Search

Discovery tools are emerging in libraries. These tools offer library patrons the ability to concurrently search the library catalog and journal articles. While vendors rush to provide feature-rich interfaces and access to as much content as possible, librarians wonder about the usefulness of these tools to library patrons. To learn about both the utility and usability of EBSCO Discovery Service, James Madison University (JMU) conducted a usability test with eight students and two faculty members. The test consisted of nine tasks focused on common patron requests or related to the utility of specific discovery tool features. Software recorded participants' actions and time on task, human observers judged the success of each task, and a post-survey questionnaire gathered qualitative feedback and comments from the participants. Participants were successful at most tasks, but specific usability problems suggested some interface changes for both EBSCO Discovery Service and JMU's customizations of the tool. The study also raised several questions for libraries above and beyond any specific discovery-tool interface, including the scope and purpose of a discovery tool versus other library systems, working with the large result sets made possible by discovery tools, and navigation between the tool and other library services and resources. This article will be of interest to those who are investigating discovery tools, selecting products, integrating discovery tools into a library web presence, or performing evaluations of similar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to look at search patterns in the OPAC and determine the reasons for failure rates. With this study, interface design problems icould be addressed and the users' search behavior could be analyzed. Transaction log analysis (TLA) was used to examine search queries extracted from the system. Transaction logs are interactions registered electronically between online systems of information retrieval and the persons who search for information contained in the system. For this study, logs refer to the author, title, call number, keyword (Boolean), and subject queries submitted to the library's OPAC. Errors were identified and coded to determine reasons of failure rates. Search patterns were also analyzed by examining the search strings submitted to the system. Simulated searching was also performed (as deemed necessary) to dig further into the reasons why some queries resulted to zero retrievals. For this study, the data used was limited to logs collected for a period of 35 days as this is the maximum extent of logs the system can keep/store. A total of 244,456 search logs submitted to the system. Results showed that users are oblivious of search limiters and that their manner of searching for items in the OPAC is the same as how they would usually conduct their searches using the Google search box; and presumably expect that the OPAC will return results similar to that of Google. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article identifies a common problem in many academic libraries: users having difficulties finding library items. It suggests that a mapping system may help solve the problem if the difficulties stem from users who do not understand floor structures of the library or classification of the collections. The technology of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is proposed to build the system because of its ability to analyze spatial data of collection locations and dynamically present the analytical results in maps of varied detail. Such a GIS item-locating system could he integrated into current online catalog systems so that users would have search results in both textual display and visual demonstration. The article advocates that libraries take advantage of GIS for its inexpensive development and simple implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1993, Stevens Institute Library has successfully demonstrated that an academic institution can function well by acquiring only those materials when needed "just-in-time" instead of having materials on the shelf "just-in-case" they were needed. Users are seeking key and useful targeted concise information and no longer have the time to digest artificially long texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]