I’m in the middle of a usability study of Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library website. We’re gearing up to run 42 Fresno State undergrads through ten tasks on the site, from locating a book on a particular subject to finding information about special collections. The goal is to assess the extent to which the site is useful and effective at delivering access to information. Can users efficiently use the site to accomplish their tasks? We know the site does some things well, and that it has problems, but we’re excited to actually explore the depth of the site’s pros and cons with a statistically significant sample.
What’s fascinating and fun about this is the multidisciplinary nature of the project and the constant struggle to clearly define what we are doing. The team consists of three librarians, Allison Cowgill, Amanda Dinscore and Patrick Newell, plus myself and one of my advanced anthro students, Kim Arnold. The librarians know the site best, and they know what students need to accomplish on it. All have prior experience with library- and information-related research. I’ve found my own best contributions relate to how to handle live human subjects with both respect and a firm guiding hand. Plus, I think it’s helpful to the project to have non-librarians around who can probe the rationale behind the various questions. I have found myself asking, repeatedly, “What are you trying to get at when you ask a user to do this?” – forcing an examination of assumptions and goals. I hope I always have someone asking me those kinds of questions when I’m formulating projects.
Right now, we’re in the testing phase and the instructions to the users and wording of some of the questions are still up in the air. We’ve tested the protocol on each other, and on the moderators – five anthropology majors who will administer to the test to the actual subjects. Each time we’ve administered the protocol, we’ve turned up a new issue. One open issue we have right now is how to handle the well-known student practice of going off site to find resources that are on site. For example, we know that some students use Google Scholar to search for resources – a practice that sometimes brings them back to the library website itself. Another example: in a test session, one of the anthro student moderators playing test subject opened a browser page and used Google to find the requested information, and then tracked back to the library website – “found it.” So, in the test, do we prohibit users from going off site?
Right now, I’m leaning toward prohibition. We know students use Google and other tools to make the library’s website work for them. But this study is a test of the library’s website. If we’re going to gauge how well it works for students, we need to keep them on the site – even if it means short-circuiting their tendency to exit the site and come back from another direction. If a user struggles to find something, or fails to find it, then we’ll know that’s an area where we need re-examine the site’s architecture. If we let them go off site to solve the problem, we won’t be able to record the process through which they try to solve the problem using the library site.
This is an odd place for me to come down, since most of the work I do is highly strategic. I place a high value on trying to see the world from another’s point of view. In a different context, I’d really want to let the user go to Google and show me how they would really solve the problem. That’s real user practice and it’s significant. But in this context, I keep coming back to the goals of the study: this is a test of the library website, not a study of student search practices.
I can’t wait will our next workgroup meeting where we can hash out this and other issues. I suspect some of my colleagues will have different approaches to the issues. Like I said, these collaborative, multidisciplinary projects are FUN.
Comments and opinions are most welcome.
TheAnthroGeek
anthroguy
Felicia Salcido
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February 26, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Eileen Walsh
This project does sound like fun; it has a fairly clear goal of discovery, with a variety of perspectives to incorporate. I too often want to ask people “what are you trying to get at by asking that?” but in most settings there is too much potential to come across as quarrelsome! You folks HAVE TO find out what people mean. Our assumptions are so unstated. I look forward to hearing what you all find. Sounds like a great team!
May 14, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Ashley B
I think this study is a great evaluation of how comfortable and savvy students are to the resources provided for them. I think it is an indicator that as soon as students turn to google to answer thier questions, that maybe the libraries resources are not as straight forward as googles. However, in the name of your research it might not be a bad idea to short out access to google. At that point, having no other option, students would turn to navigating the site provided by the library. And I have no doubts that if their was something they really needed to find, they would find it.
December 12, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Sean Bennett
Perhaps I’m old too old fashion, but in my opinion programs such as Blackboard and other online scholar programs are ruining the value of a college education. Back in the good old days, if people wanted a valuable college education they had to go to an actual class. This required a lot of dedication and time. Now students can register for an online course and work on the class work at their leisure. They can even have someone else help them with their work. In my opinion, the worst part about it is these courses are equivalent to a conventional college course, even when much less time and devotion was spent in the course. It actually irritates me when I hear that someone got an online degree and they are in the running for a competitive job market. This discredits all the time and work others have put into a conventional degree. I realize that I have gotten a little off topic but this was the first thing that came to my mind when I read this post.
May 17, 2010 at 9:55 pm
PedroR
I think the usability study of the Fresno State Library is a great thing to do especially since the library is the heart of an academic institution. We all know that there has been a technological revolution in the 21st century, and new technology will keep coming. It is up to universities and libraries to take advantage of existing technology and not reinvent the wheel. Well I personally like our libraries website; I do see the difficulty in navigating it and searching for what I need. I also look at outside sources such as Google, yahoo, and others first before I even log into the library website. The reason why I think many students move in and out of the site is because many of the other sites offer more information, resources, or just plain easier to access/navigate through. My recommendations would be to centralize everything into one search that can index all the databases, catalogs, articles, etc, or like many of my own professors do is actually upload all their required reading onto their course reserves.
May 17, 2010 at 10:50 pm
OwedarL
This sounds like a very interesting and maybe even entertaining project. Many a time I have used a site and have thought to myself “wow, this could’ve been done better .” I don’t think I’ve ever thought of actual ways that the site could’ve been better. Usability should be the most important aspect of a site, and I’m glad that you’re working on a project like this. I wish that I could’ve been a subject. Not letting subjects venture out onto Google is a good idea for the study, I think. This way, subjects would only have to go through the studied site. But then again, maybe the fact that google is used attests to the level of usability within the library’s site.
May 19, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Nicholas Miconi
This test sounds very interesting. I agree that the test should be about the user’s ability to navigate through the website and not find ways around it. A suggestion, maybe restrict them from going off site for the test then after have them show you how they would find the problem. I believe many students do not know how useful the library resources are. The problem is trying to figure out how to use the thing and I agree with Pedro about the ease of access and the centralize everything into one search.
May 20, 2010 at 11:26 am
Maria Capetillo
Wow sounds like a very interesting project and at the same time fun because it is prohibiting the use of different sites. I think that makes it interesting because it is only centered on the library’s website. This study will be very useful for us students, as a student sometimes I feel like the library website could be more useful. Like many other students I sometimes have to research information outside of the website. I have to say the website could be overwhelming at times and some of the search engines provided are very specific to the topics you search. It will be interesting to see the results of your usability study.
July 18, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Keri Ponce
This is a very interesting study! The library is an essential part of a student’s success whether it be to find information about services offered like tutoring or the hours of operation, and of course research. I think evaluating the library’s website is very important since it’s the main way of accessing articles, books and information by today’s students. Studying the websites ease of access can benefit the students tremendously by making it their first choice for articles and such instead of Google, or Google scholar. Many professors have the fear of their students obtaining and using information from unreliable websites and I think the results from this study could help reduce those fears.
July 20, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Michelle Alcantara
This project sure seemed like it was a lot of fun! I wish I could’ve been one of the test subjects honestly. It was good that there was a clear goal in mind, but with that goal comes many unanswered questions and complications. So it was good that those were anticipated as well. By being prepared for all sorts of possibilities, the library website can be improved as needed.
In regards to restricting test subjects to go off the library website, I understand where you are coming from. Just as you said, the study was conducted to see just how well the library website works for students, not some other website that can help them through it. However, I feel that restricting them from google, or any search engine, can make them feel stressed by the limited options available. Instead of having multiple choices, only one website is available for them to use. This in turn can make them think that the 10 tasks they need to do are much more complicated than they really are. This can either skew the results because the tasks could have been very simple, or it could go in the studies favor and help improve the website, making it less complicated to search for items.
Also in regards to not using google: everyone uses it. It is probably the main search engine for the internet itself and I am pretty sure that ALL college students use it. It might even be a habit for someone to go straight to it when searching for anything on the internet. Knowing this, letting them use google can be of benefit by, as you said, seeing just how students really go about solving their problems. When it comes to searching for something online, what are their goals? What kind of key words do they type in? When searching for a book, do they type in the title? Author? Description of the book? This could have really helped in improving the options available on the library website when searching for key words for certain books and other research materials. By letting students go about their natural way of searching for things online, it could have helped in seeing what is essential in the library website. Yes, the point was to study the library website itself. Ok, I got that. So restrict students to use google during this part of the study and have a second study with the same test subjects where they naturally look for things online their own way. If this happened, I would have suggested that they do their own way first before solely using the library website.
All in all, I am guessing this project was long done since the library website is up and running today. I have used the website myself when searching for certain materials, and I must congratulate you: the website is wonderful. I never had any trouble searching for anything on the website. It was clear, concise, and provided many options when key words were typed in. Finding research materials for research papers have never been easier! Thank you for your hard work on making this website work so efficiently for us!
July 22, 2010 at 11:16 am
Whitney P
February 16, 2010 The website of the Henry Madden Library is intense because there are so many layers of information and tools. Although it is made to help students find information and save time, it fails to do that in certain ways. It is good that there is a study going on to improve it because students should not be avoiding the library in person or on the internet. I definitely agree with prohibition in testing of outside search engines. Using those outside sources makes the trial a waste of time.
It is a fact that students avoid the library more than they probably should because they access the usual internet search engines and prefer to get most of their resources for essays online. One problem not addressed concerning the library is the hours it is open. Not having physical access when needed (for example at midnight on a week night) forces the student to rely on the internet and become so used to using it that the thought of actually going to the library is not attractive. I know this blog is about the website usability, but one must also address how user friendly the actual library is too. If the physical library is user friendly, then the website should be too. The two go hand in hand. So, in short, it would be great if students could combine using the library and the internet together through the Henry Madden Library website.
July 25, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Kenneth Morshead
I believe that this project is great in the sense that the end result will actually be implemented into practice. I recently was required to access online journals at the Fresno State Library’s website for the first time and it was not the most user-friendly to say the least. The first search I conducted resulted in problems because the program allowed me to conduct a search without first logging in and then after being prompted to log in it did not return me to my search. However, I don’t intend to bore anyone with the difficulties that I experienced but it is very nice to experience a problem and shortly there after find out that it is being worked on by others looking to analytically improve things by studying human behavior.
I also tend to agree with the idea of keeping the study “pure”. It has been my experience on studies that are based on efficiency or “ease of use” that the more variables that are included increases the chance for errors in the accuracy of the resulting data. Also, as was mentioned, it becomes simpler to decide to keep this study more narrow due to the fact that this is a study on the libraries websites and not how to search the web.
July 25, 2010 at 11:46 pm
HilaryH
As a student who has used the Henry Madden Library website I can attest to using Google to supplement my Library search; recently I had to search the libraries’ scientific journal online database for a research project and I had to spend considerable time searching for exactly what I wanted. Later after having found the article I wanted by reading the abstract, yet for some reason the access to the whole article was denied and I was forced to use Google to locate the journal at some other location.
All together I rarely use the Library website and when I do I struggle and fumble around. I find the journal databases to be very difficult when typing in topics and keywords; they tend to pull up articles which contain the key words yet the article as a whole can many times be seemingly unrelated to the desired subject. Another problem I’ve had a library website user is the ability to reserve group study rooms; last semester I needed to reserve a study room online yet when I attempted to I wasn’t able to maneuver with ease around the website. I was so discouraged by the whole ordeal of not being able to figure it out that I had to give up trying to go about it the correct way and instead I was forced to find an empty room and pray that it was reserved.
July 26, 2010 at 12:04 pm
AnntrellG
I can see where you struggle with allowing the test group to use Google or not. I vote that you let students use the site as they normally would, including Google, the reason being that it is an indicator of how well the Henry Madden web site works. If students are leaving the site it is a good indicator that the site needs to be revised for those situations that students are most frequently leaving for. Removing Google as an option created a false situation for users. In my own experience the Henry Madden web site is very busy and can be confusing, which may be the reason students are giving up and going to the more user friendly Google option. The Fresno State University web site uses Google as its internal search engine, why not do the same for the Henry Madden Library web site? Another idea that comes to mind is that the site may need to include a user tutorial. If the issue is that students are using Google because of perceived ease than a tutorial may be a more efficient way to illustrate to users that they do not have to leave the Henry Madden Library web site to find the information that they need.
July 28, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Ashley H
I think this is a great study to conduct. Personally, I find it difficult to sometimes get what I need from the library website, especially when they change how to use things. Most people are comfortable doing things the way they learned how and once something changes it sometimes makes a task almost impossible to complete. It is easier for someone who works in the library to get through the database because they are familiar with how to work the system. For students on the other hand, we seem to encounter more problems with the library database than we would by simply searching a subject through google. I hope this study was successful and allows for an easier, more student friendly library database. Although students at the collegiate level should know how to use library search databases for research and writing papers, but the more user (student) friendly the system is, the easier it would be on the life of a college student, as if we do not have enough to worry about already.
December 4, 2010 at 11:15 pm
RocioT
The use of the Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library website can serve as a great benefit to many students and staff when it comes to searching for information for new projects. The fact that there are researchers that are willing to find out to what extend is the website useful and the student’s skills of using this website to find specific information is very wonderful. This study sounds very interesting and fun. I think that performing this study can lead to many interesting and important findings about the website efficiency and the student’s knowledge /ability to use the Henry’s Madden Library website to access desire information. Another benefit that can arise from this study is that if for some reason the website is not at as successful; the staff can enhance the website effectiveness. They can also develop new ways to help the student increase their skills on the proper way to obtain information such as workshops or creating pamphlets on how to search the website. I know that there are student that go ahead and search on Google for scholarly information, but who guarantees that this sources are 100 percent reliable. I think that using the website from Fresno State is the best way to obtain information without running the risk of finding an unreliable source.
December 5, 2010 at 12:27 am
Tiffany C
I have been a student at California State University Fresno for two years and in that time frame I have used the Henry Madden Library website on numerous occasions. When I logged on for the first time I thought it was certainly anything but a user friendly website. Over time and with continued usage I have learned to navigate the website to find almost anything that I have needed for research material or required reading texts. When all else failed I would go to the library and ask for help which is always an option for any student.
I think the current usability study once it is completed will benefit and enhance the site for current and future students. In order for any study to have validity there must be measurable outcomes. Allowing students to navigate off the website would skew the represented data and not give a clear picture of how the website is utilized to locate requested information. By keeping students on the website for your study it would show how they navigate the system and it would also reflect any problems that they incur in relation to information not located within the current website system.
Your study does not appear to be about how students solve their situation in order to get information if it is not readily available from the Henry Madden Website. It is however a study to gain information on what is working and what is not working for students to gather information in a timely manner on the current website. Overall if the study is conducted with proper parameters it will give end results to focus on what needs to be improved upon for the future success of students utilizing the Henry Madden website. If students are allowed to use Google or other search engines it would not benefit this study. If the study parameters are limited to students utilizing only the library website then not only will areas of successful navigation become evident also deficits in the system will emerge as apparent areas where improvements will become necessary for students to get the most use out of the website. I think this study is a great idea and I look forward to the outcome of an improved library website for all Fresno State students to use.
December 7, 2010 at 4:41 pm
charlotte Price
As a student who has had to use this system I have a few things to say about the project. I do believe that having great tools provided by the university is a great idea, but I do not believe that other ways of finding information should be short circuited. I think that having access to several sources is the best way to do research. If the goal of this project is to link all the tools that student currently use without being forced is the hopeful outcome, I am all for it. I just hate having to open five different tabs when I am working just one project.
I believe in June or July, Fresno State switch over from the csufresno email to Google. It was an interesting transition. What was bad about it was that there was not any more access to old information from the csufresno email. Everything had to be transferred over. I believe that there was an adequate amount of time allowed, but for some, computers are not fun and they may have just begin to understand the system.
I do believe that there are more benefits with using Google such as the use of the calendar, shared documents capabilities, and many other apps. It will be interesting to see what else you all find out and what suggestions you have later.
December 8, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Amanpreet R
I believe it is wonderful idea to test the Fresno State Library. I think lots of students use outside research because it is lot more easy to use. For example, when a person use google search you would have lots article come up and some of those are related to your subjects\ and some are not close to what you are looking for. When you visit a Library you should be ready to spend some time searching for something that you looking for. I think Library search method should be easier than what they have now. When I go to Library it is easy for me to find a book on topic then to find online article on a subject. I think Librarian should ask student to come with software that should be easy for students to use. For example, if I someone is looking for applied anthropology all you have to do is type the word and all the article should come up.
December 9, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Cristal Ramirez
Website Usability at Fresno State Library
Well this project sure sounds interesting because it would allow students to utilize the library resources more often. The library is a great place to find any type of information one is looking for. However, sometimes we feel scare to look for information because there is too much information, we sometimes don’t even know where to start at. I was one of those people who always avoided the library websites. I hardly even went to the library. For me it was much easier to go to Google and yahoo and find whatever information I was looking for. I really never realized if the information I was getting from those websites was reliable. Now that I have learned how to search in the library websites, I use it more often.
However, not too long ago I was a little bit disappointed. I was doing a research in this particular subject and I could hardly find information on this subject. I only found one book in the entire library. Other information I got it from other websites. After having trouble finding information on this subject, I had no option, but to go to Google. I know I was taking a risk because I really don’t know if all the information in Google is correct.
I think that this project will benefit students because it will also allow them to learn new ways of looking for information. This can also allow students to learn more about library websites for future use. However, I think that students should always be allowed to use other websites to find information. As I mention above, sometimes is hard to find certain information thru the library websites; therefore, it is sometimes much easier to find it elsewhere. I do agree that this project sound interesting and it would be fun to know the results.
December 10, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Aglaed G
It sounds like you guys are in front of a big, yet fun and interesting project. It is extremely important that you identify and clarify what it is that makes the website inefficient and not user-friendly, and then look for potential solutions. In this article, you state that it is a “constant struggle to clearly define what you are doing” (anthroguy). Possibly with the help of various instructors at Fresno State, you could collect valuable information from students through surveys. The testing phase would be an ideal time to obtain information from those that ultimately benefit from the changes of the new protocol. Although, this represents another challenge since most students prefer not to participate in surveys, instructors can increase students’ interest in participation by offering a few extra credit points. Information from student can facilitate the work of identifying those areas that need improvement. If you formulate the right questions in the survey, students will identify for you the main problems or at least a better idea of what is causing them to opt for Google instead.
Another idea would be using Google as a benchmark for possible changes on the new protocol. This search engine website is extremely popular because it is simple, appealing to the eye, easy to navigate, and effective. If the library’s website is easy to use and helps you find the information you need, we as students, will not exit immediately and depend on Google Scholar as the main tool. Another factor that may not be as important, but plays a major role in retaining visitors on a webpage is related to how pleasing it is for the eyes. Although I am not an expert, I am assuming that there has to be certain colors, font sizes that the age-group of college students, which are the targeted audience, find more appealing. I am not sure if the colors must be similar to those used by other Fresno State’s websites, if that is not the case, it would be worth to consider changing some font colors. The factor related to ease of navigation is also very important. As I mentioned earlier, the easier a website it is to navigate the more likely that you will stay on it without having to rely on other websites. The most important factor to consider has to be the effectiveness of the website. The library’s website is visited principally for one reason, and that is to find information sources. If the Henry Madden Library’s website provides a service that is consistently reliable, students will forget about other options and use it as their primary information source. In this blog, I read that one of the main problems is students going off site; this can be a tendency that can be the result of ineffectiveness of the website. If the new protocol offers faster and more accurate results, then serious progress is being made. These are just ideas of possible causes, once again, a great source to identify the real problems can only come from large number of students surveyed no their experiences with the website.
December 14, 2010 at 9:36 pm
ZohraH
This project clearly explains what its goals and intentions are. I believe it is a great idea and its nice to evaluate a students comfort level with the libraries website. I’ve been a student at Fresno State for close to 2 years and I have never used the libraries website. I actually had forgotten the benefits it can provide for current students until recently when I was working on a project with a fellow classmate. I find it easier to use Google.com to answer any of my questions. Google.com is a lot faster, user-friendly and also more convenient. I am glad a study like this is being conducted. I feel that the student should refer to its local resources rather than referring to sites such as Google.com or Yahoo.com as their primary search engines. To ensure success in this study libraries and universities will have to make sure the site is user-friendly and provides additional information than the student might need. This is important because technology is advancing so quickly that these institutions need to take advantage of what is being offered and use it to its extent.
December 14, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Breanna Giersch
I have been a student at Fresno State for 5 years now and I have seen the library go through many changes. I have always found that the Fresno State website as well as the library website were not very easy to use. I think it is very important to have the resoucres of a library online. In this time period technology is so common and convient that not having the ease of a library website can make research difficult. Also, at Fresno State we have alot of students who communte to school and it may be difficult to get to the library if they are in need a last minute research.
I definatly think that to accurately assess the website you can not allow the use of google or any other search engines. Using another website means that the library website could not met your needs so instead of added another website we can record the data and improve the original website.
I still find other search engines such as google to be more helpful then the library website. A benefit of the library website is that you can get information from books and articles for free that you often have to pay for on other websites.
December 16, 2010 at 4:26 am
JocelynO
This study was a great idea. The library is very important to a university and its students. During my freshman year I was taught how to use the system properly. I can honestly admit if not for this I probably would’ve never been able to use the system correctly and given up. I would look for a simpler way to find the information that I need through an outside search engine. Our library’s website is very well done for the most part. If done correctly one is able to find what they are looking for easily but if not you are taken to too many places that can make it frustrating. Sometimes the research information may be overwhelming and the results might not even be what you are looking for just contain some keywords. I would suggest that everything be able to be searched from one engine instead of going through multiple sections. Many professors in the past have also uploaded information relevant to the course and make things easier to research.
When it comes to deciding whether people should be able to leave the library website is tough. Limiting people will make it more frustrating for a person if they are not getting the right information. It is easier and more convenient for people to use search engines such as Google because it is a lot more accessible. However, sometimes the research leads you right back to a library source, so if the system allows you to leave the site it would be more convenient for a student to use. Students tend to use search engines that are easy to use such as Google, Bing or Yahoo. This study has made me think about the library website, and how it is not always my first choice when researching but it should be because it will be the most reliable.
December 16, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Marco Mendez
Prior to the experiment and the assessment of the student’s understanding of how to utilize all the resources presented to them to their full potential I did not really consider all of the different ways in order to gain accessibility to valid information and knowledge. With technology becoming such a major part of our every day lives it is easy simply to sit back and allow the technological devices to access all of an individual’s desired information, whether the source are valid or invalid. I really believe that the majority of students are not concerned about the validity of their source, but are simply more concerned about deadlines and which road is the most simple in order to obtain their information.
With all the obstacles and the stressful situations that are brought upon college students it is extremely vital for the Henry Madden Library search engine to make credible information accessible with very little possibilities of confusion and restrictions. This generation and future generations of college students are familiarized with search engines such as: Google, Yahoo, and MSN. I am part of this generation, which has depended on the previously listed search engines. I have indeed tried to use the search engine set up by the Henry Madden Library, but have I have not used this resource with much consistency. The basic reason for this was simply because of the unfamiliarity of the library’s search engine format. It was simply easier to go on to a search engine like Yahoo and Google to obtain my desired information. It was something I was more familiar with and knew the exact methods to manipulate the search to find exactly what information that I wanted to obtain. When I used the Henry Madden Library search engine I was very confused, not because the library search engine was faulty, but the fact that I generally grew up with the search engines that I use primarily.
Although search engines have helped tremendously and are immensely innovated, I feel they have forever damaged the quality of research, in regards to a student’s work and findings. Students in general, including myself have developed the skills in order to obtain credible research and findings without using search engines like Yahoo and Google. Students rarely access their information based on site research utilizing methods such as sample survey, assessment, and obtain their desired knowledge through first hand research. Students my not feel comfortable obtaining information from a search engine that they may feel are bias according to the Henry Madden Library postings.
Like I stated before, I believe students are more concerned with the level of simplicity rather than the validity of their sources. Until students are not allowed to use sources retrieved from common search engines like Yahoo and Google, students including my self will not obtain research with alternatives such as the Henry Madden Library search engine. Technology has not allowed students to utilize their critical thinking skills or development because of the simplicity to obtain information off the Internet, whether credible or not.
December 16, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Andrew Epperson
I believe that this study has great potential for obtaining useful feedback on the website used at the Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library. Having actual statistical feedback will allow for a better analysis of the website’s ease of access to information and result in a more user friendly and resourceful informational site. This is a major resource used by all college students. If this study can make it easier for students to find the correct information in a timely fashion then it will have a great effect on student’s ability and opportunity to research and expand their knowledge at the library.
The multidisciplinary nature of this project is very interesting and can have a major impact on the outcome of the study. Having the librarians help on the study will solve most of the problems that would have occurred from not being familiar with the system. They might already have suggestions to improve the access to information through the website.
I agree that prohibition of “off-site” web usage should be enforced in order to maintain focus on the ability of the Libraries website. Allowing this would just reduce the accuracy of the study and throw the results off. Although, I do believe the use of search engines such as Google and Bing are very important and have their place among this study. I believe the best benefit would be to have a completely different study allowing “off-site” searching and then compare the results of each study to develop the most effective way to access information through the website and all other resources available to students. By comparing the two studies it would create twice the amount of statistical information to use in order to gain a deeper look into the pros and cons of the website. Any input from the student users after testing has been completed will come to good use in making the site more user friendly and information easy to access.
December 19, 2010 at 11:37 am
RicardoP
I see what the author is talking about when using the sites search engine. In my experience with research i have done exactly what the author talks about i go to google and search for any information. I find it to difficult to use the henry madden library search i believe it hasnt been promoted to us students. I think there should be more promotion made in an attempt o have students more willing to use the resources they pay for with tuition. I only recently new about the research system the library has about a month ago. A librarian came to talk to the engineering department where he gave a brief presentation on the library resources. He made it seem very easy to gather information using our class computer. I actually couldn’t believe how much information was on the system i was also unaware that if you needed information from another campus library the fresno state library could send a request and get it to you in the form of a cd. After hearing about this i went home to try it out but i found it very difficult to do so, so i decided to use google scholar and i was able to find inf that came from the henry madden library. Now that i have read this blog i laugh to think that i did what these guys are trying to prevent i accessed the web sit via google. I think the team should really talk to students and inform them about all the benifits of the search as well as teach them how to use it
April 18, 2011 at 5:29 pm
MaiLorV.
I think the usability study of Fresno State library is a great idea and does sound like lots of fun. Yes, you have to always keep in mind that you are doing a research on how well the library website is, as to how well students find information they need. Especially when other ideas come up while doing the study is tempting, you always have keep focus on the purpose in the beginning. When I use the Fresno State library website at first to do research, it was quite confusing. But after a while of roaming the website I was able to find what I needed to look for. It was hard to find something that was greatly valuable to the subject I wanted to look for; in the end I was able to find portions and portions of information on the site. I am not pro on the website yet, but it is somewhat useful sometimes. It is good to work on a project like this one. The whole point of the website is to be able to make the usage easier for students. It is quite hard to tell how great the website is, unless make a study out of it, like how you guys did. I never knew that searching something on Google, can take you back to the library website. That has never once happened to me before. I was quite surprise when it was talked about on this post. All in all, I agree that the website is a wonderful and efficient place to look up certain materials when need to. The library website is a really great source, especially when students need to good information sources. I am glad that you guys took into consideration, to look into the Fresno State library website. This study sounds pretty interesting while reading the post. I think it was pretty useful to do a study like this. The website is a great opportunity for Fresno State students to use and they should take the advantage of it. Sometimes, it is so hard to find sources on certain topics when trying to look for it online. The best way is to be able to use a site that you have access to in order to find compatible resources.
May 1, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Bobby Shepard
I think that students might struggle with this site because of the fact that for a few years, we didn’t have an on campus library. I know I had a bad experience in “ordering” a book, and it had to be retrieved from the off campus storage facility while the new madden library was being built. Because of this, the older students may feel the need to go elsewhere to find material. I know some of my freshman and sophomore friends (who were not around when the library was being built, and have always had a library) spend a lot of time in the library studying and doing homework. On the other hand, I have grown accustomed to studying at my own house or with class mates. This being said, when my generation “dies off” (or graduates), i believer that the library will become a hotter commodity, and people will use the library’s web site more often.