ala conference poster v3
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Libguides 2 and Usability: What Our Users Want
Christina HarbourAnglia Ruskin University
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2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Libguide usage: Academic years compared
UX
June 26 2016Orange County Convention CenterUniversal Blvd/International DriveOrlando, Florida
Libguides and Anglia Ruskin University
First implemented Libguides in 2013.Moved to Libguides 2 in January 2015.
Libguides 2 has a more pleasing interface and blended well with our Library website.
We improved navigation with the use of a side navigation bar and tabbed boxes.
Anglia Ruskin University Library: http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/
Subject Guides: http://bit.ly/ARUguides
User Experience (UX) UX Task GroupDefinition:
“The user experience considers the wider relationship between the product and the user in order to investigate the individual’s personal experience of using it.”
McNamara, N. and Kirakowski, J., 2006. Functionality, usability, and user experience: three areas of concern. Interactions - Waits & Measures, 13(6), pp.26–28.
A group was set up to investigate UX which agreed a project on the usability of our Subject Guides within Libguides 2.
Members of the group completed the research by using tools gained from the International UX in Libraries Conference held in Cambridge, UK 2015.
We wanted to see how users interacted with our guides so gave students a number of tasks and scenarios. Staff observed users and made notes.
Example Subject Guide
Usability Testing
Task 1:From your subject guide:
1. Find information on e-books?2. Name 2 databases for your
subject area?3. What content would you find
on 1 of those databases?4. Locate help on referencing?
Task 2: Write your version of a subject guide
1. What would it include?2. What do you want from
your subject librarian?
You have 5 minutes
Task 3:Put these in order of importance to you:1. Finding books2. Finding databases3. Finding journal articles4. Websites5. Newspapers6. Referencing7. Off-campus access8. Reading Lists
Side Navigation
Chelmsford CampusBishop Hall LaneChelmsford, UKCM1 1SQ
T: +44 (0) 1245 493131E: [email protected]: http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk
Christina HarbourAnglia Ruskin University
Based on their findings, the group recommended some changes to the Subject Guides in Libguides 2.
Libguides 2 Style GuideA style guide was created to help Subject Librarians create more usable LibGuides.
The guide is intended to help staff developing and maintaining LibGuides 2.
Staff are asked to bring to attention any topics that they feel should be included.
Results
“The side navigation should have drop down sub-titles to avoid constant clicking.
Task 1
Users struggled most when encountering multiple clicks, visual clutter and inconsistent use of search boxes.
Locating the guides from our website was difficult but navigation within the guides was easier. There are still too many clicks and too many new tabs opening.
Task 3: Put these in order of importance to you
The top 3 answers were:
1. Finding books2. Finding databases3. Finding journal articles
“I don’t need separate headings for books and e-books. They are all the same to me.”
Task 2
Recommendations
Put descriptions for databases
Create more subject specific referencing examples
Include a link to Book a Librarian
Make Subject Librarian details more prominent