Doing Away with “Database:” Exploring Medical Library Website Design

Library users can become confused by library jargon, especially the term “databases.” This study utilized a combination of end-user surveys and library website usability testing to determine if library users at an academic health sciences library were, in fact, using different terminology to refer to the library’s database collection. This study was devised to probe students' information needs and nomenclature for library resources and identify different ways of organizing information on the library’s website outside of the traditional database page and “Quick Links.” The study yielded valuable insight into how our users are identifying information resources that will allow us to improve website usability

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Work Title Doing Away with “Database:” Exploring Medical Library Website Design
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Marie C. Cirelli
  2. Bradley A. Long
Keyword
  1. Electronic databases
  2. Library terminology
  3. Library websites
  4. Usability testing
  5. Medical students
  6. Physician assistant students
  7. Medical libraries
  8. Library surveys
  9. Undergraduate medical education
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Acknowledgments
  1. The authors thank Nancy Adams and Lori Cisney for their continual feedback and thorough review of the manuscript. They would also like to thank Seamus Carmichael for his assistance with creating a mock library website. Additionally, they would like to thank Michael Cote and Eliza Donne for testing the usability study.
Publisher
  1. Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries
Publication Date September 29, 2020
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1080/15424065.2020.1823291
Deposited July 30, 2021

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Updated Acknowledgments Show Changes
    Acknowledgments
    • The authors thank Nancy Adams and Lori Cisney for their continual feedback and thorough review of the manuscript. They would also like to thank Seamus Carmichael for his assistance with creating a mock library website. Additionally, they would like to thank Michael Cote and Eliza Donne for testing the usability study.
  • Added Creator MARIE CHRISTINE CIRELLI
  • Added Creator Bradley Long
  • Added Cirelli_Long_Doing away with database_identified.docx
  • Added FIGURE 1.pdf
  • Added FIGURE 2.pdf
  • Added FIGURE 3 updated.pdf
  • Added FIGURE 4 updated.pdf
  • Added FIGURE 5.pdf
  • Added FIGURE 6.pdf
  • Updated License Show Changes
    License
    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated
  • Updated Keyword, Publisher, Publisher Identifier (DOI), and 2 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • electronic databases, library terminology, library websites, usability testing, medical students, physician assistant students, medical libraries, library surveys, undergraduate medical education
    • Electronic databases, Library terminology, Library websites, Usability testing, Medical students, Physician assistant students, Medical libraries, Library surveys, Undergraduate medical education
    Publisher
    • Taylor & Francis Group
    • Journal of Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • 10.1080/15424065.2020.1823291
    • https://doi.org/10.1080/15424065.2020.1823291
    Related URLs
    • https://doi.org/10.1080/15424065.2020.1823291
    Publication Date
    • 2020-10-01
    • 2020-09-29
  • Renamed Creator Marie C. Cirelli Show Changes
    • MARIE CHRISTINE CIRELLI
    • Marie C. Cirelli
  • Renamed Creator Bradley A. Long Show Changes
    • Bradley Long
    • Bradley A. Long