The main goal of this study was to do a heuristic evaluation of the information architecture (IA) of the recently redesigned academic library website of the University of Pretoria and to provide recommendations for improvement if necessary. The main problem that is addressed by this study is that there is no comprehensive list of heuristics for the purpose of evaluating the IA of academic library websites. This study used various methods to address this problem and achieve the main goal. A literature review resulted in a set of integrated usability heuristics that can be used to do a heuristic evaluation of the IA of academic library websites. The set was created based on an integration of existing usability principles from authorities in the field of usability. The integrated set of existing principles was made applicable to academic library websites through the addition of sub-criteria based on a review of twenty related studies. A multiple-case study method was used for the heuristic evaluation of the library websites of the top three universities in South Africa, i.e., University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand, and Stellenbosch University. The results of the multiple-case study method were used to further adapt the list of principles. The heuristic evaluation method was used in each of the case studies as a data collection method. Another case study was done, using the same method and revised heuristics, to evaluate the usability of the library website of the University of Pretoria and to provide recommendations. The main outcomes of this study is a list of heuristics that can be used for the heuristic evaluation of the IA of academic library websites, as well as a list of recommendations for the improvement of the newly redesigned library website of the University of Pretoria. The list of heuristics is not limited to academic library websites, however, as it can be adapted and reused for the heuristic evaluation of other types of websites. / Dissertation (MIS)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Information Science / MIS / Unrestricted

Libraries rely on websites to inform patrons of their resources, services, and organizations. Consequently, these websites are a rich source of research data to discover library trends, whether it is determining which databases are most commonly offered or which departments have the most employees. Content from library websites not only allow researchers to explore these types of questions, but they also indicate how libraries communicate information to patrons. Come to this session to learn when and how to conduct a content analysis of library websites. It will begin with an overview of the types of research questions that can be explored using this method, including examples from research projects within the library and information science literature. Then, the presenter will delve into the process of conducting a content analysis of library websites, breaking down the general steps and providing helpful tips along the way. These steps will be demonstrated with an example of a study conducted by the presenter that used information from library websites to determine which academic library departments (collections/technology, research/instruction, etc.) manage institutional repositories. Lastly, the session will conclude with an activity that will walk attendees through thinking of a research question and how to design a content analysis for that question.

This research assessed website management and development practices across the United Kingdom university library sector. As a starting point, the design and features of this group of websites was recorded against criteria drawn from the extant literature. This activity established core content and features of UK library websites as: a search box or link for searching the library catalogue, electronic resources or website; a navigation column on the left and breadcrumb trail to aid information location and website orientation; homepage design was repeated on library website sub-pages; university brand elements appeared in the banner; and a contact us link was provided for communication with library personnel. Library websites conformed to 14 of the 20 homepage usability guidelines examined indicating that web managers were taking steps to ensure that users were well served by their websites. Areas for improvement included better navigation support (sitemap/index), greater adoption of new technologies and more interactive features. Website management and development practices were established through national survey and in-depth case studies. These illustrated the adoption of a team approach to website management and development; formal website policy and strategy were not routinely created; library web personnel and their ability to build effective links with colleagues at the institution made a valuable contribution to the success of a library website; corporate services and institutional practices played an important part in library website development; library staff were actively engaged in consultations with their website audience; and a user focused approach to website development prevailed. User studies and metric data were considered in the website evaluation and development process. However, there were some issues with both data streams and interpreting metric data to inform website development. Evaluation and development activities were not always possible due to staff/time shortages, technical constraints, corporate website templates, and, to a lesser extent, lack of finance.

The massive expansion of electronic resources has been identified as one of the major drivers behind the ‘explosion’ in the popularity of family history, which bring ease, convenience and accessibility to some parts of the research process. Amongst this expanse of easily-accessible raw materials, online local studies materials (recording both historical and contemporary aspects of a community) can add real context and value to researchers’ findings and experience; turning a genealogy into a family history. However, the vast majority of these do not appear visible to online family history researchers. Through three central foci (users, e-family history resources, and Local Studies Collections), this research investigates these resources and collections from the perspective of users, to establish how to make the added value of the local studies collections more visible and encourage increased engagement for those who cannot visit collections in person. Specific evaluative criteria for e-family history resources are presented, contributing to practitioners’ awareness and understanding of their nature; in turn helping maintain their service quality to researchers. Using a hybrid (primarily ethnographic) research approach, the study also examines the online research behaviour of family historians, identifying a taxonomy of actions (seeking of genealogical facts, local or social history; communicating with other researchers or resources; locating resources or instructive information; managing own information), strategies (search modifications and incorporation of background knowledge) and outcomes (outcome; direction (projected and actual)). From these categories, a model of Family Historians’ online information seeking has been developed. Researchers have both informational and affective needs, and are highly emotionally attached to the research process. Users universally used Ancestry, FamilySearch, ScotlandsPeople, and Genes Reunited far more than other sites, seeking out quality informational content and unique records, which must be successful for researchers. Google was a major method of access to these. Very few participants were preaware of ‘e-local studies’ websites, and were surprised by the variations in quality, inconsistencies in terminology and navigation, and invisibility of quality content. Despite a lack of ease of use, the content present on e-local studies sites and their usefulness and value had been demonstrated to researchers. This suggests significant demand for local information of this kind online where it is available and made known.

This descriptive study examines effective online school library practice. A Delphi panel selected a sample of 10 exemplary sites and helped to create two research tools--taxonomies designed to analyze the features and characteristics of school library Websites. Using the expert-identified sites as a sample, a content analysis was conducted to systematically identify site features and characteristics. Anne Clyde's longitudinal content analysis of school library Websites was used as a baseline to examine trends in practice; in addition, the national guidelines document, Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, was examined to explore ways in which the traditional mission and roles of school library programs are currently translated online. Results indicated great variation in depth and coverage even among Websites considered exemplary. Sites in the sample are growing more interactive and student-centered, using blogs as supplemental communication strategies. Nevertheless, even these exemplary sites were slow to adopt the advances in technology to meet the learning needs and interests of young adult users. Ideally the study's findings will contribute to understanding of state-of-the-art and will serve to identify trends, as well as serving as a guide to practitioners in planning, developing, and maintaining school library Websites.

本研究旨在應用網路計量法，尤其是網頁連引分析法，對我國大學圖書館網站網頁進行測量和分析。一方面、以EXtract URL蒐集大學圖書館網站網路資源之相關數據，並從國家/地區(top-level domain)、單位屬性(Second-level domain)、網域名稱(Domain Name)、一致性資源位址(URL)等四個網域層級，剖析我國大學圖書館網站所蒐錄之「網路資源」的數量、網站類型、網頁內容屬性等，從而比較各大學圖書館網站所連引網路資源的共通性與特殊性；另一方面，採用搜尋引擎A1taiSta檢索並分析這些大學圖書館網站綱頁在網網相連的虛擬世界中，為其他綱頁所連結引用的程度與情形，包括連引次數與網路影響係數的計算，以及連引網頁之語文，並透過跨時研究比較其在前後七個月的兩個時點上被連引情形的消長。 本研究所規範的「網路資源」範疇，乃依圖書館網站組織與呈現網路資源的方式與取向區別為三類，其中以「一般性網路資源」和「參性網路資源」居多，「專題性網路資源」則相對較少。研究結果發現39個大學圖書館網站中提供「網路資源」服務的佔有34個，共收錄了10,144筆網路資源，平均每個圖書館收錄298.35筆，其中靜宜大學圖書館以1,429筆奪得第一。實際上，這些網路資源來自於54個國家/地區網域；4,606個不同的綱域名稱；6,818個不同的網址。若將其網址依國家/地區網域做分析，我國(.tw)網域佔五成以上，而其中又有半數為學術網域所含括；居次者為美國，所佔將近四成，而商業網域又佔有其申四成；若依單位屬性網域做分析，以屬於學術網域的網路資源所佔達四成為最多，其中以我國與美國網域貢獻最多；屬於公司網域緊隨於後，佔有將近三成．，其申以美國與我國綱域貢獻最多。在被連引次數上，國內網站以被連引網頁次數累積達150次的中央研究院為最高，其次為教育部、行政院主計處、國家圖書館等網站；國外網站則以美國國家醫學圖書館與柏克萊數位圖書館SunSITE並列第一。大致上，可將我國大學圖書館網站所連引網路資源歸納為八類，被連引最多的類型是圖書資訊服務，其餘依次為政府機關、學術單位、研究機構、博物館/數位博物館、書店/網路書店、國際組織、其他等。" 外部連引可作為評估圖書館網站對外部網站的影響力之依據；而內部連引則反映了圖書館網站與校園網域內的其他網站的互動。本研究結果顯示，外部連引次數以成大、台大、央大等圖書館次數為領先；內部連引次數則以台大、交大、政大等圖書館居前。以連引數為分子，網頁數為分母所計算出的網路影響係數方面，所有大學圖書館網站的影響係數為0，33，亦即表示我國大學圖書館網站，平均每一個網頁被連引0.33次；外部連引的網路影響係數以逢甲、東華、中正等大學圖書館領先；內部連引的網路影響係數則以東華、南華、世新等大學圖書館居前。另外,在連引網頁的語文方面，我國大學圖書館網站被中文綱頁所連引的數量佔 93.57%；被英文綱頁所連引的數量佔9．46%，其餘語言則佔0、73%。 本研究建議圖書館應透過電腦軟體與人工定期檢閱連引節 點之有效性；並拓展專題性與特藏性網路資源的建置，以期建立各館之不可替代性的網路資源；同時深入連引網站內層之綱頁內容，以一個網頁或一個網頁片段作為一個連引單元，俾能強化其對使用者的實質效益。圖書館也能善用搜尋引擎以調查圖書館網站被內部和外部連引的情形，以自我評估圖書館網站與內、外部網域社群之間的互動和影響。另外，本土性的幾家中文搜尋引擎，加Openfind、Gais等，除應致力於擴展索引涵蓋的版圖興提升穩定性高的檢索結果外，還能豐富其相關檢索功能。 / The purpose of this study is to apply webometrics, especially sitation analysis, to examine and analyze thirty-nine university library websites in Taiwan. On one hand, the study utilized Extract URL to collect data aboutInternet resources of university library websites, and analyzed top-level DNS,second-level DNS, Domain Name, URL, respectively. The similarities and differences of the university library websites among each other were compared based on the analyses of number, types of websites and attributes of web pages of the "Internet resources". On the other hand, the study used AltaVista to retrieve and analyze the web pages of university library websites which interlinked by other web pages in the labyrinthine cyberspace. The Items measured included the numbers of total sitation, external sitation, internal sitation, and self-sitation, as well as languages of linking web pages.Furthermore, the investigation ran through two time spots across seven months to observe the changes of the sitations. The "Internet resources" appeared on the library website were organized into three categories： "general resources" and "reference resources", came out to be the majority, whereas the "specific resources" was the minority. The study found that thirty-four out of thirty-nine university library websites had provided service of Internet resources, and the items of Internet resources were 10,144 in total, from 54 different top-level DNS, 4,606 different Domain Name, and 6,818 different URLs. The average number of Internet resources per library website was 298.35. The Providence University Library earned the first. The analysis of top-level domain showed that the Taiwan was in the majority, and USA got the second. The analysis of second-level domain also found that academic domain earned the first, and business domain was the second. TheInternet resources can be grouped into eight types： library and information services was the first, and the other included government institutions, academic organizations,reseah institutes, museum/digital museum, bookstores/Internet bookstores, international organizations and others. External sitation is seen as an indicator of significance and influence of a site for external websites, and internal sitation may respond interaction and effect between a university library website and other websites in web domain of campus. The findings of study revealed that the external sitations ofNational Cheng Kung Universe Library, National Taiwan University Library and National Central University Library were the first group； and the internal sitations of National Taiwan University Library, National Chengchi University Library and National Chiao Tung University Library were the top group.Besides, the Web Impact Factor of university libraries in Taiwan was 0.33. The number of Chinese web pages that linked to university library websites turned out to be 93.57% whereas the number of English web pages was only 9.46%.The number of web pages linked in other language was only 0.73%. Finally, the study suggested that libraries should better use computer software and human aids to check the validity of hyperlinks； and devote library staff's energies into the development of specific Internet resources； further,libraries should link the content of web pages of websites in depth. Libraries should also examine various sitations of self library website to evaluate the interaction and influence of the library website with inside and outside web domain. Local search engines, for instance, Openfind and Gais, should strengthen the scope of index, enhance the stability of searching, and improve the retrieval functions in the filture.