Collection Guides Usability Study, Novice Users Group A Presentation of Findings Spring 2010

Who Were the Participants? (Brief Demographics)  8 Undergraduates (b )  1 Graduate (b. 1982)  1 Faculty member, 2 Staff members (b ) Represented:  Business-Related Fields:  Supply Chain Management  Business Administration  Science/Engineering:  Mechanical Engineering  Electrical Engineering  Textiles  Humanities:  International Studies  History  Sociology  Psychology  Other:  Law  Research Administration  “Student” (unknown field)

Initial Impressions- Example Finding Aid  Clean layout, likes the big tabs, well organized, easy to locate information– is divided into categories  Most said nothing appears confusing at first glance– straightforward, clear  Uncluttered design, no scrolling, large tabs make easy to read and navigate  Success in describing elements of collection  1/3 identified Collection Guides as belonging to Special Collections

What Worked As Expected Task 1: Civil War search  1A. Now sort the results list by creator.  Used ‘Sorted by’ Creator  1B. Limit search to the 1860s.  Used ‘Date’ facet to limit search by date  1D. Limit search to 1850s Civil War collections with online content only.  Used ‘Online Content’ checkbox under Refine Your Search Task 3: Joel Lane search  3A. Click on collection whose creator is School of Design.  Found correct result in list by Creator

What Worked As Expected Task 5: athletics media relations search  5B. Search this collection guide for: wrestling.  Used ‘Search this Collection Guide’ to search.  5C. Look at this collection guide from the Standard View.  Clicked on Standard View link at top of screen Task 6: minorities search  6A. Now narrow your search to: African American college students.  Used ‘Subject’ facet and narrowed to ‘African American college students’

Problem Areas Discovered Task 2: Edwin Search Railroad Memorabilia search  2C. Looking at this screen, in which box and folder would you find materials about railcars? Task 3: Joel Lane House search  3B. Looking at this collection, where would you find its copyright information? Task 5: athletics media relations  5E. From the Standard View, how would you request access to this collection? Task 6: minorities  6E. Submit a request for boxes of materials containing information on Lawrence M. Clark’s graduate students.

Task 2: Problem Area Discovered Task 2: Edwin Search Railroad Memorabilia search  2C. Looking at this screen, in which box and folder would you find materials about railcars?

Task 3B vs. 5D: Problem Areas Discovered Task 3: Joel Lane House search  3B. (Tabbed View): …find its copyright information? Task 5: athletics media relations search  5D: (Standard View): …find its copyright information?

Task 5: Problem Area Discovered Task 5: athletics media relations  5E. From the Standard View, how would you request access to this collection?

Task 5: Problem Area Discovered

Task 6: Problem Area Discovered Task 6: minorities  6E. Submit a request for boxes of materials containing information on Lawrence M. Clark’s graduate students.

Task 6: Problem Area Discovered Task 6E: …submit a request…Lawrence M. Clark’s graduate students.  9 people selected the ‘Contact Us’ tab as first step  1 person unsure about requesting restricted materials  5 people submitted a request for information using the web form  No participants submitted the correct information

Task 6: Problem Area Discovered

Other Issues to Note Task 2A: How would you find similar items?  4 participants chose other means by which to find these items.

Other Issues to Note Task 4E: …sign up to be informed of new materials…?  5 participants sure this was correct choice  3 participants did not choose ‘Subscribe to this search’.

Other Issues to Note Task 4E: …sign up to be informed of new materials…?  3 participants did not choose ‘Subscribe to this search’.  7 participants were unsure if this was the correct choice.

Trend Observed with Facets Task 1C: Change your search to be limited to the 1850s instead of the 1860s.  Unexpected: No participants removed keywords by clicking X in facet boxes at top of screen (yellow boxes, red X).

Trends Observed with Searching 1.) Task 2C: …box and folder…find information on railcars?  3 people found and used ‘Search this Collection Guide’ search box  2 people used Cntl+F to search  7 people searched by scrolling through page 2.) Task 3C: Search the collection for: Rumley House.  9 people found and used ‘Search this Collection Guide’  1 person used Cntl+F to search 3.) Task 5B: Search this collection guide for: wrestling  10 people use ‘Search this Collection Guide’

Trends Observed with Searching 1.) Task 2C: …box and folder…find information on railcars?  3 people found and used ‘Search this Collection Guide’ search box  2 people used Cntl+F to search  7 people searched by scrolling through page 2.) Task 3C: Search the collection for: Rumley House.  9 people found and used ‘Search this Collection Guide’  1 person used Cntl+F to search 3.) Task 5B: Search this collection guide for: wrestling  10 people use ‘Search this Collection Guide’

Other Noted Trends 1.) Task 2D: You’re writing a research paper. How would you cite this collection?  4 people used the Preferred Citation under the Administrative Information tab 2.) Most participants noticed 24 hours notice is required

Quick Summary of Post-Test Survey Answers 1.) Most preferred Tabbed View. 2.) Majority do use Help pages, when offered 3.) Half are familiar with Cntl+F 4.) All would use feature to export citations to RefWorks, or similar

What do you think a Collection Guide is?  Guide that allows users to search collections of materials at NCSU  A collection of information on a subject  A detailed card catalog system  Summary and index of what’s in a collection  Guide illustrating all the library has on a subject  A group of specific documents/ journals/ information about a subject

Suggestions  1.) Remove delineation, make search box prominent  2.) Move ‘Similar Items: Find’ up higher than the Subjects links  3.) Clarify: physical collections housed in Libraries, available for patrons to view  4.) Make Contact Information more prominent in Standard View  5.) In Standard View, create link to web form  6.) Place links next to individual items to request access  7.) Create separate web form for requesting materials, or modify existing web form