Services for Graduate Students: A Review of Academic Library Web Sites

A library's Web site is well recognized as the gateway to the library for the vast majority of users. Choosing the most user-friendly Web architecture to reflect the many services libraries offer is a complex process, and librarians are still experimenting to find what works best for their users. As part of a redesign of the Oregon State University Libraries’ Web site, entry points for specific user groups were created. One of these user groups was graduate students. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways other academic libraries design their Web sites for particular user groups, specifically graduate students, in order to determine how the Oregon State University Libraries Web site compared to peer institutions. This study analyzed 112 Association of Research Libraries’ Web sites and 26 Oregon academic libraries’ Web sites to determine the availability of resources and services specifically promoted to graduate students. Since graduate students may view the library Web site through the lens of new student, researcher, or instructor, Web sites were also examined to see if sites were created with any or all of these roles in mind. Nearly a quarter of Association of Research Libraries' Web sites that were examined contained a link on the homepage for graduate students, and another 20 percent provided graduate-student information at a lower level in their site hierarchy. A majority of sites had events, subject guides, or course guides for graduate students. Information for graduate students was typically framed in the context of graduate students as researchers. Ideas and examples are given for ways to improve Web site design to better serve this user group. In order to provide improved services to these students, future studies will explore what graduate students need from academic libraries and the ways these students conduct themselves in their various roles of researchers, instructors, and new students.     

美国顶级大学图书馆应用Web 2.0的现状调查与分析

通过网络调研Web 2.0在美国顶级大学图书馆网站的使用情况。结果显示：最受欢迎的Web 2.0技术是SNS,使用率达到100%;其次为Blog,RSS和IM,分别占90%以上;Vodcasts（占47%）,Podcasts（占46%）和Social bookmarking（占39%）也较受欢迎;Wiki的使用率较低,仅占1/3。认为Web 2.0在这些图书馆的使用情况和技术结构模式在一定程度上反映美国大学图书馆服务数字化、互动化、个性化的发展趋势,同时也映射出世界图书馆服务人性化、互动化的变化。研究结果可为专业图书馆信息研究管理者、Web 2.0部署人员以及图书馆用户等相关人士提供参考意见和建议。     

Business Library Web Sites Revisited: An Updated Review of the Organization and Content of Academic Business Library Web Sites

This article updates the findings from a study by Hal Kirkwood in 2000 of the organization and content of academic business library Web sites. The authors examined 75 sites, focusing on five general aspects of the sites: organization, terminology, instructional elements, integration of resources across formats, and annotations. Results of the study show that business library Websites have dramatically improved in the 7 years since the original study.     

Toward a Usable Academic Library Web Site: A Case Study of Tried and Tested Usability Practices

Usability testing is an important element when designing useful, usable academic library Web sites. Since 2001, members of the Florida International University Libraries Web team have worked toward establishing a process that identifies user needs through usability testing. Starting with the libraries’ first Web site redesign project in 2001, the team has taken an active part in improving Web site user experience. After engaging in multiple redesign efforts, the Web team has developed a process that supports awareness of user experience through continual usability testing and feedback gathering. This article presents strategies and practices to measure Web site user experience, including classic usability testing methods (e.g., card sorting activities, focus groups, and task-based user testing), as well as the team's latest effort to assess Web site analytics and content to identify Web site usage patterns and areas of concern. A history of the Florida International University Libraries’ Web site redesign process is presented to illustrate lessons learned and best practices to facilitate future redesign and testing efforts. Taking a longitudinal look at usability testing at one institution, the study aims to inform the development of an effective strategy for user research and content management.     

Academic Library Web Sites and Distance Education

Abstract

This study focuses on college and university library services provided to distance education students and a content analysis of library Web sites. The Web sites chosen were categorized by the amount of distance education the institution offered to students. Results indicated that the size of the institution had the strongest correlation to library services offered to distance education students (Spearman's rho of .618), not the degree to which distance education is provided (rho of .076). This study suggests that just because an institution offers distance learning courses does not necessarily mean that its library offers a full range of Web services to meet distance learner needs, and it brings into question whether some institutions have been too quick to provide distance education services without properly addressing student library needs.     

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.     

Promoting and Teaching Information Literacy on the Internet: Surveying the Web Sites of 264 Academic Libraries in North America

A survey was conducted between July and November 2012 to determine how academic libraries in the United States and Canada marketed and delivered information literacy on the Web. A random sample of 264 institutions was taken from Peterson's Four-Year Colleges 2012, and the authors checked each Web site of the academic libraries of the institutions in the sample for instruction-related activities. Only 65 percent of the libraries in the sample advertised library instruction as a service on the Web, while 64 percent of the libraries boasted research guides and tutorials. Sixteen percent of the libraries provided direct links to ACRL's Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, and 24 percent made an effort to explain and define the term “information literacy” to their users. The authors hope the findings can help determine how academic libraries are currently using the Internet to increase information literacy on the Web and set a new platform for better strategies for advocating information literacy.     

Web Design Trends in Academic Libraries—A Longitudinal Study

This study examines several key design elements of 37 academic library Web sites (members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries) and how they have changed between 2012 and 2015. While several studies have reviewed library Web sites looking for common design elements and content, the present work may be the first to look at the design elements of a large group of library Web sites over time. This study has two main goals: to present an objective analysis of the navigation and search interface designs at research university library Web sites, and to assess the usage of Web-scale discovery systems and content management systems in libraries. Other areas explored include when sites were most recently redesigned and whether sites have adopted a mobile-friendly, responsive design. Notable findings include a very high usage of Web-scale discovery systems, an increasing adoption of open source content management systems, and increasing implementation of responsive design. Also noted was a strong and growing standardization in navigation design. This study concludes with a review of the trends and discussion of current design patterns in academic library Web sites.     

高校图书馆数字资源镜像站管理策略

针对高校图书馆数字资源镜像站存在使用率不高、资源特色不明显、读者信息技能不强、数字信息资源安全和知识产权人利益受侵害等问题,认为高校图书馆镜像站建设要技术与管理并重,提出了建设与管理策略,包括资源选择策略、资源导航及读者培训策略、技术管理及信息安全策略、专业人员管理策略、知识产权保护策略和资源使用效果评价策略。     

英国电子图书馆及大学图书馆发展概况与特点

介绍英国电子图书馆项目(eLib)的发展阶段、特点，以及作为eLib后续的分布式国家电子资源计划(DNER)和信息环境计划(IE)的内容。     

Streamlining Data for Cross-Platform Web Delivery

Smartphone users expect the presentation of Web sites on their mobile browsers to look and feel like native applications. With the pressure on library Web developers to produce app-like mobile sites, there is often a rush to get a site up without considering the importance of reusing or even restructuring the data driving the Web sites. An additional challenge is the content maintenance required of any Web site, regardless of platform, underscoring the advantage of pulling content from other systems to decrease redundancy. This article highlights case studies from two large research universities, examines how each one is streamlining its data for multiple Web-based platforms, and discusses how to work toward making data more flexible so content is delivered from single source points rather than duplicated on individual delivery platforms.     

新形势下高校图书馆期刊工作探讨

本文针对目前不少高校图书馆取消期刊部这一现象，提出了自己的见解，并对当前形势下高校图书馆期刊工作进行了探讨。     

Conversations with Web Site Users: Using Focus Groups to Open Discussion and Improve User Experience

ABSTRACT

User feedback on Web site design can be vital to understanding what issues library users may encounter when visiting a Web site, but obtaining this feedback can be time consuming, difficult to structure, and expensive. In past years, staff working on the Cal Poly Pomona University Library Web site collected user feedback from surveys and usability testing. This team was interested in acquiring a more basic understanding of how users interact with the Web in general, whether for research or other purposes, and how such experiences could inform design decisions. This article will discuss what focus groups are, why libraries should consider conducting focus groups for Web site testing and development, how focus groups can complement usability testing, and if focus groups are worth the time and effort. Results from focus group sessions will also be shared and discussed including information that fueled design decisions and benefits that participants gained from the experience.     

对高校图书馆勤工助学管理工作的思考

随着高等教育改革的不断深化,高校图书馆开展勤工助学活动具有重要的现实意义,但也存在若干问题,因而,加强对大学生勤工助学的科学管理已成当务之急.高等院校图书馆应建立行之有效的勤工助学机制,加强管理,使大学生勤工助学活动得到健康发展.     

转型时期高校图书馆的采访工作

简要论述了转型时期高校的特点和新技术在文献传播领域应用后馆藏文献的转向，以及这些因素对采访工作的影响，并提出了新时期图书馆采访工作的思路。     

Semantic Web Identity of Academic Libraries

Semantic Web Identity (SWI) is proposed as the condition in which search engines recognize the existence and nature of entities. The display of a Knowledge Graph Card in Google search results is an indicator of SWI, as it demonstrates that Google has gathered verifiable facts about the entity. Such recognition is likely to improve the accuracy and relevancy of Google's referrals to that entity. This article summarizes part of the research conducted for a recent doctoral dissertation, showing that SWI is poor for ARL libraries. The study hypothesizes that the failure to populate records in appropriate Linked Open Data and proprietary Semantic Web knowledge bases contributes to poor SWI.     

Marketing Videos in Academic Libraries:

In some libraries, the video collection is not accessible to browsing patrons and is overlooked as an information source. To publicize Stetson University Library's video collection, staff sent annotated subject bibliographies of video titles to faculty. To generate the bibliographies, staff created a database and sorted the records into bibliographies for each department. Faculty received subject bibliographies relevant to the classes taught each semester. During the first month of the project's implementation, video circulation increased significantly over the pervious year's level and faculty reaction was positive.     

Focus Groups and Usability Testing in Redesigning an Academic Library's Web Site

ABSTRACT

As the World Wide Web has advanced since its inception, librarians have endeavored to keep pace with this progress in the design of their library Web pages. User recommendations collected from focus groups and usability testing have indicated that the University of Scranton's Weinberg Memorial Library's Web site was not working as intended, and the library's home page, in particular, was cluttered. Focus groups indicated that the process of accessing the library's databases from off-campus took too many steps, key resources were not located in key areas of the page, links were too close together, and the font was too small. Library staff determined it was necessary to rethink and redesign its pages. Self-reports from focus groups were insufficient to get at the mechanics of Web page use. Through usability testing, librarians were able to observe students and faculty completing simple research and directional tasks. Before “going live” with the new page in January 2007, users who had participated in the focus groups and in the usability testing were surveyed about the redesigned library Web page. The users indicated that the new Web page was less confusing, easier to use, and somewhat more intuitive than the previous library Web page. Web sites are always works in progress, and academic librarians should be proactive about making changes to their library Web sites to take advantage of emerging technology and to meet user expectations.     

A Use of Space: The Unintended Messages of Academic Library Web Sites

Academic library home pages are not only access points to the resources and services of a library, they are virtual representations of the library itself. The content placed on the page, where it is placed, and the amount of space allotted are all choices that send a message about the character of the library, the resources a user should start with, and the library's attitude toward its users. This study explores the messages being sent by the content selection and design of the home pages of 49 of the 50 largest academic libraries in the United States. By looking at the area allocated to different content types and the number and location of different content types, the researchers discovered that design elements and promotion/public relations receive a large amount of page space. The researchers also identified the prominently positioned multi-search box as the apparent de facto standard access point to library resources. Many sites are clearly designed to direct users to specific, presumably important resources. Other sites are more obscure in their site structure and design, increasing the options and visual clutter for users without providing much guidance.