Scottish UPA Presentation 15th March 2011

Student attitudes towards mobile library services for Smartphones

Lorraine Paterson & Boon LowNational e-Science Centre, University of EdinburghScottish Usability Professionals Association15th March 2011

Presentation outline

Introduction to UX2 and AquaBrowser Projects • What has happened in the last 12 months

Mobile library services research methods• Surveys• Focus groups

Findings Recommendations Reflections Future research: mobile usability testing

15/03/11 Usability and Contemporary User Experience in Digital Libraries

JISC Projects

Usability and Contemporary User Experience in Digital Libraries • Pilot project funded by Joint Information Systems Committee • Duration: April 2009 – March 2011 • Aim: to undertake research and development to enhance user

experience of a digital library• Approach: technological development based on usability

testing and digital library evaluation• Technology: an existing digital library (UX2 Digital Library)

based on a variety of open source software.

Usability and Contemporary User Experience in Digital Libraries15/03/11

UX2 in the Last 12 Months• Development of faceted search infrastructure and library UI

prototypes: web and mobile use scenarios .• Evaluation of the UI prototypes through usability testing.• AquaBrowserUX case study

– Evaluated existing digital library service at the university– Created library personas for use in future digital library development– Usability and usefulness of service


Mobile Library Services• Previous research has shown that in 2009, 55% of students

were in favour of being able to access the library catalogue from their mobile phones (1)

• A recent University survey in March 2010 revealed that 49% students own a smartphone and 50% students access email and Facebook through their mobile several times a day (2)

• Aim of our research: – To uncover the scope of mobile services students would

find useful, with particular attention to library services.


1. Mills, K., (2009), M-Libraries: Information use on the move. Arcadia Programme. http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk/docs/M-Libraries_report.pdf 2. http://www.projects.ed.ac.uk/areas/itservices/integrated/ITS045/Other_documents/MobileSurvey2010.shtml

http://arcadiaproject.lib.cam.ac.uk/docs/M-Libraries_report.pdf

http://www.projects.ed.ac.uk/areas/itservices/integrated/ITS045/Other_documents/MobileSurvey2010.shtml

Mobile Library Services• Edinburgh University is currently developing a mobile native

application (App) for campus-wide services• The service includes: library account, campus maps, guides,

course information, exam & course timetables etc.• Expected roll-out of the App is end of May 2011• Mobile Campus project is running independently to UX2 but

we are attempting to collaborate wherever possible and share findings to feed back to developers


Method• Picking up from the University survey in March 2010 – ran a

similar survey among students – Aim of survey was to compare findings with previous survey – Also to capture more information on library specific services– Sent out email invite to all students & added news item to Uni Portal– 1,716 students participated over two week period in November 2010

• Focus groups– Invited 12 students (undergrad and post-grad) who completed survey

to discuss mobile library services in January 2011– Aim: to glean more qualitative information not derived from survey

which was predominantly quantitative data– User stories exercise was also used


Survey Questions• Mobile manufacturer (e.g. iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, HTC)• Ownership of Smartphone

– “A mobile phone with touch screen and/or QWERTY keyboard you use for email and the Web (using a full Web browser such as IE, Safari, or Chrome, and downloadable applications).” (Apple survey)

• Internet access on mobile device• Frequency of different Internet based activities on mobile

device• Location where said activities take place• Mobile library services previously accessed on mobile• Usefulness of different library services on mobile device


Focus Groups• Two groups of 6, undergraduates and post graduates• All Smartphone owners with sufficient internet access • Variety of Smartphone owners including iPhone, Blackberry,

Samsung, Palm and Sony Ericsson.• Focus group was split into two halves:

– 1.5 hours for each group– User stories exercise: 35 minutes (led by Boon)– Discussion on existing mobile library websites: 45 minutes (myself)

• Existing library websites examined were:– International: North Carolina State University Library (NCSU)– European: Amsterdam University Library– UK: Cambridge University Library (CamLib)


User Stories Exercise• Based on agile user stories – abstraction of system aspects

valuable to the users (story cards)• Aim:

– Warm-up, engage students focus on university and library use contexts – Gathering user stories of a mobile app.

• Design:– Modified format of story writing workshop common in agile methods– 3 quick drills


User Stories Exercise

1. Select and rank 3 (out of 5) concept designs from Edinburgh University mobile app development

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2. Mobile campus context: “the Uni is designing a mobile app, you are helping with the design. Imagine you are in the university campus or at home”– Write 3 user stories individually (template given)

“As a university student, I want to <…...goal/task……> , so that I <…….reason……….>”



3. Mobile library context: “the Uni is designing a library mobile app, you are helping with the design. Imagine you are in a university library building or at home”– Write user stories individually (template given)

• Students then rank and group the user stories – stick them on 3 flipchart boards (ranking 1 – 3 )

• Group discussion based on the user stories• Limitation: no group sorting, limited discussions


Survey Respondents

44.1%

55.9%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%

Male:

Female:


Survey Respondents

66.10%

17.7%

16.2%Undergraduate:

Postgraduate (Taught):

Postgraduate (Research):


Survey Respondents Age

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

19 or under:

20-25:

26-34:

35-42:

43-50:

51-60:

>60:


Internet access

39.7%

34.3%

10.1%

15.9% I have a contract that gives me unlimited access: I have a contract that is limited, but is sufficient for my needs: I would like to use more but my contract stops me from doing so: I don't have internet access at all:


Survey respondents


Mobile Handsets Owned

0.1%

0.1%

0.3%

1.0%

1.3%

2.0%

3.3%

3.9%

5.9%

7.0%

7.4%

9.0%

9.9%

13.5%

15.3%

20.0%

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%

Acer:

Toshiba:

Alcatel:

Vodafone:

T-Mobile:

3

LG:

Other (please specify):

Apple iPhone 3G:

Apple iPhone 4:

HTC:

Apple iPhone 3G S:

Sony Ericsson:

BlackBerry:

Samsung:

Nokia:

= 21.9%


Smartphones by Brand

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Not sure

No

Yes


Mobile Habits

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Looked at a website

Checked email

Downloaded or updated a mobile application (app)

Listened to streaming music

Checked bus/rail timetables

Used maps to navigate while on the move

Downloaded media content

Used social networking sites

Posted a photo to photo sharing website

Figure 2: Frequency of internet based activities accessed using mobile handset

Several times/day

Daily

Occasionally

Rarely

NeverX

X

X


Mobile Habits

• Library is a common location for mobile use. An opportunity to develop services useful to students physically in library in addition to services which are focused on remote use.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Location of mobile activities

Looked at a website

Checked email

Used social networking sites


Mobile Library Habits

861

568

436

282

262

232

200

155

104

60

60

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

None of these:

View library hours:

Search library catalogue:

Renew your library items:

Search library databases:

Locate a shelfmark:

View library contact information:

View library maps:

Request an item currently on loan in library:

Find out about library events:

Other (please specify):


Usefulness of mobile library services

• Students were asked to rate how useful different library services would be on a mobile.

• Given a 5 point Likert scale from ‘Very useful’ to ‘Not at all useful.’

• Top ranked as ‘Very useful’ or ‘Generally Useful’:1. View library account (93%)2. Search library catalogue (93%)3. Reserve items on loan (90%)4. Search library databases, e.g. E-journals (89%)5. Locate a shelf mark (87%)


Usefulness of mobile library services

• Bottom ranked (‘Not at all useful’ or ‘Not very useful’)1. Rate and review items from library (51%)2. Share items that you’ve found and/or read in the library and think

others will find useful (48%)3. Read reviews other have left on items in the library (46%)4. Friend locator – see where friends are in the library and contact

them to meet up (45%)5. Library statistics i.e. Top books in each category and popular

searches (42%)


Summary• Unsurprisingly, mobile activities took place in many locations• Clear that students currently do not access mobile library

services – not optimised for mobile devices yet• Desire among students to access their library account, search

for items in the library, locate them and reserve items on loan using their mobile– Possibly because these are the main tasks students undertake at the

library and therefore the most important to them• Less useful services to review/rate items, share information

with friends or access top searches/books


Focus Groups• User stories exercise (no. 1): branding (mobile app

logo/splash) preference: Concept 1 most popular.. Concept 2 • Students asked if the design were real, assured the results will

be used; design improvement suggested



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Focus Groups• User stories exercise (no. 2, 3): 67 user stories collected• First ranked categories of user stories:

– Library catalogue services (14 stories)– e-Learning (3)– Other (5): network access, check email, report fault

• All categories of user stories: – Library catalogue services (28)– e-Learning (12)– Campus life: (11)– Library spaces: (7)– Other (9): print credit top up, print from mobile, virtual matric card


Library user stories Access the library catalogue

so that I can check book locations and availability on

the move, and reserve, renew books (in the library +

elsewhere)

Access the library catalogue so that I can check book

locations and availability on the move, and reserve, renew

books (in the library + elsewhere)

Be able to scan the barcode with my camera

so that I can review books or check out books from

the library

Be able to scan the barcode with my camera

so that I can review books or check out books from

the library

Renew books immediately on the go so that I can do it on the go

Renew books immediately on the go so that I can do it on the go

Receive notifications on my blackberry when resources are due to expire so that I don't forget to return or

renew them.

Receive notifications on my blackberry when resources are due to expire so that I don't forget to return or

renew them.

Place request on unavailable books on my

mobile so that I don't have to ring the help desk

Place request on unavailable books on my

mobile so that I don't have to ring the help desk

Usability and Contemporary User Experience in Digital Libraries

Library spaces user stories

Check the availability of private learning spaces e.g.

study pods so that I can plan my trip in advance



Know what desk/PC space is available so that I don't have to go all the way to the top floor only to find

out there are no seats



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Library spaces user stories









Check the shelfmark of books so that I know where to go to find

straight away

Check the shelfmark of books so that I know where to go to find

straight away

Able to see an interactive map which will direct me to the book I am looking

for

Able to see an interactive map which will direct me to the book I am looking

for

I want to see floor plans, shelfmark map and subject

guides so that I can see where to go for relevant material

I want to see floor plans, shelfmark map and subject

guides so that I can see where to go for relevant material



Campus life user storiesBe able to access a

streamlined version of MyEd so that I can check the

information on it

Be able to access a streamlined version of MyEd

so that I can check the information on it

Be able to consult interactive map so that I can find buildings easily

(on campus)

Be able to consult interactive map so that I can find buildings easily

(on campus)

“What's On” calendar on EUSA live so that I have

instant access to information without

having to use a computer

“What's On” calendar on EUSA live so that I have

instant access to information without

having to use a computer

Find out about seminars and lectures free to attend so that I can find out what is relevant to my studies

Find out about seminars and lectures free to attend so that I can find out what is relevant to my studies

Find out what university & society events are on so I

make full use of what is on offer as a student

Find out what university & society events are on so I

make full use of what is on offer as a student

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North Caroline State University• Students liked the ‘iPhone’ style interface• However, it displayed differently on some

mobiles (Blackberry & Sony Ericsson)• Participants felt that computer availability,

group finder and reservation services were really useful

• Navigation was easy with a clear ‘home’ icon on every page

• Webcam feature was novel but created mixed reactions (privacy issues)


Amsterdam University Library• Simple interface, apparently less fancy• Priority of services listed considered unusual

e.g. twitter above PC availability• Not as many useful services as NCSU website• Liked identification of pages not optimised

for mobile devices• This website was done on a small budget

with a small team so is a great achievement


Cambridge Library (CamLib)• Overall the website least liked by participants• Liked the availability of library account• Also liked to be able to build list and email it

to themselves for future reference• Advanced search was limited to just locations• Search results often had duplications when

location was not set (large insitution)• Students liked the availability of thumbnail

images in results


Findings• Students want a streamlined search service on their mobile

but still the ability to search by author/title/subject• Currently students are not accessing library services on their

mobile, possibly because some features are not yet available e.g. Reserve item on loan, view library map

• The shelf mark of items was important to students suggesting mobile use in library as well as remotely

• Students stated that they often need to access reading material before lectures – suggesting there is potential for mobile library services


Conclusions• Ownership of smartphones is rising rapidly which is confirmation of

something already suspected• This evidence confirms that critical mass has been achieved. This provides

a strong case for libraries to consider developing mobile services• “Students are adopting the mobile Internet in ways we would expect for a

maturing technology, with an increase in power users and a decrease in nonusers from 2009 to 2010” (1)

“The challenge academic libraries face is to create compelling informationservices and digital content available in a way that the user community willfind not only acceptable, but tailored to their needs” (2)


1. Smith, S.D., Caruso, J. (2010), “The ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology, 2010”, EDUCAUSE Centre for Applied Research, Boulder, CO2. Lippincott, J.K., (2010), “A mobile future for academic libraries”, Reference Services Review, 38(2), 205-213

Recommendations• Provide account access so that users can check due dates,

renew items and even reserve items where possible• Provide a streamlined OPAC which allows users to search

items in the library effectively on the move• Provide floor plans and maps of each library as they help

users navigate libraries and locate items easily• Ensure access to live library information including PC

availability within the building • A booking system that allows users to make and amend

library room bookings


Reflections• Survey would have benefitted from a more rigorous pilot test

– There were several areas of improvement e.g. excluding questions from respondents who don’t have smartphone or internet access on their mobile

– Clearer wording of some library services which crossed over e.g. view library maps and locations using GPS library tracking

• Ask participants to rate services in focus groups for clearer comparison

• Also run more focus groups to gather feedback from larger sample and a variety of smartphones

• Timing of project prevented evaluation of university campus app which will be launched in May


Mobile usability testing

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• Mobile testing has just been conducted on UX2 mobile prototype digital library

• Aimed at understanding how participants find searching for items on a smaller screen

• How easy is the website to navigate on a mobile

• How useful are the features/services provided


Thank you

Web/blogs: http://ux2.nesc.ed.ac.uk Project wikis: http://bit.ly/ux2wiki Twitter: http://twitter.com/ux2

Lorraine Paterson Boon Low [email protected] [email protected]@lorraine_p @boonious


http://ux2.nesc.ed.ac.uk/

http://bit.ly/ux2wiki

http://twitter.com/ux2

Scottish UPA Presentation 15th March 2011

Education

Transcript of Scottish UPA Presentation 15th March 2011