A Case for Adaptation to Enhance Usability and Accessibility of Library Resource Discovery Tools

Abstract

Abstract. Library resource discovery tools (RDTs) are the latest generation of library catalogs that enable searching across disparate databases and repositories from a single search box. Although such "Google-like" experience has been applauded as a benefit for library users, there still exist usability and accessibility problems related to the diversity of user goals, needs, and preferences. To better understand these problems, we conducted an extensive literature review and in this process, we initially grouped issues into three categories: interface, resource description, and navigation. Based on these categories, we propose adaptation as an alternative approach to enhance the usability and accessibility of RDTs. The adaptations could be conducted on three levels pertaining to categories of issues found, namely: interface, information, and navigation level. The goal of this paper is to suggest how the process of adaptation could be considered to improve usability and accessibility of RDTs.

A Review Development of Digital Library Resources at University Level

“…e author also attempts to evaluate comparative features of library resources discovery products and services available in commercial and opensource discovery systems and so does the case study of the adaptation of library resources discovery tools in Central Library, Tripura University. e work conducted by Beyene and Ferati [84] shows that even though such a "Google-like" experience is praised as beneficial to users, problems of accessibility and usability related to the diversity of needs, goals, preferences, and needs of users still exist. To better comprehend these problems, the authors extensively reviewed literature and primarily clustered issues into navigation, interface, and resource-description categories.…”

Accessible search and the role of metadata

“…As discussed in Section 2.1, this could influence the choice of the appropriate design approach. For instance, Beyene and Ferati (2017) recommended consideration of adaptable search interfaces. As exemplified by Figure 3, search interfaces could be designed to give users control so that they can make some “shortcuts” as they deem is necessary.…”

Improving Resource Discovery and Access Through User-Controlled Adaptation: Exploring the Role of Library Metadata

“…Moreover, the diversity in needs and preferences of users makes the problem even more complex. Some scholars, therefore, suggested complimenting the compliance-based approach with the adaptation approach to adapt the search tools to each user's needs and preferences [15]. Beyene and Ferati [15] and Paternò & Mancini [16] therefore recommended tackling the problems by breaking them down into three categories: presentation level, information level and navigation level issues.…”