563 research outputs found
How we FindIt@Bham using Primo
Get PDFThe University of Birmingham is currently investing in its library and systems. A three year programme of activity, completed in Autumn 2013, has seen a review of all printed monograph material held by Library Services and the implementation of a new resource discovery solution, ‘in-house’ reading list software and a library management system. During this period, it has been announced that funding will be provided for a new Main Library which is due to open in Autumn 2016. Combined, this investment will allow the University to better support the University’s learning, teaching and research agenda.
This article will focus on the resource discovery system (RDS) which was launched in September 2012. The article will consider why an RDS was required; it will give details about the implementation of the system as well as the extensive customisation which was made to the ‘out-of-the-box’ product. The value of user focus groups during the customisation process will be discussed as well as some technical tips and advice for anyone considering doing similar customisation. The article will conclude by considering the impact of the new system during its first year of operation
Evaluation of a Resource Discovery Service: FindIt@Bham
Get PDFIn autumn 2012, the University of Birmingham launched FindIt@Bham, a Primo-based Resource Discovery Service, after a series of focus groups with students and staff to help determine its initial configuration and customisation. This paper presents the results from a large-scale online survey and focus groups that were conducted to poll users’ attitudes to the service over twelve months later, adding to a small body of research on user satisfaction with established resource discovery services. From the survey the overall level of appreciation was high with 71.13% rating FindIt@Bham to be ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’. The level of appreciation was compared across undergraduates, postgraduates (taught and research) and academic staff which revealed that undergraduates are the group of users most happy with the service with academic staff being least satisfied. The reasons for this discrepancy are considered, along with users’ behaviour and a discussion of their perceptions of individual functional areas. The survey results led to focus group activities tailored to extract deeper information on system usage and satisfaction. From these combined activities, future customisations and developments to FindIt@Bham such as tuning of result relevancy, improved online help and additional functionality can be prioritised
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