2008 Woodie Awards
Library looking for help in usability study
By: Sarah Schuch
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Charles V. Park Library's Centra Library Catalog soon will receive a makeover.
And the library wants students' help in the redesign process.
The library is seeking 10 students to participate in a usability study. Those students will give feedback on how the new program works.
"The most useful part is to get input of the campus community," said Ruth Helwig, systems librarian.
As of Tuesday, six students still were needed to participate.
Dearborn senior Lauren M. Campbell is in charge of the usability study.
Campbell said the purpose of the study is to find anything in the new design that needs to be fixed or made clearer before it is made available to the public.
"It always helps to have something more modern looking," she said.
Campbell said the library's current design is from 1998.
If everything goes well, Campbell said the new design probably will be available for the public next semester.
Students who participate will receive a $15 gift card to the CMU Bookstore, she said.
The redesign team consists of five library staff members.
Campbell, who plans to get a master's in library science, is doing the study as her senior project for the Honors Program.
As part of the study, Campbell said participants will get a list of tasks to perform using the new design. How each student does with each task is how they will determine if the program works or not. It should take no more than an hour to complete, she said.
Some of the tasks include finding a specific book, a chemistry video, and searching for something by only having the call number, Campbell said.
Krista Graham, assistant libraries professor and team leader of the overall design, said the main goal of this study is to create the most usable catalog for students.
"It's not what I think is best," she said. "It is what is best for the people who use it."
Campbell said the study started with focus groups in April. The groups were shown catalogs from other libraries with programs similar to what they wanted, she said.
Graham said the basis for the redesign was from the feedback of the focus groups and what they wanted. The new design will have some new features, she said.
Those interested in participating in the study should contact Campbell at campb2lm@cmich.edu.
news@cm-life.com
And the library wants students' help in the redesign process.
The library is seeking 10 students to participate in a usability study. Those students will give feedback on how the new program works.
"The most useful part is to get input of the campus community," said Ruth Helwig, systems librarian.
As of Tuesday, six students still were needed to participate.
Dearborn senior Lauren M. Campbell is in charge of the usability study.
Campbell said the purpose of the study is to find anything in the new design that needs to be fixed or made clearer before it is made available to the public.
"It always helps to have something more modern looking," she said.
Campbell said the library's current design is from 1998.
If everything goes well, Campbell said the new design probably will be available for the public next semester.
Students who participate will receive a $15 gift card to the CMU Bookstore, she said.
The redesign team consists of five library staff members.
Campbell, who plans to get a master's in library science, is doing the study as her senior project for the Honors Program.
As part of the study, Campbell said participants will get a list of tasks to perform using the new design. How each student does with each task is how they will determine if the program works or not. It should take no more than an hour to complete, she said.
Some of the tasks include finding a specific book, a chemistry video, and searching for something by only having the call number, Campbell said.
Krista Graham, assistant libraries professor and team leader of the overall design, said the main goal of this study is to create the most usable catalog for students.
"It's not what I think is best," she said. "It is what is best for the people who use it."
Campbell said the study started with focus groups in April. The groups were shown catalogs from other libraries with programs similar to what they wanted, she said.
Graham said the basis for the redesign was from the feedback of the focus groups and what they wanted. The new design will have some new features, she said.
Those interested in participating in the study should contact Campbell at campb2lm@cmich.edu.
news@cm-life.com
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