Type of Presentation
Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)
Target Audience
Higher Education
Location
Room 218/220
Abstract
Librarians are often working to find a balance between instruction that teaches the conceptual information about research skills and the practical information on how to use the myriad library interfaces presented to students during the research process. The first interface a user encounters is often the library’s website, but users also navigate catalogs, databases, federated searches, research guides, third party vendor websites, and more as they track down information.
This session will discuss the application of user experience design and usability testing to library controlled interfaces. The presenter will share the outcomes of a user centered design process for a large university library website, and how those techniques have been applied to other library resources in order to facilitate ease of use for students. The presenter will also identify strategies for discussing interface design during a library instruction session to better prepare students for navigating these tools without the assistance of a librarian.
Attendees will leave this session with strategies to merge the conceptual and practical aspects of traditional information literacy instruction.
Presentation Description
Librarians work to find a balance between teaching conceptual research skills and practical information on how to use the myriad library interfaces presented during the research process. This session will discuss the application of user experience design and usability testing to designing library interfaces and teaching students to navigate them.
Keywords
User research, Usability, User Experience, Interface design, Library instruction, Information literacy
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Moran, Carrie, "Information Literacy and the Interface" (2016). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 79.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2016/2016/79
Information Literacy and the Interface
Room 218/220
Librarians are often working to find a balance between instruction that teaches the conceptual information about research skills and the practical information on how to use the myriad library interfaces presented to students during the research process. The first interface a user encounters is often the library’s website, but users also navigate catalogs, databases, federated searches, research guides, third party vendor websites, and more as they track down information.
This session will discuss the application of user experience design and usability testing to library controlled interfaces. The presenter will share the outcomes of a user centered design process for a large university library website, and how those techniques have been applied to other library resources in order to facilitate ease of use for students. The presenter will also identify strategies for discussing interface design during a library instruction session to better prepare students for navigating these tools without the assistance of a librarian.
Attendees will leave this session with strategies to merge the conceptual and practical aspects of traditional information literacy instruction.
