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Abstract With the goal of developing information retrieval (IR) systems, including digital libraries (DLs), that support universal access, the authors conducted two studies to identify the help-seeking situations that blind and visually impaired (BVI) users encountered in DLs. First, the authors quantitatively compared BVI users’ help-seeking situations when interacting with the DL's mobile website (M.Web) and the mobile app (M.App). Using multiple data collection methods, the mobile study identified six situations BVI users faced more frequently when using M.Web than M.App. Second, the findings of the mobile study were qualitatively compared with the situations that occurred in the desktop environment, highlighting eight unique situations. It is more difficult for BVI users to interact with DLs in the mobile environment because of the reduced size of the mobile interface, complex DL structures, dynamic elements, diverse formats, and sight-centered design. Specific design recommendations were offered to enhance DLs in the mobile environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the administrative team of the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) is to create policies that ensure successful use of the library services and collections on an uninterrupted basis by all the members of their community. The team has pursued strategies over a period of years to address potential barriers to use caused specifically by overdue materials and subsequent fines. The latest of these strategies produced a data set, available to MPL through the shared Milwaukee County Federated Library System, that allowed authorized MPL staff, in partnership with the School of Information Studies of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (SOIS), to engage fine-constricted patrons in a review of library policies. Utilizing a telephone survey and focus groups, MPL/SOIS identified a constellation of issues that affect patrons' use of the library beyond the single question of fines to engage the broader question of the impact of policies. Patrons indicated a desire for more communication strategies initiated by the library and an elimination of the collection agency and the associated fee, as well as a concern about who benefits from the fines that are collected. They also identified an underlying value for the library that supports that use. This dialogue produced a study that extends beyond simply the elimination of "barriers to use" to a more affirmative approach of supporting not just access, but relationship between the library and their patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to examine the intellectual landscape of the domain of culture and ethics in knowledge organization (KO). A domain analysis was conducted on a corpus of 206 relevant papers using bibliometric methods such as author co-citation analysis. The findings revealed a core group of influential authors consisting of Olson, Beghtol, and other influential KO researchers. The most prominent research themes that constitute this scientific community have also been investigated by reviewing some fundamental concepts and influential works in the domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Diabetes and hypertension are two prevalent and related chronic conditions. To inform the design and development of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) for people living with multiple chronic conditions, this paper examines features mentioned in developers' descriptions and user reviews of mHealth apps, along with users' attitudes toward associated features.Materials and Methods: Eleven top apps for diabetes and hypertension were identified from Google Play as of January 2020. Based on a stratified sampling strategy, 1,100 user reviews were selected to form the final dataset. Developers' descriptions were also collected for analysis. Using the grounded theory approach, we developed a feature-oriented coding scheme, which was used to identify three levels of features mentioned in app descriptions and user reviews: feature group (the highest level), feature type (the second level), and individual feature (the lowest level). Users' attitudes toward app features mentioned in user reviews were also analyzed.Results: Most top-rated apps for diabetes and hypertension under study were multifeatured, incorporating self-management, information sharing, and decision support features. At the feature-group level, most informative user reviews commented on features related to self-management, followed by decision support and information sharing. The four most frequently mentioned feature types were data entry, data export/import, data visualization, and assessment. Users expressed overwhelming positive attitudes toward app features across all feature categories. Based on users' assessments of existing features and requests for additional features, design implications for app development are provided.Conclusions: Despite the diversity of app features provided by mHealth apps and users' primarily positive attitudes toward existing app features, more comprehensive and personalized features are expected by app users to satisfy their health needs. Beyond identifying app features in user reviews, future research may seek more in-depth feedback from real-life patients for app development and design using methods like interviews and focus groups, to further enhance the overall quality of relevant mHealth apps to better support users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current sight-centered designs and services in library and information science (LIS) do not effectively support blind and visually impaired (BVI) users. Simultaneously, there is a lack of studies focused on the research methods utilized in BVI research. This study analyzed 165 research papers retrieved from four LIS databases over a 40-year period. The uniqueness of BVI research methods on research design, data collection, and data analysis is highlighted. While survey and experiment are the two most commonly applied research designs in LIS research, survey and evaluation are the main research designs for BVI research. Concurrently, assessment report is a unique data collection method employed. More quantitative analysis was also applied in BVI research, and most of the qualitative analysis was not specified. This study reveals an opportunity to enhance the diverse approaches to BVI research and further satisfy BVI users' unique needs. • Research methods applied to LIS studies of blind and visually impaired (BVI) users were examined for the first time. • Survey and evaluation were the main research designs for BVI research. • Assessment report was identified as a unique data collection method employed in BVI research. • BVI research involved more quantitative than qualitative analysis and was mostly descriptive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This study compares thirty blind and visually impaired users' assessment of accessibility and usability of the two mobile platforms (mobile app and mobile website) of a digital library. Method. Triangulation of data collection was applied, including think-aloud protocols, transaction logs, post-platform questionnaires, post-platform interviews, and post-search interviews. Analysis. Two steps of analysis were used. First, quantitative analysis was applied to compare assessments of participants towards two mobile platforms' accessibility and usability. Second, qualitative data were analysed to identify types of design factors. Results. Mobile app performs significantly better in all accessibility and usability variables except accessing information/objects. Most importantly, nine types of design factors are revealed in relation to blind and visually impaired users' assessment of accessibility and usability for the two mobile platforms. Furthermore, the design problems of the mobile website are associated with a responsive design that adjusts the digital library interface to a mobile device, the complexity of digital library structure and formats, and a sight-centred design that excludes blind and visually impaired users' unique information-seeking behaviours. Conclusion. Mobile platforms of digital libraries, especially mobile websites, need to improve their designs. Design implications for mobile websites are further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]