Improving Primo Usability and Teachability with Help from the Users

Abstract

Abstract:In the aftermath of a consortium migration to a shared cloud-based resource management and discovery system, a small college library implemented a web usability test to uncover the kinds of difficulties students had with the new interface. Lessons learned from this study led to targeted changes, which simplified aspects of searching, but also enhanced the librarians' ability to teach more effectively. The authors discuss the testing methods, results, and teaching opportunities, both realized and potential, which arose from implementing changes.

Framework for Measuring Relevancy in Discovery Environments

“…At Linfield University, although library staff thought the transition to a DE fairly onerous, patrons said they generally found what they were seeking. 24 Whether librarian researchers are utilizing user surveys ("... more than 80 percent of participants across both studies responded that they felt 'Positive' or 'Very Positive' about the discovery system after completing the test"), System Usability Scales (OneSearch (Primo) scores well with the usability tool according to Perrin), questionnaires and focus groups ("ease of use" ratings were high for Summon at Ryerson University), or usability testing (25 University of Toledo students stated they felt positive about the DE, would use it again, and would recommend it to others), overall satisfaction with DEs seems very common. 25 There are also signs and investigations showing DEs are not meeting, or at least not fully addressing, patron information needs.…”

“…26 In Valentine's DE study, the researchers noted that although students were asked to find relevant articles for the topic, they logged the first results they received without employing any discernment strategies. 27 Two other areas of concern related to patron problems with DEs are issues of low facet understanding/use and finding full text/interlibrary utilization. According to many studies, students largely focus on simple searches and rarely use/understand faceting, especially postsearch faceting, when searching in DEs.…”

“…29 Valentine discovered that students did not realize the list of post-search facets available depends on the varying characteristics of the items in the results list. 30 In terms of fulltext discovery and interlibrary loan use, Perrin concluded users were only able to find the full text of an article about 38% of the time, and Jacobs reports that users have trouble understanding interlibrary loan. 31 In terms of finding the full text of articles, DE users tend to have problems with both link resolvers and the web interfaces of publishers or aggregators.…”

When ‘Non-Instructional’ Librarians Teach

“…Polger and Okamoto explain that for library faculty, teaching is beyond what happens in the classroom and includes any kind of transmission of knowledge ( 2010). This can be demonstrated by librarians assisting students with research as peercoaches (Woodard, 2005), usability studies with librarians assessing and evaluating information systems (Valentine and West 2016) and making choices about how metadata is displayed in an online catalog (Chapman 2007). Information literacy is also part of librarians' work in traditionally technical and systems librarianship (roles shared by the authors).…”

Usages et utilisabilité d’un outil de découverte en contexte académique

“…Valentine, West, 2016) et de mes questions de recherche, j'ai composé une grille de test constituée d'une dizaine de tâches à accomplir dans swisscovery. J'ai aussi préparé un entretien pré-test pour obtenir des données démographiques sur les participants ainsi que des informations sur leur aisance avec la recherche documentaire, leurs pratiques en la matière ainsi que leur connaissance de swisscovery.…”