Focus Group Report

Brown University Library Web Site

Session #2, September 22, 2006

Overview
Methodology
Participants
Questionnaire Results
Use of other sites
Navigation comments
New functionality ideas
Ideas that were floated to the students and their reactions
Summary

Overview

Comments on the proposed redesign were very positive. The participants' initial first reactions might be best summed up as: 1) the white space is nice, but it is cluttered and 2) the navigation is confusing.

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Methodology

All undergraduates were invited to participate in the focus group through a messages sent in Morning Mail. Five students responded. Participants were given a $10 Starbucks card for their time.

The session took place in the Hecker Center on Friday September 22, 2006 from 3-4 PM . Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on web use and perceptions before we began. The questionnaire was collected at the end of the session. The session was conducted by Sarah Bordac. Anna Christensen was the scribe.

The outline for the one-hour session was:

• Intro and overview
• Web sites they use/Web sites they like/Web sites they don't like
• Discussion of their library web use - some of the things they like and then don't like about the site; top things they currently do vs. wish they could do
• What are some things that would help them with their research and projects?
• Show the new homepage (index.php).  Collect first impressions and comments. 
• Discussion of course pages and focused content

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Participants

Applied Mathematics concentrator, 2010
Undecided, but leaning towards concentration in Public Policy 2010
Undecided 2010
Classics and Art History concentrator, 2009
Computer Science concentrator, 2009

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Questionnaire Results

• 100% of participants use the web more than once a day
• 4 of 5 participants spend more than 2 hours a day on the web
• All of the participants rated themselves as very familiar with the web
• 4 of 5 students use the web more for leisure than for work, while one rated both tasks equally.

Students listed the following as their top web site destinations for research:

• Google (4)
• Wikipedia (2)
• Brown web site
• Any site recommended by instructor
• Brown Library web site
• A government web site
• Facts on File
• Encarta
• Perseus Digital Library (Tufts)
• JSTOR

Students were asked to rate the importance of the following (where a 1 is “not at all important” and 5 indicated “extremely important”).

• Web page content: 4 of 5 rated it extremely important. 1 rated it a 4 of 5.
• Web site design: 3 of 5 rated it a 3 of 5. 1 rated it a 4 and another rated it a 5.
• The web in your life: 3 rated it a 4 of 5. One rated it a 5. Another rated it a 2.

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Use of other sites

Students were asked what web sites they use frequently. They listed:

1. Wikipedia
2. Amazon
3. Facebook
4. Google
5. JSTOR

The students said they preferred for search results to open in a new window – that way they can keep that window open and refer back to it as they look at the individual results.

One student offered the University of Texas libraries web site as an example of a library site he really liked. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/

Students are using the beta version of MOCHA (an emerging underground BOCA). The site f eatures a Top 10 courses list, the ability to visualize your schedule, and a shopping cart for course selection. http://mocha.cs.brown.edu/mocha/main.jsp

Students noted that they liked The Critical Review web site, particularly how BOCA is embedded in the site. http://www.brown.edu/Students/Critical_Review/modules/news/)

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Navigation comments

• The library site doesn't need to include links to BOCA and MyCourses. Everyone knows those URLs. They don't come to the library to get there.
• Don't duplicate the exact same link in two places on the nav
• Change “Refworks” to How to Cite
• The groupings of “Finding Information” and “Research” are not clear. What's the difference?
• Consider tabbing the nav sections to soften their presentation. One student suggested having collapsible nav elements, the other 4 disagreed.
• “What is the difference between a digital collection, eresources, and A-Z lists?”
• Font size is too small
• Wanted Renew Books to be visible
• Move the “About information” to the bottom text links

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New functionality ideas

• Would like to be able to select their Top Resources
• TOP10 resources should come with a brief description of their content
• Select searching resources from checkbox instead of dropdown menu
• Search resources from the drop down menu simultaneously
• Add a “I don't see what I want” link that would search FAQs and Site Map and would be tied to FAQ.
• Compile a list of books and eresources, similar to Amazon's “Wish List” feature
• Enrich news and announcements with more information
• Make image for digital collections bigger / add more graphics to the page

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Ideas that were floated to the students and their reactions

1) Podcasting:

• Faculty will be critical component to a successful podcasting program.
• Students said they would listen to faculty talking about their publications and the library's collections (special collections, archives, books, films, etc) that they find personally and professionally valuable.
• Students were intrigued by faculty interviews of librarians speaking about unique objects in the collections.
• These podcasts could be tied to WebCT and course pages

2) Student to Student FAQ

Participants were concerned that it would not be organized – and if it wasn't organized it would not be useful or used. They thought it would be interesting but they weren't sure what the motivation would be for them to contribute to it. If this feature is developed, they would like it to be moderated by someone (at the library).

3) Suggestion Box Blog

Students were weary at their peers' ability to keep it clean. They hoped messages would go to someone at the library to read and review. It could be a blog, but set it up so each message is read and released.

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Summary

Students were complimentary of the steps taken to improve the web site, but were confused by the navigation. They suggested possible solutions. The students also made new functionality suggestions and responded to possible content and functionality.

Next Steps:

• Review the existing navigation and consider regrouping and refocusing sections
• Ask a designer to look at the site and recommend ways to soften the hard edges and introduce more graphics
• Review the new functionality ideas suggested by students
• Consider ways to work with faculty to connect students with collections and other resources

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