One Site to Rule Them All Redux: The Second Round of Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Website

This article examines the usability testing of a responsively redesigned library Web site. Responsive design provides a unified user experience regardless of the device used to view a site. The study\u27s aim is twofold: to determine if the responsively designed site and its external online services support users’ information seeking needs, and to discover if there is a singular experience across different devices. A cognitive walkthrough was the main testing instrument used in gathering input. Over two rounds of testing, students of various class years and technological skill from the New York City of Technology (City Tech), CUNY participated in the study. The first round of testing for this usability study on the library Web site was previously documented (Tidal 2015) This article presents the findings and comparisons between the first and second round of usability testing. The study found not only numerous improvements that could enhance the library Web site, but also the lack of a unified experience between tablet, smartphone, and desktop users, despite using a responsive design. Smartphone users were at a disadvantage in utilizing library resources. The study also found there was a significant usability impact in using a mobile-optimized discovery tool among users in comparison to its Web OPAC predecessor. Tidal, J. (2015). “One Site to Rule Them All: Usability Testing of a Responsively Designed Library Web Site.” In Creating Sustainable Community: The Proceedings of the ACRL 2015 Conference, edited by D. Mueller. Paper presented at the Association of College and Research Libraries, Portland, OR, 25–28 March (pp. 593–604). Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries.)

Notes from the Editor

No abstract

Notes from the Editor

No abstract

The Development of an Academic Library’s Mobile Website

Mobile devices have become more ubiquitous among academic library users. It’s now common to see through analytics that smartphones, tablet computers, e-readers, and even portable gaming consoles are connecting to online library services. This chapter is a case study of how a small academic library supported its users through the creation of a mobile-optimized library website. It documents the chronological changes from the website’s humble beginnings on a shared Windows IIS server to its current configuration on a Linux-based cloud server. Throughout its existence, the website was developed with adaptability in mind, and flexibility, in order to respond to unpredictable changes in information technology. This adaptability includes not only the changing landscape with regard to standards for mobile website development, but also changes in user preferences over time with regard to devices and website architecture

What\u27s Mine is YOURLS

Hyperlink management is critical to website functionality because a site with dead links is not fully operable for the end user. In libraries, links used for marketing, course materials, electronic resources, social media, and other uses are laborious to maintain. Often, these links are long, unreadable, and unmemorable. In order to streamline link maintenance, improve link usability, and promote resources, an open source, short link manager called Your Own URL Shortener (YOURLS), was implemented at an academic library. This primer describes this process. Not only does YOURLS shorten links, it also acts as a database link manager. Long URLs are then shortened into compact readable formats on a hosted domain. With YOURLS, updating URLs for existing resources can be done in one place. This negates the need to update all instances of a URL on different platforms

Using Web Analytics for Mobile Interface Development

Libraries are developing mobile Web sites to keep up with the dynamic landscape of emerging technologies. Library web developers can use analytics software to better understand users and to develop a user-centered mobile Web site. Evidence based design decisions can drive mobile web interface development

Using Web Analytics for Mobile Interface Development

Libraries are developing mobile Web sites to keep up with the dynamic landscape of emerging technologies. However, the development of a mobile Web site is not as simple as serving the existing desktop Web site on a handheld device. Library developers can use analytics software to better understand users and to develop a user-centered mobile Web site. This case study explores the use of a library’s traditional desktop Web site’s analytics information in creating a mobile interface. 2 Although Web analytics can provide a great amount of information about users, data should be used as supplementary information. Usability testing, focus groups, and surveys are other methods that can be conducted to understand users. Analytics cannot be a substitute for these types of user input, yet it may be useful for the initial development of mobile Web sites

Library Wayfinding and ESOL Students: Communication Challenges and Empathy-Based Intervention

This article describes a wayfinding study conducted in an urban, academic library to better understand the experiences of multilingual student populations. The study, which incorporated traditional user experience methods and video ethnography, exposed communication obstacles and spatial challenges encountered by students of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) when attempting information retrieval tasks. After outlining the methodology and examining qualitative findings, the authors discuss how study findings prompted a reevaluation of local practices, service models, and staff training protocols. Finally, the authors explore the potential for qualitative, empathy-based wayfinding studies to transform library practices and spaces

Accessibility in the Time of Limited Resources

In the spirit of this year’s theme of “opening access,” our panel highlights how library faculty are making technology more accessible for the CUNY community. Despite the rising costs of journal prices and the stagnation of library budgets, librarians have employed low-cost and free techniques to improve access to library services. The panelists’ projects provide helpful examples of CUNY librarians’ work to increase access for our communities through technology