___x__                     Unsuccessful______

Q8:  How would you change the library's website to make it more useful for you?

User's response/comments:  Thinks it is good to be able to check for ejournals and hard copies of journals but wants them combined in some way. Journal of Asset Management did not have hard copy. Should have link to the electronic copy in the catalog. In terms of the webpage, he thinks everything is pretty up front and one knows where to go.

Observer's comments:

Q9:  What do you find useful on the library's website?

User's response/comments: ejournal locator useful. Lots of articles available in databases. Ejournals gives one the articles right there and one doesn't have to search through the databases.

Observer's comments:

Q10:  Is there anything you would like to tell us about the library's website?

User's response/comments: Pretty well organized. So many steps required to go through the databases. They don't have descriptions next to them. Can't tell what they are about. Would have to look through a lot to find anything. Linda pointed out the "about" next to each database.

Observer's comments: