[WEB4LIB] Databases in your face?

[Wilson A. Paula]

Our library has faced similar challenges in naming our online databases
as Sarah describes in her email below.  Initially we named this category
Magazines/Newspapers but because of databases like Gale's, that include
so much more than magazine articles, and others (business directories,
poems, investment reports, government documents, etc) we changed
Magazines/Newspapers to "Online Databases".  We, too, are not sure if
patrons are making the connection.

In addressing Norm's concerns (see below) we initially considered
rewording some of the products (SIRS Discover Deluxe, MasFullText)
because their names were not relevant to their content.  We didn't
proceed because we knew that when the patron clicked on the product the
vendor would still be using their name which, we thought, would confuse
the patron.  Renaming products becomes problematic when patrons click on
one phrase and arrive at a site that has a different name; however, I
can see some merit in putting the databases in context for the patron
(Looking for information about a famous person?  Click here...--patron
is linked to Biography Resource Center--)

I'd be interested in working on some usability projects using card
sorting methods and invite patrons to name (or rename) the online
database category, e-resources, electronic resources.  If anyone has
done this please let us know the outcome.

Paula

Paula Wilson
Virtual Library Manager
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
www.lvccld.org
Las Vegas, NV 89119
702-507-3407





-----Original Message-----
From: Reeder Norm [mailto:Reeder.Norm at mail.ci.torrance.ca.us]
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 9:18 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Databases in your face?


I'd like to ask if anyone has considered "re-wording" database names for
their public?  We tend (like most librarians) to organize things in
alphabetical lists like:
EBSCO
ProQuest
SIRS
UXL Discover

Seems to me while librarians know those brand names, the public doesn't.
Joan Fry Williams, the library consultant mentioned last November at the
California Library Association Conference that instead of labeling it
"SIRS", we should be saying "If your term paper is due tomorrow, click
here!".  Anyone know whether we are obligated to keep the "brand" name
in
the link?  Do any of you use alternative database names?

Thanks
Norm

Norm Reeder
Library Services Manager
Torrance Public Library
3301 Torrance Blvd
Torrance, CA  90503
310-5950 


-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Graham [mailto:Sarah_Graham at emerson.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 12:38 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Database in your face?


Our recent web site usability test is telling us loud and clear that
users
(in our case students, faculty and other users of our college) do not
relate
the process of finding a journal/magazine article to choosing a
"database."

The question is, what do you all call your list of databases? Some
libraries
call them "Electronic Resources," (or e-Resources) but I'm not sure that
this is all that clear, either. Some other libraries have opted for a
link
to "Journals," but then many of our librarians rightly claim that there
is
much more in our databases than just journal articles. 

Do any of you have a solution that has worked in your library?

Truth be told, part of the issue on our web page is that we have a tool
for
finding out which of our databases a particular journal is available in.
We've called it "Journal Locator" - so consequently students see the
word
"journal" and click on it. They eventually get to a database, but the
process is convoluted that way.

If people are interested, I will summarize the answers I receive on this
list.

Sarah
______________________________
Sarah Graham
Coordinator of Web Development/Reference Librarian
Emerson College Library

email: sarah_graham at emerson.edu
phone: (617) 824-8332
fax:   (617) 824-7811
______________________________