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: Would use ejournal locator or Find Articles using Databases.

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 Find Books, not the Catalog Quick Search. Clicked author, typed in Al Gore. Went to referral link for Gore, Al and chose Albert Gore 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 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: Made a comment that probably could not find. Then went to catalog, clicked journal title, and typed in title. Found journal.

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 Other library catalogs link . Didn't know where to plug in book title. Looked for "book". Where does it indicate one should put in "book."Went in to Williams College 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_____                     Unsuccessful___x___

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

User's response/comments: Went to Find Articles and then went to "M" looking for medical journals. Said that if she could find a medical journal, would plug in stem cells. Couldn't see where to put that in. Went to find databases by subject and found Health and Medicine and looked at  eresources but said that she probably would give up

Observer's comments: Subject did go to Find Articles but did not seem to know what to do once she got there. So, even though she found it, I would have to rate this unsuccessful.

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_____                     Unsuccessful__x____

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: Said would use the library brochure. She browsed over the "How To" section but then went to the bar at the bottom of the page where library web is the default and typed in specialty or special libraries (couldn't see exactly what she typed) in the search box. Found law library.

Observer's comments: Even though the subject eventually got to the law library, I would rate this mostly unsuccessful because didn't use About or All BU Libraries.

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____                     Unsuccessful___x___

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

User's response/comments: The website is not all that web oriented. Most important would be to be able to access articles and books in an easy way. It is difficult to figure out where to go when looking at the right side of the webpage. Just has keywords and doesn't give enough information. Went in to e-journal locator but then said couldn't find information easily.

Observer's comments:

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

User's response/comments: Getting there is difficult and hard to get to a point where one can plug in a topic. Once there, it is ok.

Observer's comments:

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

User's response/comments: Everything is very wordy. It makes things difficult.

Observer's comments: