patronlib

Web-Based Bibliographic and Full Text Retrieval: Which Features/Which Users? : 

Web-Based Bibliographic and Full Text Retrieval: Which Features/Which Users? Gary Perlman, perlman@acm.org Consulting Research Scientist OCLC Online Computer Library Center

What is OCLC?: 

What is OCLC? Non-profit member library association Furthering access to the world's information and reducing information costs. 36,304 libraries, 74 countries, www.oclc.org Online Union Catalog 43,114,704 records (10 million non-English, 12 million non-books), 743,016,404 holdings, 96,054,453 ILL requests

What is FirstSearch?: 

What is FirstSearch? Uniform interface to 86 Databases: WorldCat, ArticleFirst, ECO, NetFirst Millions of records, 6000 full text serials, 2100 image journals 15,000 libraries, 250,414,113 searches 1996 Web version Demo 1999 New Web version Login Demo

FirstSearch 4.0 History: 

FirstSearch 4.0 History

Feature Development Example: 

Feature Development Example Search History in old FirstSearch Tradeoff of flexibility with usability Too many options make for a less usable system Support both graphical and command interaction on same screen

Thesaurus Browsing Design: 

Thesaurus Browsing Design Initial prototype as Java applet Simplified to highlight broader/narrower Completely unusable by non-librarians Simplified to not highlight hierarchy Marginally usable by non-librarians All versions usable by librarians

Thesaurus Conclusions: 

Thesaurus Conclusions Most users will never understand what a thesaurus is Most users find it unfathomable what catalogers do

General Observation: 

General Observation Related items automates the use of thesaurus terms Users do not need to know about controlled vocabularies

How OCLC Ensures Usability: 

How OCLC Ensures Usability Design Input from many parties prototyping, surveys, beta testing, etc. Testing Usability lab with small staff and volunteers Task design with dry run Users: librarians, students, researchers, etc. Data: video, logging, notes, summary

FirstSearch Usability Testing: 

FirstSearch Usability Testing Usually for individual features Rapidly changing system/prototype Usability tests widely attended Typical tasks: fact finding, known item search, general research, term paper

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons Informal observations about some differences between those trained in library science and the other 99% of the world, who are now learning about search from experiences on the Web These are over-generalizations meant to promote discussion, not a classification of good/bad or right/wrong

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Profile: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Profile Librarians Trained professional Wants full control Patrons Show me the full text, now! Here are some terms. Now, get me there.

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Training: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Training Librarians Trained in general search strategies Use system help Look at more options first Patrons Webbed mimickers - know some of what what Yahoo does “If I need to use help, I don't want to use it” See a box and fill it up, Click on Go! and hope for luck. See a box not far away, Check it to work just your way.

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Source Selection: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Source Selection Librarians Judicious choice of databases Know and study databases Patrons What's a database?

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Formulation: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Formulation Librarians Plan searches Concerned about quality of search and authority of retrieved data Patrons ad hoc satisficing Academic interest in peer review

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Index Use : 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Index Use Librarians Request dozens per database Use index for term and phrase selection Patrons 95% of searches are keyword, author, title Do not understand phrase indexes

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Term Selection : 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Term Selection Librarians thesaurus browse index look for variants (e.g., plurals, British, French) Patrons use 1-2 terms natural language get lost in any tools; that are "off the path to results” don’t trust controlled vocabularies (“misses some”)

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Query Language : 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Query Language Librarians Boolean operators parentheses truncation wildcards proximity Patrons Free form Web syntax: +required -avoided wildcard*

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Search Limits: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Search Limits Librarians Set limits in advance (before the query) Patrons Huh?

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Relevance Ranking: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Relevance Ranking Librarians Don't know how defined; sometimes ask for definition Patrons Don't know it should be defined Assume everything is ranked by relevance, as they think it should be defined

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Results Evaluation: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Results Evaluation Librarians Compare results to previous search results (more/less, better/worse) Patrons Begin looking at records, even if millions (assume relevance ranking) Don't know why anyone would want bib records

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Budget : 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Budget Librarians Cost conscious Don't want graphics Patrons "Hey, where's the full text?"

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Customization : 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Customization Librarians Want to highlight library resources: YourFirstSearch Patrons Want to save session history: MyFirstSearch

Comparing Librarians & Patrons:Choice of Service: 

Comparing Librarians & Patrons: Choice of Service Librarians Make or influence choices Patrons Use what's provided

Features in Progress (April 2000): 

Features in Progress (April 2000) Persistent problem: Database Selection Users may have access to 80+ Users do not know what databases are, nor what's in them Strategy: Help users choose database

New Home Screen: 

New Home Screen

Suggested Databases: 

Suggested Databases

Conclusions: 

Conclusions Librarians are trained to organize and retrieve information that meets their patrons’ needs Online systems allow patrons to search on their own; also promoted by free Web sites FirstSearch tries to raise the sophistication level of users with bibliographic instruction and online help and to better understand users through research (e.g., Normore, 1999)

Conclusions: 

Conclusions Perhaps it is unrealistic to think that patrons will be able to use (let alone understand) all the methods and tools used by librarians A general strategy in FirstSearch is to provide a toolset for all users (particularly sophisticated searchers), while providing point-and-click support for some methods (e.g., related subjects, related databases)

Thank You!: 

Thank You! Gary Perlman perlman@acm.org http://www.acm.org/~perlman/ Disclaimer: Views expressed are my own and may not reflect official policies of OCLC. Examples shown may not appear in similar form, if ever, in FirstSearch.