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 and typed in keyword search- Amazon rainforest in quotations. Searched again without quotations. Found one item.Then said would go back to Google.

Observer's comments: Subject did go to catalog which was fine but was ready to go back to Google very quickly. Could be marked unsuccessful or partially successful. Will mark unsuccessful.

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_____                     Unsuccessful____x__

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 and clicked author. Typed in Al Gore.Then went back to Gore, Al. 

Observer's comments: From my notes, I'm not sure whether he followed the referral link to Gore, Al or whether thought to retype it as Gore, Al. I think he was probably following the referral link.

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: Went to catalog, clicked journal title and typed in 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 Other Library Catalogs and then to the BU catalog. Typed in a title and then seemed to be looking to see whether other libraries might be listed as owning the title. Then realized that this was only for BU books. Then chose Worldcat from webpage and said should have done this in the first place. Thought that there should be some link on the right side of the page so that one could search just the Boston area libraries.

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 catalog,advanced search and typed in stem cells. Looked in drop down limiter menus for journal articles. Realized there were no articles there. Then went to Find Articles and looked in the list for a title beginning with BIO. Apparently didn't see anything and then decided to go to a title beginning with science. Chose ScienceDirect and found articles.

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 search bar at bottom and searched in library web for library of theology. Could not get in to library web. Looked at webpage again and chose All Bu Libraries and then Theology library. Said that link could be bigger.

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: Bar items at top should be bigger or the font should be a different color. Said he was not as familiar as he should be with the webpage. He found Find Articles Using Databases very confusing. When he gets to the list, he doesn't know what to choose. Need two line blurb to explain each database.

Observer's comments: Linda showed him the about feature later

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

User's response/comments: Likes the catalog quick search. Didn't know whether catalog was an exhaustive list of what was available. Didn't know whether to go to Worldcat or other catalogs. Needs more explanation of exactly what is in the catalog. Does it include everything.

Observer's comments:

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

User's response/comments:  Easy to use. The main reason people might not use it is laziness.

Observer's comments: