Next generation catalogues: an analysis of user search strategies and behavior

Lugya, Fredrick Kiwuwa

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/97522 Copy

Description

Title

Next generation catalogues: an analysis of user search strategies and behavior

Author(s)

Lugya, Fredrick Kiwuwa

Issue Date

2016-12-15

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

La Barre, Kathryn

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

La Barre, Kathryn

Committee Member(s)

• Cooke, Nicole A.
• Taylor, Jennifer E.
• Tilley, Carol

Department of Study

School of Information Sciences

Discipline

Library and Information Science

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Library catalogues
• Library catalogs
• Search and discovery systems
• User studies
• VuFind
• Next generation catalogues
• VuFind installation
• Search features
• Second generation catalogues
• Graduate students
• Functionality of search features
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abstract

The movement from online catalogues to search and discovery systems has not addressed the goals of true resource discoverability. While catalogue user studies have focused on user search and discovery processes and experiences, and construction and manipulation of search queries, little insight is given to how searchers interact with search features of next generation catalogues. Better understanding of user experiences can help guide informed decisions when selecting and implementing new systems. In this study, fourteen graduate students completed a set of information seeking tasks using UIUC's VuFind installation. Observations of these interactions elicited insight into both search feature use and user understanding of the function of features. Participants used the basic search option for most searches. This is because users understand that basic search draws from a deep index that always gives results regardless of search terms; and because it is convenient, appearing at every level of the search, thus reducing effort and shortening search time. Participants rarely used advanced search but selected it as a secondary alternative, especially when searching for local library or print collections. Participants understand an online catalogue as a list of library holdings that provides access to local print collections; and offers options for refining voluminous result sets. Participants frequently used author, title, subject, keywords; and citation, search within, print, save, e-mailing, fulltext download that offered clear alternatives to searching and search reformulation respectively. Such features are familiar to users from past search experiences and puts them in control of the system. Participants understand the function of VuFind features based on their perception and preference that: VuFind will give relevant and current information because of the large collection size at UIUC; because of their prior experiences with quick, minimal effort search reformulation strategies; and VuFind‘s large result sets, presented in systematic and logical order. The evidence confirms that information tasks guide and shape the way searchers select and use system features. Participant search processes change during and after using a specific system. Alternatives to improve the design of more robust search features are proposed.

Graduation Semester

2017-05

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97522

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2016 Fredrick Kiwuwa Lugya

Owning Collections