Usability Test Results for Encore in an Academic Library

Authors

  • Megan Johnson Appalachian State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v32i3.4635

Abstract

This case study gives the results a usability study for the discovery tool Encore Synergy, an Innovative Interfaces product, launched at Appalachian State University Belk Library & Information Commons in January 2013.  Nine of the thirteen participants in the study rated the discovery tool as more user friendly, according to a SUS (Standard Usability Scale) score, than the library’s tabbed search layout, which separated the articles and catalog search.  All of the study’s participants were in favor of switching the interface to the new “one box” search. Several glitches in the implementation were noted and reported to the vendor.  The study results have helped develop Belk library training materials and curricula.  The study will also serve as a benchmark for further usability testing of Encore and Appalachian State Library’s website. This article will be of interest to libraries using Encore Discovery Service, investigating discovery tools, or performing usability studies of other discovery services.

Author Biography

Megan Johnson, Appalachian State University

Belk Library and Information Commons, Assistant Professor

References

Thomsett-Scott, Beth, and Patricia E. Reese. "Academic Libraries and Discovery Tools: A Survey of the Literature." College & Undergraduate Libraries 19 (2012): 123-43.

Ibid, 138.

Hunter, Athena. “The Ins and Outs of Evaluating Web-Scale Discovery Services” Computers in Libraries 32, no. 3 (2012)

http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr12/Hoeppner-Web-Scale-Discovery-Services.shtml (accessed March 18, 2013)

Fagan, Jody Condit, Meris Mandernach, Carl S. Nelson, Jonathan R. Paulo, and Grover Saunders. "Usability Test Results for a Discovery Tool in an Academic Library." Information Technology & Libraries 31, no. 1 (2012): 83-112.

Fagan, Jody Condit, Meris Mandernach, Carl S. Nelson, Jonathan R. Paulo, and Grover Saunders. "Usability Test Results for a Discovery Tool in an Academic Library." Information Technology & Libraries 31, no. 1 (2012): 83-112.

Ibid, 89.

Thomas, Bob., and Buck, Stephanie. OCLC's WorldCat local versus III's WebPAC. Library Hi Tech, 28(4) (2010), 648-671. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/07378831011096295

Becher, Melissa, and Kari Schmidt. "Taking Discovery Systems for a Test Drive." Journal Of Web Librarianship 5, no. 3: 199-219 [2011]. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed March 17, 2013).

Ibid, p. 202

Ibid p. 203

Allison, Dee Ann, “Information Portals: The Next Generation Catalog,” Journal of Web Librarianship 4, no. 1 (2010): 375–89, http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1240&context=libraryscience (accessed March 17, 2013)

Singley, Emily. 2011 “Encore Synergy 4.1: A review” The cloudy librarian: musings about library technologies

http://emilysingley.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/encore-synergy-4-1-a-review/ [accessed March 20, 2013].

Nielson, Jakob. 2000. “Why You Only Need to Test with 5 Users” http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000319.html (accessed December 18, 2012].

Fagan et al, 90.

Dixon, Lydia, Cheri Duncan, Jody Condit Fagan, Meris Mandernach, and Stefanie E. Warlick. 2010. "Finding Articles and Journals via Google Scholar, Journal Portals, and Link Resolvers: Usability Study Results." Reference & User Services Quarterly no. 50 (2):170-181.

Bangor, Aaron, Philip T. Kortum, and James T. Miller. 2008. "An Empirical Evaluation of the System Usability Scale." International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction no. 24 (6):574-594. doi: 10.1080/10447310802205776.

Sauro, Jeff. 2011. “Measuring Usability With the System Usability Scale (SUS)” http://www.measuringusability.com/sus.php. [accessed December 7, 2012].

Ibid.

Mellendorf, Scott. “Encore Synergy Sites” Zahnow Library, Saginaw Valley State University. http://librarysubjectguides.svsu.edu/content.php?pid=211211 (accessed March 23, 2013).

Encore overview, “http://encoreforlibraries.com/overview/” (accessed March 21, 2013).

Johnson, Megan. Videorecording made with Jing on January 30, 2013 http://www.screencast.com/users/Megsjohnson/folders/Jing/media/0ef8f186-47da-41cf-96cb-26920f71014b

Fagan et al. 91.

James Madison University Libraries, “http://www.lib.jmu.edu” (accessed December 18, 2012).

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Published

2013-09-15

How to Cite

Johnson, M. (2013). Usability Test Results for Encore in an Academic Library. Information Technology and Libraries, 32(3), 59–85. https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v32i3.4635

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Section

Articles