Usability Studies and User-Centered Design in Digital Libraries

ABSTRACT

Digital libraries continue to flourish. At the same time, the principles of user-centered design and the practice of usability testing have been growing in popularity, spreading their influence into the library sphere. This article explores the confluence of these two trends by surveying the current literature on usability studies of digital libraries. This article focuses on the methodology of studies of multimedia digital libraries.     

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 Perfect Storm: Examining User Experience and Conducting a Usability Test to Investigate a Disruptive Academic Library Web Site Redevelopment

Abstract

The researchers conducted a task-based usability test of the effectiveness of online research beginning on the library Web site homepage. The participants included five university faculty members, six graduate students, and six undergraduate students. All participants reported feeling satisfied with their overall research experience, though most were unable to effectively complete all the research tasks of the test. The researchers identified weaknesses in the approach and process of many participants, and overall usability issues of the library discovery tool and other library Web site pages and research interfaces. Findings indicate the need to strategically incorporate self-service information literacy and research skills help into the library Web site, and to implement navigation and design changes to the library homepage, discovery tool interface, online catalog, and across all the library's Web services.     

一种高速大规模Ad Hoc网络下OLSR协议软件设计方案

在高速大规模Ad Hoc网络环境下,提出一种基于用户模式的OLSR协议软件的整体架构方案,方案定义软件的实现方案及软件框架.软件框架的设计借鉴TCP/IP协议栈的分层设计思想,解决移植性问题.算法重新设计节点之间的管理关系结构,并通过使用静态路由和OLSR路由相结合的方式,提高在高速大规模Ad Hoc网络中数据传输的性能.     

Growing confidence in educational research: Threats and opportunities

We live in difficult times—socially, economically and politically—and it is right that learned societies, such as the British Educational Research Association, reflect on their purpose and direction. We cannot take for granted the social contract that supports the funding of social science and educational research. This paper reflects on enduring themes and new pressures and argues for special attention to: collaboration within and beyond the community of university‐based educational researchers; support for, and recognition of, the importance of reviews of research; the development of accessible forms of communication of findings and their implications, to guide sound decision making; more direct engagement with practitioners, policy makers and the public. It argues that it is time for communities of educational researchers to have confidence to become outward looking and strengthen alliances with other groups of researchers at home and abroad, across disciplines, with different types of research institutions and also with practitioners and policy makers. What drives this should be our principal aim to pursue educational research and its application for the improvement of education and the public benefit.     

论《现代汉语分类词典》基础语义类的形成

《现代汉语分类词典》是类别-层级结构的分类体系,五级义类是整个词义系统的基础。本文以五级义类的形成为中心议题,探讨了义类的组成单位、义类组织关系、义类之间的关系以及相邻义类、上位义类、体系结构本身对五级类构建的影响。     

Evaluating intelligent interfaces for post-editing automatic transcriptions of online video lectures

Video lectures are fast becoming an everyday educational resource in higher education. They are being incorporated into existing university curricula around the world, while also emerging as a key component of the open education movement. In 2007, the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) implemented its poliMedia lecture capture system for the creation and publication of quality educational video content and now has a collection of over 10,000 video objects. In 2011, it embarked on the EU-subsidised transLectures project to add automatic subtitles to these videos in both Spanish and other languages. By doing so, it allows access to their educational content by non-native speakers and the deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as enabling advanced repository management functions. In this paper, following a short introduction to poliMedia, transLectures and Docència en Xarxa (Teaching Online), the UPV’s action plan to boost the use of digital resources at the university, we will discuss the three-stage evaluation process carried out with the collaboration of UPV lecturers to find the best interaction protocol for the task of post-editing automatic subtitles.     

Expanding horizons—into the future with confidence!

Gifted students often show a deep interest in and profound concern for the complex issues of society. Given the leadership potential of these students and their likely responsibility for solving future social problems, they need to develop this awareness and also a sense of confidence in dealing with future issues. The Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) was developed to meet these needs, by an emphasis on (a) problem solving, (b) creative solution finding, (c) group work and research skills, and (d) exploration of a wide range of current issues. In this Australian study, subsequently replicated in the United States, ten years of former program participants were surveyed to examine their perceptions of the impact of the program in the light of its objectives.     

基于用户需求的高校图书馆学科馆员服务质量评价体系研究

[目的/意义] 在当前学科服务发展环境下,更好地改进学科馆员服务质量评价工作。[方法/过程] 以LibQUAL+^®图书馆服务质量评价模型为基础,以用户需求为导向,在正式构建完整的指标体系前搜集用户提供的指标,筛选出适用于学科馆员服务质量评价的指标;参考专家意见,遵循评价指标的确定原则,在用户贡献指标的基础上进行调整与修改,并采取德尔菲、层次分析、因子分析方法对指标进行主客观综合赋权。[结果/结论] 形成正式的学科馆员服务质量指评价标体系,并进行实证分析。