User Research
Libraries are impacted by the ways in which individuals engage with technology; how they seek, access, contribute, and use information; and how and why they demonstrate these behaviors and do what they do. We're collaborating with librarians to shape their services around a set of expectations that have been influenced by consumer technologies and modern research and learning environments. By providing the library community with behavioral evidence about individuals’ perceptions, habits, and requirements, we can ensure that the design of future library services is all about the user. Our efforts are amplified by strategic partnerships and focus in these two areas:
Presentations
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What's Format Got to Do with It? The Role Information Formats Play in Evaluating Search Results.
Topics: User Research, Student Support, Information Literacy
Rediscovering Discovery: three general examples
virtual
This presentation accompanied a panel discussion of current trends and issues in discovery systems, including a description of value-added full-text linking features, user behaviors and needs identified by transaction log analysis, the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in discovery, and plans by the Big Ten Academic Alliance for a collective collection system.
Recording available from CNI on Vimeo
Topics: Collective Collections, Library Trends
Archaeological data practices and the implications for successful data sharing and reuse
virtual
In this keynote presentation, Ixchel M. Faniel discusses findings from several studies examining archaeological data practices and needs and the implications for successful data sharing and reuse.
Keynote recording available from SEADDA.
Topics: User Research, Research Data Management, SLO-Data
Identifying Opportunities for Collective Curation During Archaeological Excavations
Dublin, Ireland
Archaeological excavations are comprised of interdisciplinary teams that create, manage, and share data as they unearth and analyze material culture. These team-based settings are ripe for collective curation, particularly among the excavation teams responsible for unearthing the materials and the specialists responsible for analysing them. Yet, findings from a study of four excavation sites show specialist data tend to remain unlinked and decontextualized from excavation data. This presentation highlights findings from the study, opportunities identified for collective curation, and responses from the four excavation projects.
Topics: Research Data Management, User Research, SLO-Data
Speaking on the Record: Combining Interviews with Search Log Analysis in User Research
Melbourne, Australia
OCLC Research presents a novel user research methodology that combines log analysis with semi-structured interviews to determine how library users navigate the path from discovery to access. Indications are, “The methodology used for this study also could be extended beyond discovery systems. Other computerized activities that leave digital traces could be studied using interview protocols based on log analysis.”
Topics: User Research, Research Methods
Snake News or Fake News? A Game Show About How Students Evaluate Scientific Information in Google Search Results
Charleston, SC, USA
This game show-style presentation gives an overview of a study that uses simulations of Google Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs), a think-aloud protocol, and interviews to capture student’s point of selection behavior and real-time cognition in judging the helpfulness, citability, and credibility of online resources.
Topics: Information Literacy
Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis with Their Community
Melbourne, Australia
This update on the project “Public Libraries Respond to the Opioid Crisis with Their Communities” reviews project goals and activities, methodology, and findings.
“I like interlibrary loans a lot. I don’t like that three- or four-days turnaround.” Academic Librarian and User Expectations for Accessing Resources and Perceptions of ILL
Melbourne, Australia
The presentation provides a detailed look at recent focus group research to assess resource sharing and interlibrary loan challenges and expectations. The effort aims to influence and guide strategic direction and product development of OCLC delivery services.
Topics: Resource Sharing
There is a Method to It: Making Meaning in Information Research through a Mix of Paradigms and Methods
Melbourne, Australia
Researchers share the prevalence of survey research, review qualitative and mixed-method studies, and provide real-world examples with Worldcat Discovery search log analysis.
Topics: Research Methods
Delivery Services: The Library On-demand (video)
OCLC Research and Product Services team up to share OCLC Delivery Services research interests and product strategy at the Library Futures Conference 2019.
Topics: Research Support