[Web4lib] Ready Reference Web Sites

[Walker, David]

> as the user types what they're looking 
> for at the top of the page, the list 
> gets filtered.  
 
The problem with this approach, though -- as with any type of search that only searches database or website *descriptions* -- is that users will almost surely mistake that search box for a search of the databases themselves.
 
We all expect search boxes to search content, not descriptions of content.  
 
So your users will likely type in very narrow search terms into that box -- e.g., 'female circumcision among west african tribes' -- rather than the types of broad, disciplinary or format terms that would actually be included in website or database descriptions -- e.g., 'anthropology' or 'dissertations'.
 
In that way, I think, these type of search boxes, and you see on a fair number of library websites, are almost *worse* than the big link dump, since they are now *misleading*.  If you get back a "no hits" message after typing in your terms, it's very, very easy to interpret that as "the library doesn't have any articles/books/websites on my topic", no matter how carefully worded that message is.
 
--Dave
 
 
-------------------
David Walker
Library Web Services Manager
California State University
http://xerxes.calstate.edu

________________________________

From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Andrew Hankinson
Sent: Mon 9/10/2007 8:48 AM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Ready Reference Web Sites



I'd love to see some sort of usability study on the "link dump" 
website.  My feeling is similar to Chris' - too many options 
overwhelms, and causes the user to look elsewhere.

A dynamic list of links would be a neat idea: each link is annotated, 
and as the user types what they're looking for at the top of the 
page, the list gets filtered.  Much like the way iTunes allows you to 
browse everything, but as you type the results get filtered down.

Any AJAX gurus out there?

On 10-Sep-07, at 11:29 AM, Christopher Barr wrote:

> The question now is how we make these giant link dumps usable. What 
> kind of user is going to have the patience to sort through these 
> giant pages with 100+ links? I would say that LSU and Purdue get 
> close, but without a librarian on hand or tons of time how will 
> these pages be used?
>
> This is something I am dealing with at the moment on our site with 
> subject guides where librarians somethimes want to include 
> everything but the kitchen sink. I imagine undergrads who become 
> overwhelmed and miss out on the resources they need.
>
> --chris barr
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-
> bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of sri priya
> Sent: Monday, September 10, 2007 2:31 AM
> To: free-forall at yahoogroups.com; oss4lib-
> discuss at lists.sourceforge.net; web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: [Web4lib] Ready Reference Web Sites
>
> Ready Reference Web Sites
>
>   Ready Reference - A selection of Web resources : http://
> www.lkwdpl.org/readyref/
>
>   Internet Public Library: Reference : http://www.ipl.org/div/
> subject/browse/ref00.00.00
>
>   Internet Library For Librarians : http://www.itcompany.com/
> inforetriever/
>
>   D-Lib - Ready Reference : http://www.dlib.org/reference.html
>
>   Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators - Ready Reference & 
> Copyright ...:
>   http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/referenc.html
>
>   Purdue University Libraries - Quick Reference:
>   http://www.lib.purdue.edu/eresources/readyref/
>
>   LSU Libraries - Ready Reference : http://www.lib.lsu.edu/ref/
> readyref.html
>
>   Ready Reference :
>   http://als.lib.wi.us/ReadyReference.html
>   http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/reference/links/ready_reference.html
>   http://www.refdesk.com/
>
>   Electronic Reference Sources (Rutgers University Libraries)
>   http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/e_ref_shelf/
> e_ref_shelf.shtml
>
>   Regards,
>   S.Sripriya
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Got a little couch potato?
> Check out fun summer activities for kids.
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/

Andrew Hankinson
andrew.hankinson at gmail.com



_______________________________________________
Web4lib mailing list
Web4lib at webjunction.org
http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/