Usability evaluation of an academic library website: A case of the University of the Punjab

Abstract

The focus of the study was the usability evaluation of the Punjab University Library (PUL) website. The main objectives of the study were to ascertain the feelings of website users along with the efficiency of the system with reference to its goals and tasks. Similarly, the adaptability of users to the web and its uses were also determined. The study also dealt with the assistance which may be provided to users to resolve system problems, difficulties and users' opinions about the consistency and standardization of the PUL website.To achieve these objectives, the study was processed through multi-phases. In the first stage a comprehensive literature review was conducted to understand the theoretical and technical aspects of the study. In the second phase, data were collected through a questionnaire instrument that was developed by Oulanov and Pajarillo (2001). A survey of four faculties was conducted which included 13 departments. The population was defined through stratified random sampling method. Data was collected from 300 respondents and was analyzed by using SPSS.Findings of the study reveal that PUL website proves favourable in two out of five criteria particularly in terms of ‘affect' and ‘efficiency'. The data show that affect and efficiency are more outcome oriented than the technical aspects of ‘learnability', ‘control' and ‘helpfulness.' The PU library was rated according to a variety of degrees, specifically ‘learnability' and control which was rated higher than ‘helpfulness.' This is basically the performance measurement that focuses on the user and effect of this process on the users.

Keywords

• usability
• usability evaluation
• library websites
• punjab university library