April 2004 CAUL User Studies 1

User Studies

Janine SchmidtJanine Schmidt

University LibrarianUniversity Librarian

University of QueenslandUniversity of Queensland

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Outline User studies – what and whyUser studies – what and why Results and analysisResults and analysis What next?What next? Current researchCurrent research Future trendsFuture trends

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Types of user studies QuantitativeQuantitative

Statistics!Statistics! Use of electronic resourcesUse of electronic resources

Database hits, log-ons, downloadsDatabase hits, log-ons, downloads Number of searches, TOC, Absracts, Full textNumber of searches, TOC, Absracts, Full text CounterCounter

QualitativeQualitative Surveys e.g. RodskiSurveys e.g. Rodski Focus groupsFocus groups

Disciplinary-based studies e.g. architects, physicistsDisciplinary-based studies e.g. architects, physicists Specific user groups e.g. academic staff, undergraduatesSpecific user groups e.g. academic staff, undergraduates

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Why conduct user studies? Improve library collections and servicesImprove library collections and services Understand user needsUnderstand user needs

Match collections with needsMatch collections with needs Ensure optimal and appropriate use of resourcesEnsure optimal and appropriate use of resources Identify problems clients perceiveIdentify problems clients perceive Establish unmet needsEstablish unmet needs

Guide collection management and developmentGuide collection management and development CancellationsCancellations New purchasesNew purchases

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More whys! Guide access approaches, portal, search Guide access approaches, portal, search

mechanisms and website designmechanisms and website design Implement new servicesImplement new services Improve customer serviceImprove customer service Benchmark against othersBenchmark against others Market resources and servicesMarket resources and services Develop better ICT and physical infrastructureDevelop better ICT and physical infrastructure

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What can be measured? Resource useResource use

Databases accessedDatabases accessed Journals (Counter)Journals (Counter) InternetInternet Monograph vs JournalsMonograph vs Journals Print vs onlinePrint vs online Citation studiesCitation studies

Extent of useExtent of use Number of downloadsNumber of downloads Range of disciplines and titlesRange of disciplines and titles

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What can be measured? Method of access/discoveryMethod of access/discovery

CatalogueCatalogue DatabaseDatabase Peer advicePeer advice SerindipitySerindipity In/out of the libraryIn/out of the library

Content useContent use What it is used for?What it is used for? How it is exported?How it is exported? What is the value added?What is the value added? Analysis of what last readAnalysis of what last read

Website useWebsite use

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My interest in user studies How do we communicate with the users we never How do we communicate with the users we never

see? Who are the users we do not see?see? Who are the users we do not see? Purchased extensive e-journals – does the use Purchased extensive e-journals – does the use

warrant the expenditure?warrant the expenditure? What do people really do as opposed to what they What do people really do as opposed to what they

say they do?say they do? Does the so-called “big deal” pay off?Does the so-called “big deal” pay off? What impact does library/literature use make on What impact does library/literature use make on

research outputs?research outputs? How do we design the website effectively?How do we design the website effectively?

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UQ Cybrary Use (2003)

Take away/eat in (30% of website use from library Take away/eat in (30% of website use from library branches)branches) 3,000,000 people used study areas and computers in e-zones3,000,000 people used study areas and computers in e-zones 1.6 million items borrowed1.6 million items borrowed 46,000 attended information skills classes46,000 attended information skills classes

Order in (30% of website use from UQ, 40% external)Order in (30% of website use from UQ, 40% external) Dial-up from offices/laboratories within Dial-up from offices/laboratories within

university/homes/workplaces throughout worlduniversity/homes/workplaces throughout world Check website, catalogue, service availability, holdings, use e-Check website, catalogue, service availability, holdings, use e-

journals, e-books, ask questions, databasesjournals, e-books, ask questions, databases Nearly 30 million pages of website used by over 500,000 Nearly 30 million pages of website used by over 500,000

computers throughout world computers throughout world

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Some UQ usage figures Blackwells (647 titles) – Jan – Aug 2003Blackwells (647 titles) – Jan – Aug 2003

No titles unusedNo titles unused 3.2% titles used once3.2% titles used once 14.2% titles used more than 200 times14.2% titles used more than 200 times Conservation Biology Conservation Biology used 2133 timesused 2133 times 185 titles (28.6%) make up 80% total useage185 titles (28.6%) make up 80% total useage 58 titles (8.96%) make up 50% total useage58 titles (8.96%) make up 50% total useage

Elsevier (Science Direct (1627 titles)) – Jan – AugElsevier (Science Direct (1627 titles)) – Jan – Aug 1% titles unused1% titles unused 2.2% titles used once2.2% titles used once 10.3% titles used more than 200 times10.3% titles used more than 200 times Lancet Lancet used 8585 timesused 8585 times 483 titles (29.7%) make up 80% total useage483 titles (29.7%) make up 80% total useage 159 titles (9.77%) make up 50% total useage159 titles (9.77%) make up 50% total useage

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Other UQ usage Components of website most heavily usedComponents of website most heavily used Time and type of useTime and type of use E-print repositoryE-print repository

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What the results are telling us? O.71 is the relationship between downloads and O.71 is the relationship between downloads and

number of users ie 1.4 downloads per user number of users ie 1.4 downloads per user (http://people.cornell.edu/pages/pmd8/highwire.doc)(http://people.cornell.edu/pages/pmd8/highwire.doc)

Researchers will use many pathways to find Researchers will use many pathways to find information ie catalogue, Web of Science, databaseinformation ie catalogue, Web of Science, database Search methods are not consistentSearch methods are not consistent Proxy serversProxy servers

Most users download a few articles from a few Most users download a few articles from a few journalsjournals Related to quality – 20% of papers get 80% of citesRelated to quality – 20% of papers get 80% of cites (Thomson (Thomson

Scientific)Scientific)

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Research use of libraries The stuff of research (and teaching and learning)The stuff of research (and teaching and learning) Hard copy and electronic material both seen as Hard copy and electronic material both seen as

essentialessential Better tools required for identification and Better tools required for identification and

location of information resources required, location of information resources required, increasingly in e-formatsincreasingly in e-formats

Own university library is essential to their Own university library is essential to their research (83% of researchers)research (83% of researchers)

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Research use of libraries 60% medical and biological science researchers, 77% physical 60% medical and biological science researchers, 77% physical

science and engineering regard printed books as essentialscience and engineering regard printed books as essential 92% researchers in arts, humanities and social sciences regard 92% researchers in arts, humanities and social sciences regard

printed books as essentialprinted books as essential 95% researchers see access to printed refereed journals as 95% researchers see access to printed refereed journals as

essentialessential 75% researchers in sciences see e-journals as essential, 57% in 75% researchers in sciences see e-journals as essential, 57% in

social sciences and 22% in humanitiessocial sciences and 22% in humanities (Education for change, SIRU (Education for change, SIRU University of Brighton & The Research Partnership. University of Brighton & The Research Partnership. Researchers use of libraries and Researchers use of libraries and other information sources; current patterns and future trends)other information sources; current patterns and future trends)

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…more results Disciplinary differencesDisciplinary differences Most like eMost like e Researchers read more articles now than they used to Researchers read more articles now than they used to (Tenopir and King – (Tenopir and King –

100 per year in 1977 to over 200 now)100 per year in 1977 to over 200 now)

Print is not dead nor obsoletePrint is not dead nor obsolete Preferred format for readingPreferred format for reading Personal archiving?Personal archiving?

Browsing still importantBrowsing still important E-print archives significantE-print archives significant People read for primary research, current awareness and teaching People read for primary research, current awareness and teaching

purposespurposes Googleisation Googleisation

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… still more results InterdisciplinarityInterdisciplinarity Modes of access changingModes of access changing Open accessOpen access

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What to do with the results? Improve the library service & collectionsImprove the library service & collections

Provide trainingProvide training Improve the discovery toolsImprove the discovery tools Purchase more effectively? Purchase more effectively? Find the balance Find the balance

DisciplineDiscipline FormatFormat Monograph/JournalMonograph/Journal

Tell the vendorTell the vendor Develop better searching systemsDevelop better searching systems

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Current research Carol Tenopir Carol Tenopir (http://web.utk.edu/~tenopir/index.html)(http://web.utk.edu/~tenopir/index.html)

Philip Davis Philip Davis (http://people.cornell.edu/pages/pmd8/)(http://people.cornell.edu/pages/pmd8/)

John W. HoughtonJohn W. Houghton More detailed examination of e-use and More detailed examination of e-use and

pathways to usepathways to use

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Where to from here? What are the real questions?What are the real questions? What are the real problems?What are the real problems? Use wide variety of data for comparisonsUse wide variety of data for comparisons Collaborate on the researchCollaborate on the research

Appoint a CAUL sub-group to look at implications Appoint a CAUL sub-group to look at implications of user studiesof user studies

Connect solutions to the issues and findings Connect solutions to the issues and findings from user studiesfrom user studies

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Bibliography Davis, P. (2003) What usage statistics say about online user behaviour. Davis, P. (2003) What usage statistics say about online user behaviour.

Presented at Presented at Fiesole Collection Development RetreatFiesole Collection Development Retreat , Amsterdam. Available: , Amsterdam. Available: http://digital.casalini.it/retreat/2003_docs/Davis.pdf.http://digital.casalini.it/retreat/2003_docs/Davis.pdf.

Houghton, J. W., Steele, C. & Henty, M. (2003) Houghton, J. W., Steele, C. & Henty, M. (2003) Changing research practices Changing research practices in the digital information and communication environmentin the digital information and communication environment , Department of , Department of Education, Science and Training. Available: Education, Science and Training. Available: http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/respubs/changing_res_prac/c_res_pract.pdf http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/respubs/changing_res_prac/c_res_pract.pdf

Luther, J. (2000) Luther, J. (2000) White Paper on Electronic Journal Usage StatisticsWhite Paper on Electronic Journal Usage Statistics . . Available: http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub94/contents.htmlAvailable: http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub94/contents.html

Marcum, D. B. & George, G. (2003) Who uses what? Report on a national Marcum, D. B. & George, G. (2003) Who uses what? Report on a national survey of information users in colleges and universities, survey of information users in colleges and universities, D-Lib MagazineD-Lib Magazine, , 9(10).9(10).

Tenopir, C. (2002) Use patterns of print and electronic journals, presented at Tenopir, C. (2002) Use patterns of print and electronic journals, presented at Fiesole Collection Development RetreatFiesole Collection Development Retreat , Amsterdam. Available: , Amsterdam. Available: http://digital.casalini.it/retreat/2002_docs/Tenopir.pdf.http://digital.casalini.it/retreat/2002_docs/Tenopir.pdf.

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Thank you for listening

Discussion please….