Web Advisory Group Home > Minutes > 3 April 2002
Minutes - 3 April 2002Present: Duke (minutes), Hennig, Skuce
1. Planning usability testing of new GIS siteThe group met with Sarah Williams to plan for usability testing of the new GIS web site. A tentative plan:
- observers: Sarah, Stephen, Darcy; also ask Christine Quirion
- devise test/questions: Stephen and Sarah
- recruit volunteers: Sarah has contacts in several departments, will also recruit from GIS web page and sign-up sheets at circ desks of Rotch, Barker, Dewey and Lindgren (starting 4/16 so as not to conflict with reference survey)
- training observers: April 24th, 4pm
- observation period: May 1-15
- follow-up with observers: May 15th at regular WAG meeting
2. Looking at other ARL library websites
Finished looking at web sites of other ARL libraries for new ideas (carry-over form last meeting).
3. Miscellaneous items
Scope of Barton: Nowhere on our site or on the Barton pages can a user tell what is covered in the Barton catalog. In particular, users should know that pre-1963 books still in the Dewey Decimal Collection are not in Barton, and most independent libraries at MIT (except the Physics and Space Center reading rooms) do not have their collections listed in Barton. We will add this information to the Barton FAQ and work with the Barton web group to find a way to convey this information in Barton.
Publication Guides: We received a suggestion from the staff to consider making the publications types page the default of the Subjects + Courses section, rather than the subject guides. We felt different libraries may have different preferences for this. This may be worked into larger changes we are hoping to try out later this summer, but in the meanwhile we are looking at ways to make the publications types more prominent on the homepage.
Full-text links in Vera: Another staff suggestion asked for links on the Vera database browse pages that would allow users to choose to view only full-text databases. Some concerns were expressed about limiting only to full text as well as over-crowding an already crowded page with more links. An alphabetical list of full-text databases is already available from the Vera home page. Nicole will bring this suggestion to VOLT (Vera Operations Library Team).
Next meeting:
Wednesday, April 24, 4-5pm (note different day/time); 10-500 (Nicole's office)
http://libstaff.mit.edu/webgroup/minutes/20020403.html
Web Advisory Group Home > Minutes > 3 April 2002