Online Access to UBC Library Instructional Services

Project Team:

Mahria Lebow
Shamin Malmas
Tosha Tsang

Project Background

UBC Library has received a variety of feedback about accessing instructional services such as library workshops, reference desks, and subject librarians from its website.

Current web-design of the UBC Library homepage has obscured information about instructional services. Librarians have expressed concern over the placement of the link to workshops and information about other instructional services being located too deep in the website (Homepage --> Services --> Reference & Instruction --> Workshops & Events) and without appropriate navigational cues.

Students have also reported that even when they are able to locate the UBC Library Calendar of Events where the workshops are listed, they experience a great deal of confusion and frustration when attempting to use the registration system for workshops. Subsequent consultations with students have revealed that frustration and confusion stems in particular from first-time use of the registration system, which is a complicated and multi-step process.

Difficulty in finding the UBC Library Calendar of Events, combined with frustration with the navigation of the system seems to result in low attendance at these workshops and negatively impacts students' experience of navigating the Library website. Librarians fear that if low attendance continues these valuable workshops will be cancelled.

Vision Statement

UBC Library's goal is to provide our communities with access to excellent learning, research and teaching resources that foster the acquisition, creation and dissemination of knowledge and support excellence in scholarship.

Taking the library into the future, we will create a positive experience of ease-of-access to high-quality knowledge resources for students, faculty and staff. We will do this by offering a variety of online and in-person information-rich services that are engaging and characterized by their user-friendliness.

Business Analysis

To illustrate a particular instance of how access to instructional services can be improved on the UBC Library website, we have chosen to focus our analysis on the task of using the Library workshop registration system for the first time to sign-up for a workshop. Students had identified this task as an area of particular concern.

Workflow of current process of registering for UBC Library Event

Current Work Flow Discussion

The project team has identified three problems with this process:

When students click on their selected event the system opens a new window for the booking system, which has a different look and feel from the library calendar system
Students are required to log in to the system twice, which is redundant
Once students have created their profile in the booking system they are taken to a list of events which has a different look and feel than the previous web-pages. This may confuse students as the system does not currently return students to the event they originally selected, nor to the library calendar of events. Students must then find the event a second time before registering.

Requirements

Business Requirements:

UBC Library will increase the visibility of library instructional services on its website.
The UBC Library website will facilitate increased enrolment in library workshops.
UBC Library will streamline the process for students to register for library workshops online.

User Experience Requirements:

Students should independently discover information about instructional services on the UBC Library website.
Students can locate information about library workshops on the Library website.
Students can register for library workshops through the Library website.
Students will receive online and email confirmation that they are registered for library workshops.

Functional Requirements:

Library workshops will be no more than two navigation steps from the Library homepage.
Registration for library workshops will require no more than five steps for the user.
Registration for library workshops will only require one log in process.

The library workshop registration system will provide confirmation of enrolment in the specified library workshop.

Workflow of proposed process of registering for UBC Library Event

Proposed Work Flow Discussion

The proposed work flow marries the UBC Library Calendar system and UBC Library Booking System, so students can transfer between the two systems seamlessly.
The proposed work flow also simplifies the registration process by eliminating 5 steps for the user.

Use Case

Use Case Name: Student registers for a library workshop online for the first time.

Description:

When a student uses the library workshop registration system for the first time to sign-up for a workshop, the system will request their Campus-Wide Login (CWL), ask the student to confirm registration, enrol the student in the selected workshop, and communicate confirmation of enrolment.

Actors: Undergraduate student at UBC.

Preconditions:

Student must be enrolled at UBC.
Student must have a Campus-Wide Login (CWL).
Student must have access to the internet.
Student must be able to access the UBC Library Calendar of Instructional Events at: http://elred.library.ubc.ca/libs/calendar/ to see event links.

Normal sequence of steps:

Student locates event (workshop) on UBC Library Calendar of Instructional Events.
Student clicks on event to view description.
System displays event information.
Student clicks register.
System prompts student to enter Campus-Wide Login.
Student types in Campus-Wide Login (username and password).
System validates student’s Campus-Wide Login.
System prompts student to confirm registration in selected event.
Student confirms registration by clicking “Confirm registration” link.

Post-conditions:

System updates database of registered students.
System displays confirmation of enrolment page and sends confirmation email to student detailing event title, time, date, and location.

Alternative sequence of steps:

If student decides not to register for displayed event, student can click "Cancel" and system reloads the Library Calendar of Instructional Events (alternative ending to step 4).
If student incorrectly enters Campus-Wide Login, system displays error message and prompts student to re-enter Campus-Wide Login and provides student with a link to recover password if forgotten (alternative ending to steps 6 and 7).
If student decides not to confirm registration for event, student can click "Cancel", system then displays confirmation that student is not enrolled in the event, and system reloads Library Calendar of Instructional Events (alternative ending to step 8).

Screenshots & Wireframes

The project team acknowledges that there are design issues with the UBC Library website which are beyond the scope of this project. As such, our primary concern is the accessibility of instructional services from the homepage.

Current UBC Library home page	Wireframe of revised UBC Library home page (top half)	The only change we made to the Library home page is the addition of an 'Instruction' tab in the horizontal navigation bar. Feedback collected from usability testing on the current library home page has indicated that the term 'Services' is not immediately identified with workshops and other instructional services.
Current UBC Library Services page	Wireframe of proposed UBC Library Instruction page	By creating a separate tab for instruction, we have eliminated the ambiguity created by the term 'Services.' We have also reduced the number webpages users must navigate before reaching the UBC Library Calendar of Events. Currently on the home page, hovering over a button on the horizontal navigation bar displays a drop down menu of categories found on the linked page. As such, by hovering over 'Instruction,' users will be able to see the following categories: 'Workshops & Events,' 'Reference Desks,' 'Subject Librarians,' and 'More.'

Usability Testing Script

Introduction:

This usability testing script will be used to help evaluate the effectiveness of the changes to the website. Undergraduate students will be contacted via email asking for their participation. Testing will take no more than 15 minutes. They will be given a $10.00 gift certificate to the UBC Bookstore as compensation for their time. The project team hopes to conduct one week of testing, over which they will gather data from 75 to 100 students. Based on the findings from the testing, the project team will decide whether more testing needs to occur before the project can proceed.

Reminders to Interviewers:

Speak slowly and clearly.
Make small talk with test subject to ensure a level of mutual comfort is established.
Ensure that test subject is comfortable.
Minimize distractions.
- Ask test subject to turn off cell phone etc.

Testing Script:

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to help us test our website. We are gathering data about recent format changes regarding searching and registering for library workshops, and we are eager for your feedback. Please be as honest as possible as this will help us make informed decisions about website design in the coming weeks.

In order to gather as much data as possible, I would like you to talk to me while we go through this process. I would also like to you to know that we are testing the website and not you; please do not feel upset or frustrated if you cannot answer a question or complete a task.

I am going to ask you a series of questions and give you some scenarios to act out. This should last no more than 15 minutes.

We have a few general questions to start:

What year of university are you in?
How long have you been a student at UBC?
How often do you use the UBC Library website?
1. At least once per day
2. At least once per week
3. At least once per term
4. Never used the website before
Have you ever taken advantage of instruction, workshops or events organized by the library? (if yes, please describe)

Great! Ok, let’s begin by looking at the UBC Library home page. I am going to give you three scenarios. Once again, I would like to remind you that for our study it is extremely helpful if you vocalize your thoughts while we go through the first series of questions. Please react as true to your normal habits as possible.

If you were having problems searching for articles on the library website and wanted to find to help, what would you do?
A professor tells you it would be a good idea to use citation software while writing your next paper. He/she mentions that the library offers workshops to help students learn to use this software. Where would you find more information about such workshops?
Ok, starting from the library events calendar (navigate to this page for the participant) let’s pretend you have decided to take the Ref Works for Science Students workshop. From this point, how would you proceed to register for this workshop?

Great! Thank you for your time. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Reminders to Interviewers:

Remember to give the student the gift card.

Training Plan for Instructional Services on the UBC Library Website

Introduction:

This training plan is designed to help with change management associated with our proposed modifications to instructional services (i.e., library workshops, reference desks, and subject librarians) on the UBC Library website, in support of our vision statement.

Audience:

UBC Librarians and Student Librarians.

Goal of Training:

The purpose of this training is to introduce the changes made to instructional services on the UBC Library website, and to provide training to the trainers (UBC librarians and student librarians) on how to locate and access these services so they in turn can communicate this knowledge to students.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Understand the changes that have happened to the library website regarding instructional services.
- Locate UBC Library instructional services on the library website.
- Register for UBC Library workshops from the library website.
- Convey this information to students at the university.
- Know where to get further assistance.

Pre-requisites:

Budget: $40 an hour x 1 hour x 5 sessions for the instructor (total = $200)
Resources: Hand outs should be prepared to outline what will be covered in session.
Facilities: UBC Library instructional workshop space can be used. All participants need a computer with access to the Internet, the instructor needs a computer, and the room needs a projector.
Participants: Each participant needs to have a functioning Campus-Wide Login username and password.
Timing: Session should take 30 minutes.
Project Completion Stage: Project should be slated to launch within a week of training session completion.

Training Approach:

Instructor-led training, training-the-trainers

Training Script:

Instructor introduction
Pass out handouts and give overview of what we will cover in this training session
Provide of rationale for changes
Brief introduction of changes
Ask audience if there are questions
Ask audience to load UBC Library home page
Have audience navigate to Instruction page
Remind audience of changes, indicate and demonstrate that services previously listed with instruction (under “Reference & Instruction”) are now stand-alone under “Services”Have audience navigate to “Workshop and Events” page
Ask everyone to choose a workshop they are interested in and try to register for it
Rove around the classroom to address any difficulties or answer any questions one-on-one
Wait until everyone has completed registering and then demonstrate the process on the instructor machine
Ask if there are questions
Point out where they can get further information and help (e.g., links to any Help documentation, contact information for IT Helpdesk)
Provide contact information
Notify participants that you will be sending out an e-mail with a link to a survey for feedback about the training session and mention how valuable their feedback is
Thank audience for attending session

Training Sessions:

Only one session should be required for each individual.
Five sessions should be required overall to provide training to all librarians and GAAs.

Closure and Ongoing Assessment:

E-mail satisfaction survey to all who attended workshop.