Public Library User Research
Role: UX Researcher
Methods: Usability Test, User Surveys
Tools: UserTesting.com
Duration: March 2021 - April 2021
Summary
I reached out to the public library in my hometown, the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library (GADML), to offer to conduct a usability test of their website. I conducted a usability test with random participants on UserTesting.com and constructed a survey to
assess the needs of library patrons in order to gain a clear understanding of the current strengths of GADML’s website and the areas where they could improve. I provided recommendations for improvement to a library supervisor based on the
findings from these research methods, which will be taken into consideration as the website is updated.
Please view the slides at the bottom of this page to read more detailed summary of my work with examples of test and
survey questions.
Research Plan
Due to COVID-19 and a flood in May of 2020 which damaged half of the building and closed the building to the public until October of 2021, GADML’s online presence has become more important than ever. However, I noticed the site was cluttered and
disorganized. To determine the areas most in need of reorganization and to understand the most important resources users search for on a library’s website, I conducted a usability test and survey of library users. But first, I developed a
clear research objective and questions to guide my work.
The goal of this research was to gauge current user satisfaction, discover pain points, and determine changes that would improve the user experience of this site.
Research Questions
How easy is it for users to find online resources?
Is important information like hours and location easily accessible?
How effective is the current main menu in guiding users to resources?
Do users enjoy the current style and layout?
Usability Test Goals
Discover the strengths and weaknesses of the current site architecture and page layout through random user testing through UserTesting.com.
Users were selected based on their location, age, and
fluency in English.
User Survey Goals
Discover the general interests and desires of library users to provide insight on what content should be featured on a libary's homepage for maximum engagement.
Findings
From Usability Test:
1. The homepage needs reorganization - the most used components were small and buried under less-used content. Some components are also missing responsive features.
2. The 'About' Page can be improved. Users misunderstand the purpose of this page and click on it looking for business information and a summary of services, but instead find a historical timeline of the organization.
3. There are no pages that advertise or point to collections of resources in languages other than English. A page that features non-English collections would be advantageous for users who speak languages other than English or are looking
to practice.
From User Survey:
1. Books and academic articles/databases were consistently rated as being most important to respondents, leading me to conclude that they should be featured more prominently to users.
2. Library history is a non-essential part of the website that can be moved to a less prominent location on the website. Business information and a general summary of services are more important to users.
3. Because the building is closed, online resources are more important than ever. EBooks and Audiobooks as well as other platforms that the library offers should be effectively advertised on the homepage as well.
Deliverables
the following slides concisely communicate my research process as well as the findings and recommendations acquired from my user research.