Managing Your Library’s LibGuides

Conducting a Usability Study to Determine Student Preference for LibGuide Design

Authors

  • Julie Burchfield Lee University
  • Maggie Possinger Lee University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v42i4.16473

Keywords:

LibGuides, usability study, research starter, template design, SpringShare, Library, design

Abstract

This paper discusses how the William G. Squires Library conducted a usability study on their LibGuides to identify student design preferences. The results of the study support previous research concerning best practices for LibGuide creation. This paper offers insight into how librarian-centric design hinders student success and provides suggestions for how to best develop a student-centric template design that offers consistency and increased user proficiency across all guides.

References

Aaron Bowen, Jake Ellis, and Barbara Chaparro, “Long Nav or Short Nav?: Student Responses to Two Different Navigational Interface Designs in LibGuides Version 2,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 44, no. 3 (May 1, 2018): 391–403, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2018.03.002.

Amy E. G. Barker and Ashley T. Hoffman, “Student-Centered Design: Creating LibGuides Students Can Actually Use,” College & Research Libraries 82, no. 1 (January 1, 2021): 75–91, https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.82.1.75.

Chris Neuhaus et al., “To the Side, To the Side: Academic Libraries and LibGuide Layout Adoption,” Reference Librarian 62, no. 3–4 (January 1, 2021): 207–20, https://doi.org/10.1080/02763877.2021.1986876.

Christopher Chan, Jennifer Gu, and Chloe Lei, “Redesigning Subject Guides with Usability Testing: A Case Study,” The Journal of Web Librarianship 13, no. 3 (January 1, 2019): 260–79, https://doi.org/10.1080/19322909.2019.1638337.

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David Travis, “Cargo-Cult Usability Testing and Why 5 Users Are Enough,” in the Udemy course Usability Testing Boot Camp, video, 11:23, last updated April 2021, https://www.udemy.com/course/usability-testing/.

David Travis, “Red Routes and How to Identify Them,” in the Udemy course Usability Testing Boot Camp, video, 11:05, last updated April 2021, https://www.udemy.com/course/usability-testing/.

Isabel Vargas Ochoa, “Navigation Design and Library Terminology: Findings from a User-Centered Usability Study on a Library Website,” Information Technology and Libraries 39, no. 4 (December 21, 2020): 1–15, https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v39i4.12123.

Judith Logan and Michelle Spence, “Content Strategy in LibGuides: An Exploratory Study,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 47, no.1 (January 1, 2021): 1–11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102282.

Nora Almeida and Junior Tidal, “Mixed Methods Not Mixed Messages: Improving LibGuides with Student Usability Data,” Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 12, no. 4 (December 1, 2017): 1–16., https://doi.org/10.18438/B8CD4T.

Sarah Thorngate and Allison Hoden, “Exploratory Usability Testing of User Interface Options in LibGuides 2,” College & Research Libraries 78, no. 6 (September 1, 2017): 844–61, https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.78.6.844.

Suzanna Conrad and Christy Stevens, “‘Am I on the Library Website?’ A LibGuides Usability Study,” Information Technology and Libraries 38, no. 3 (September 1, 2019): 49–81, https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v38i3.10977.

Yolanda Bergstrom-Lynch, “LibGuides by Design: Using Instructional Design Principles and User-Centered Studies to Develop Best Practices,” Public Services Quarterly 15, no. 3 (January 1, 2019): 205–23, https://doi.org/10.1080/15228959.2019.1632245.

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Published

2023-12-18

How to Cite

Burchfield, J., & Possinger, M. (2023). Managing Your Library’s LibGuides: Conducting a Usability Study to Determine Student Preference for LibGuide Design. Information Technology and Libraries, 42(4). https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v42i4.16473

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Articles