1,720,979 research outputs found
Evaluating the usability of library services accessed via EBSCO Host Mobile
No full textStatement of the Problem: In recent years, academic libraries have started to examine the possibility of providing more of their content and services via the new platform of Web-enabled mobile devices such as iPods and smartphones. One such service is EBSCO Host Mobile which provides access to articles from EBSCO databases via Web-enabled mobile devices. Prior to this test, no usability test has been done to see if Irish students find such a service usable.
Purpose of the Study: This research sets out to examine whether the library and information services that the EBSCO Host Mobile application provides are usable by its target audience. The application was assessed using the usability attributes of learnability, navigation, efficiency, effectiveness and aesthetics.
Methodology: The methodology chosen was usability testing. This consisted of a pre-usability test questionnaire, a “think out loud” usability test and a post-usability test questionnaire.
Findings: Overall, the application is usable. However, problems exist in terms of the usability attributes efficiency and effectiveness.
Recommendations: Suggested changes to the interface are described and mockup versions of the suggested new interface are presented as screenshots. It is recommended that Irish third level libraries should try to ascertain if there is a demand for library services via Web-enabled mobile devices. Mobile-optimised versions of their library websites and other mobile services such as this application could then be provided
Electronic Journal Provision using Acrobat
Get PDFThis paper discusses issues of electronic journal readability. It identifies some of the techniques that human beings have evolved for reading and skimming paper-based journals. An attempt is made to identify those manual techniques which could be constructively replicated in electronic form. Consideration is also given to the additional functionality provided by online journals and how this can be employed to improve on the methods currently used in their paper equivalents. The paper's conclusions are based on an evaluation of online journal articles made available on Adobe Acrobat software as part of the CAJUN (CD-ROM Acrobat Journals Using Networks) project citeSmith:CAJUN. The Acrobat suite is described and its potential suitability as a vehicle for electronic journals is discussed
The potential of web components for libraries
Get PDFThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of web components for libraries. Design/methodology/approach: The paper introduces a working example web component that reimplements an OCLC WorldCat search widget. Findings: By exploring the case study, the paper explains the functioning of web components and the potential advantages of web components for library web development. Originality/value: Increasingly, web components are being used within library web development, but there is scope for much greater use of this technology to the advantage of those libraries involved.Author has confirmed that publisher allows this version -A
Web Development Skills for Information Architects
Get PDFSome information architects can merely propose information architectures, but the most useful information architects have skills that enable them to be actively involved in Web development. What Web skills does a good information architect need? In this article, I’ll propose a set of Web skills that a graduate with a Masters in Information Architecture would ideally possess
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Project ELVYN: An experiment in electronic journal delivery. Facts, figures and findings - Rowland,F, McKnight,C, Meadows,J
No full textRealising the potential of web services
Get PDFPurpose: To highlight the potential of web services for libraries. Design/methodology/approach: A brief description of web services is followed by a discussion of the importance of web service standards and the role of initiatives to encourage the development and use of such standards in libraries. Findings: Web services offer many advantages to the library community, but the majority of these advantages will only be realised if web services are standardised. Originality/value: This paper is a call to the library community to prevent the proliferation of proprietary web services by supporting the development and use of standard web services
Editorial: Virtual Research Environments: What is the librarian's role?
No full textVirtual Research Environments (VREs) will increasingly change the face of research and librarians have a crucial role to play in their development and use. In the future, VREs should be as fundamentally integrated into the university library information space as Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are now. If VREs are to achieve their potential in supporting researchers, librarians need to ensure that they are involved at this early stage of their evolution so that they can influence their development
Editorial: Virtual research environments: Issues and opportunities for librarians
Get PDFPurpose: This editorial aims to introduce a special issue of Library Hi Tech on "Virtual research environments: issues and opportunities for librarians". It defines the concept of the virtual research environment (VRE), describes its relationship both to the virtual learning environment and to Web 2.0, and proposes that librarians play a central role in VRE development and use. Findings: The VRE is likely to have a huge impact on many aspects of research and, thus, on the role of the academic and the research librarian. If VREs are to fulfill their potential as useful and usable artifacts, librarians need to have a central role in their development and application. Practical implications: Librarians need to be proactive in identifying and advocating for their potential roles in VRE development and use. These roles need to be taken into account in the curricula of schools of library and information studies. Originality/value: This is an ideal time for librarians to explore the potential of VREs because there is still time to influence their eventual form
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