Comparing Digital Apples and Oranges: A Comparative Analysis of e-Books Across Multiple Platforms

This session reported the findings of a comparative analysis of how e-books are represented across multiple platforms. In this session, the presenters shared the results of a study that examined how a sample of academic e-books are represented across different platforms. Topics of analysis included: the inclusion of various metadata, the visual presentation of e-book content, and variations in search results. This presentation also focused on the similarities and differences between e-book representation and what impact these various representations might have on users of academic e-books.     

OPTIONS FOR BOOK DISPOSAL

No abstract available for this article.     

Applying User-centered Design to Discovery Layer Evaluation in the Law Library

Abstract

Usability and user experience are an important factor in the overall value of products and services offered by law libraries. User experience evaluation tools can help librarians make better decisions for their users when choosing databases to purchase or subscribe to, designing a library website, or selecting and implementing discovery layers. This article describes an array of evaluation tools and discusses how and when they can be implemented in the law library context.     

Mountains,Valleys, and Pathways: Serials Users' Needs and Steps to Meet Them

ABSTRACT

An overview of the preliminary analysis of focus group and semi-structured interviews identifies how and why college and university information seekers meet their information needs. In the age of immediate gratification, in certain situations users may settle for information that is quickly and easily available instead of library sources that are considered more authoritative and trustworthy. Meeting user needs in the library environment requires updating library catalogs to implement discovery and recommender services that provide the associations and links that are available to users in other Web-based environments and that meet these users' expectations of online systems and sources.     

The Serials Revolution: Vision,Innovation, Tradition

Summary

The objectives of this presentation are to: outline important developments influencing the publication of scholarly journals, describe several electronic scholarly communication models now in development, summarize the goals and current status of Project Muse at Johns Hopkins, and share some preliminary findings and observations drawn from this experiment in scholarly publishing.     

One Site to Rule Them All,Redux: The Second Round of Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Web Site

This article examines the usability testing of a responsively redesigned library Web site. Responsive design provides a unified user experience regardless of the device used to view a site. The study's aim is twofold: to determine if the responsively designed site and its external online services support users’ information seeking needs, and to discover if there is a singular experience across different devices. A cognitive walkthrough was the main testing instrument used in gathering input. Over two rounds of testing, students of various class years and technological skill from the New York City of Technology (City Tech), CUNY participated in the study. The first round of testing for this usability study on the library Web site was previously documented (Tidal 2015 Tidal, J. (2015) “One Site to Rule Them All: Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Library Web Site.” In Creating Sustainable Community: The Proceedings of the ACRL 2015 Conference, edited by D. Mueller. Paper presented at the Association of College and Research Libraries, Portland, OR, 25–28 March (pp. 593–604). Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries. [Google Scholar]). This article presents the findings and comparisons between the first and second round of usability testing. The study found not only numerous improvements that could enhance the library Web site, but also the lack of a unified experience between tablet, smartphone, and desktop users, despite using a responsive design. Smartphone users were at a disadvantage in utilizing library resources. The study also found there was a significant usability impact in using a mobile-optimized discovery tool among users in comparison to its Web OPAC predecessor.     

The ARIEL Document Delivery System: A Cost-Effective Alternative to the Fax

ABSTRACT

ARIEL is a high-speed, high-quality, cost-effective document delivery system that runs on the Internet. Journal articles can be sent from one place to another by scanning the article directly from the journal. The text and graphics are digitized into the computer, transmitted over the Internet, and printed on a laser printer at the receiving end. Developed in 1990 by the Research Libraries Group of the Research Libraries Information Network, ARIEL is becoming the document delivery system of choice for a rapidly growing number of users in the U.S. and abroad. The key advantages which ARIEL has over the fax are: (1) no long-distance phone charges; (2) high image resolution; (3) original source can be scanned; (4) can send and receive documents at the same time; (5) does not require dedicated equipment; and (6) documents can be stored and forwarded at a later time. In the very near future, ARIEL software will incorporate MIME (Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions) technology which will enable documents to be transmitted to the screen via e-mail from one individual to another. This paper describes the hardware and software requirements, the cost of getting started, and one library's experience, as part of a pilot project, with the ARIEL document delivery system.     

The North Carolina State University Libraries Search Experience: Usability Testing Tabbed Search Interfaces for Academic Libraries

Creating a learnable, effective, and user-friendly library Web site hinges on providing easy access to search. Designing a search interface for academic libraries can be particularly challenging given the complexity and range of searchable library collections, such as bibliographic databases, electronic journals, and article search silos. Library Web designers must decide whether to present users with a single search interface—one that searches across content silos by default—or to offer an interface that exposes the various silos available. Designers must also contend with the user's entire search experience and determine how search should appear on the library home page as well as in global navigation systems. In the spring of 2010, the North Carolina State University Libraries sought to answer search design questions for an upcoming Web site design effort. The Libraries evaluated two different search interfaces to determine whether a tabbed search approach with options to pre-select silos is an effective design for end users. Findings show that a tabbed search interface is an effective design device for presenting multiple silos. This study outlines the methods the North Carolina State University Libraries used to conduct usability testing as well as observations, findings, and recommendations about effective design of search on academic library Web sites.     

The Researcher's Journey: Scholarly Navigation of an Academic Library Web Site

A qualitative study of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library's Web site identified the ways in which students and faculty of the University of Montana used the site for research purposes. This study employed open-ended interview questions and observations to spontaneously capture a user's experience in researching topics in which they specialized. Four thematic recommendations emerged from nine study participants: increase the readability and consistency of the library's Web site, provide research guidance and ease of navigation, offer task-based services that maximize technology, and enable customization. The study led to Web site modifications and a formalized process by which the library will approach subsequent Web site design.     

Encoded Archival Description: Are Finding Aids Boundary Spanners or Barriers for Users?

ABSTRACT

The article reports the results of a usability study of an EAD interface. Findings indicate that subjects had trouble understanding archival terminology and how best to search for information in finding aids. Furthermore, they were not familiar with the structure or contents of finding aids. In addition to building interfaces that minimize archival jargon and rely heavily on users' prior understanding of hierarchical finding aids, this study indicates that users require new forms of virtual reference assistance in the online environment.     

First Entry: Report on a Qualitative Exploratory Study of Novice User Experience with Online Finding Aids

ABSTRACT

Many of those now accessing archives through online finding aids are encountering primary materials (albeit virtually) for the first time. These users are often unfamiliar with finding aid structure, terminology, and principles. This article reports on a qualitative, exploratory study of a subset of these novice users. The study concentrated on four key components of online finding aids: terminology, navigation, display, and structure. The goal was to discover by what route users accomplished a given task, to determine what elements on the site helped or hindered them in completing the task, and to gain insight into their overall experience with a range of styles of online finding aids. Findings suggest that site structure often presupposed users' knowledge of archival principles. Therefore, what may seem to archivists and their web designers to be elegant solutions to resolute issues in online finding aids, in fact, confused or eluded novice users. However, findings suggest, as well, that participants went through a rapid self-education process while completing the study, leading them to more efficient searching and to a higher level of ease and confidence as they explored a variety of online finding aids.     

The Goldfish Bowl Effect of an Online Serials Control System

No abstract available for this article.     

Promise Fulfilled? An EBSCO Discovery Service Usability Study

Discovery tools are the next phase of library search systems. Illinois State University's Milner Library implemented EBSCO Discovery Service in August 2010. The authors conducted usability studies on the system in the fall of 2010. The aims of the study were twofold: first, to determine how Milner users set about using the system in order to better inform customization choices, which in turn would create better search experiences, and second, to find out whether discovery tools fix the problems of federated search. With federated search technology, users often felt frustrated by the search experience. Some reasons for the frustration included a desire for better ways to determine the relevancy of search results and for more information about the material included in the records. The authors determined that while many federated search problems were solved, some issues persisted. Overall, the move to EBSCO Discovery Service at Milner Library has been a positive experience for its users.     

疾病谱数据挖掘与可视化展示系统的设计与实现

本文首先对现有人口健康领域科技基础性工作疾病谱相关项目数据资料进行全面梳理、整编,设计构建了 疾病谱数据挖掘与可视化展示系统。然后利用该系统对安徽省阜南县疾病谱数据进行实例分析,发现县内就诊率不足 等问题,并针对这些问题提出了相关的建议,经采取相应的措施取得了一定的成效。最后对该系统的建设提出了进一 步的改进意见。     

图书馆《文献管理集成系统》数据错误及处理

对《文献管理集成系统》图书编目子系统在运行过程中出现的一些数据错误原因进行了分析, 并提出了处理方法和体会。     

NSTL联合数据加工系统的功能框架设计

论述NSTL联合数据加工系统建设的目标、设计原则,构建系统的总体功能框架,重点分析在分布式的文献数据加工管理环境中,文献数据从生产、处理、管理、仓储到服务的全过程的工作流管理和数据加工管理的流程。探讨联合目录系统、数据仓储系统、联合数据加工中心系统和分中心系统间基于OAI-PMH协议的元数据共享和交换过程,分析数据资源的特点和各类数据资源的数据结构,描述联合数据加工系统的中心和分中心两级系统的管理框架和各模块的功能。     

利用Windows2000的终端服务实现远程光盘检索

简要介绍了Win2000的终端服务的功能及特点，并从实际出发，讨论了它在图书馆中的应用。     

信息技术的发展对信息弱势群体信息行为的影响

文章通过问卷调查和随机访谈的方法,获取柳州市信息弱势群体的信息行为的相关数据,利用质性和量化的方法进行实证分析,揭示了在信息技术快速发展的环境下信息弱势群体一些具有重要意义的信息行为特征,为优化信息弱势群体的信息服务提供定量依据和帮助。