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:

Observer's comments: scrolls over the Catalog Quick Search or states that she could also use the eJournals Locator and click on the link--> it "also has a similar search engine"--> BACK--> to Catalog Quick Search and types "England 1800s Britons" - result is one book examines the record and follows one of the subject links.

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:

Observer's comments: Catalog Quick Search (by author) types "Gore" and clicks "Search" looks at the xrefs and says   "too old" - clicks on the "Gore, Albert, 1948-" 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:

Observer's comments: Catalog Quick Search (by Journal Title) and types "Journal of Asset Management"- no match- changes the search to a KEYWORD search--> BACK--> the eJournals Locator types "Journal of Asset Management"--> submit

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_____                     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:

Observer's comments: Catalog Quick Search (by Journal Title) and types "Journal of Marriage and the Family" (corrects the spelling) and succeeds

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:

Observer's comments: clicks on "other library catalogs" scrolls to the BLC list "do I know which place it will be in?" --> BACK--> clicks on "Boston Library Consortium (BLC) Catalogs" "this has links to others but not to all BLC catalogs--> BACK "I don't know how to find it"

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:

Observer's comments: clicks on FIND ARTICLES--> (using the dropdown) selects Biology "I don't like this way of doing it" --> BACK--> scrolls over "News" and clicks on "Library Journal" -->BACK-->Catalog Quick Search types "stem cells" "this is giving me books" -attempts to limit the search to journal articles --> BACK

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:

Observer's comments: ALL BU LIBRARIES-->Astronomy (Hours on page)

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: "maybe more BASIC information" "...too scholarly"
didn't realize that eresources could be used from off campus

Observer's comments:

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

User's response/comments: eJournal Locator- like that "you can do it from anywhere on campus"
Catalog Quick Search- that you can "look in advance for call numbers"

Observer's comments:

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

User's response/comments:

Observer's comments: