Library One Search the student experience

Julia Gross & Lutie Sheridan

ECU Research Week August 2010

1. How easy was it to navigate on the new library website

2. How did students use Library One Search

3. How did they approach the search topics

Library usability research objectives

Methodology

• Usability study with 5 ECU students

• First year students Computing & Library

• Students 4 search tasks

• Typical library searches

• Observed students

• Captured screen action

• Verbal comments

• Microphone, webcam

Methodology

What did our students tell us?

• Library One Search easy to use

• Students mostly confident

• Some particular problems we need to address

– Terminology

– Access via Portal

What did

we learn?

What did we learn?• Observing users is wake up call for us

– vital for continuous improvement

• Some difficulties with understanding different formats

• Need to do more usability with students

• Hope to repeat this with new website

Acknowledgment and thanks toECU lecturer, Barbara Coombes, and students