How the presentation of electronic gateway pages affects research behavior

Abstract

Purpose The paper aims to provide details of a study conducted at Hunter College Libraries in fall 2005, the focus of which was how presentation of initial digital resource pages (or gateway pages) on the library\u27s web site impacted students\u27 subsequent steps in the research process. Design/methodology/approach A group of 16 students from English and History classes at Hunter College were recruited to participate after having had basic library instruction. They were given computer‐based key tasks to perform in a proctored classroom setting, using the library\u27s homepage. A second group of students was recruited to participate in two small focus groups. The methodology and exercises were developed in part using guidelines from a taxonomy of user behavior developed by librarians at Hunter College, and recommendations from usability literature by Krug, Neilsen and Rubin. Findings Results from the computer‐based key tasks exercises were bifurcated. Completion rates for computer‐based key tasks using the in‐house developed Hunter College Library database grid, with less than 80 percent (37 percent‐73 percent) students successfully completing all the tasks, was inferior compared to performance using the Serial Solutions access page and the Academic Search Premier database, both commercially‐developed products, with most of the tasks successfully completed by at least 80 percent of the students. Originality/value This study is unique in that the focus is not on the usability of an entire library web site, rather, on the presentation of select, highly visible gateway pages that get a lot of use