Cover

Evaluation of Digital Libraries: An insight into useful applications and methods

Copyright

Contents

List of figures and tables

About the contributors

List of abbreviations

Preface

Bibliography

1 Introduction: the framework for digital library evaluation

Broader questions

From definitions to evaluation – differing perspectives

Diversity in the digital library universe

What does evaluation entail?

Metrics

Value of digital libraries

Purpose of evaluation

Bibliography

Part 1 To whom it may concern

2 From usage to user: library metrics and expectations for the evaluation of digital libraries

Introduction

Assessment and evaluation in the print library environment

Assessment and evaluation in the electronic library environment

How are the data being used?

What do library metrics and librarian expectations mean for the assessment of digital libraries?

Bibliography

3 An agency perspective on digital library evaluation

Introduction

The US context

The National Science Foundation

The National Science Digital Library

NSF reflections on evaluation in virtual organisations

Recommendations

Conclusion

Bibliography

Part 2 What to place under the evaluation lens

4 What should we take into consideration when we talk about usability?

Introduction

What is usability?

Framework of usability evaluation

Cross-cultural usability

Outlook and future research

References

5 Users and digital libraries: an insightful story

Introduction

The need for evaluation

A shift in paradigm

Information-seeking and usefulness

Research on the evaluation of digital libraries and other electronic information resources

Conclusion

Bibliography

6 Towards an infrastructure for digital library performance evaluation

Introduction

Conceptual framework for the evaluation of DLS information access components

User requirements analysis

Key contributions

Architecture of the DIRECT system

DIRECT: the running prototype

Conclusions and future work

Acknowledgments

Bibliography

7 Employing deep log analysis to evaluate the information-seeking behaviour of users of digital libraries

Introduction

What is deep log analysis?

What are the benefits of deep log analysis?

What problems are associated with log analysis?

What does deep log analysis tell us about digital libraries?

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Bibliography

Part 3 Behind the evaluation curtain

8 The pushmepullyou of design and evaluation

Introduction

The user-led view: what do users need and what do they do?

Why? The purpose of a user study

Where? The location of a user study

When? Concurrent and retrospective data gathering

Who? Recruiting participants

How? Instructing participants

Data collection and analysis

Triangulating across data sources

From data to needs

The system-led view: technology innovation

Usable and useful? Evaluating digital libraries

Conclusions

Note

Bibliography

9 Extending borders: outcomes assessment in the era of digital libraries

Introduction

The challenge of defining outcomes assessment

Intervening factors in the generation of outcomes assessment

Reforming digital libraries: alternative views on outcomes assessment

Conclusions

Bibliography

10 Digital library service quality: what does it look like?

Introduction

Evaluating the NSF NSDL collections: categories and themes from MERLOT and DLESE

Developing survey items

Findings

Bibliography

Part 4 How to conduct an evaluation activity

11 Planning digital library evaluation with logic models

Introduction

Digital libraries are complex systems, and planning a digital library evaluation is a complex activity

Planning for summative and formative evaluation

Relationship to methods, buy-in and budget

Summary

Bibliography

12 Examining how end users use and perceive digital libraries: a qualitative approach

Introduction

Qualitative research – a rich definition

Qualitative research in the area of library and information science

User-based qualitative evaluation of digital libraries

Qualitative research methods

Selecting evaluation methods

Combining evaluation methods

Bibliography

13 Investigating users’ perceptions and acceptance of digital libraries: a quantitative approach

Introduction

Digital library evaluation and two studies

Discussion and conclusion

Acknowledgments

Bibliography

Index

Cover

Evaluation of Digital Libraries: An insight into useful applications and methods

Copyright

Contents

List of figures and tables

About the contributors

List of abbreviations

Preface

1 Introduction: the framework for digital library evaluation

Part 1 To whom it may concern

Part 2 What to place under the evaluation lens

Part 3 Behind the evaluation curtain

Part 4 How to conduct an evaluation activity

Index