[Web4lib] Ready Reference Web Sites

Mon Sep 10 17:10:09 EDT 2007

Which is why I think that visual clues are the most critical part of getting
something like this to work. I agree with you *if* the user has to hit enter
to search, as any typical search does.  However, if you think of it as
"type-to-filter" rather than "type-to-query", I think users would catch on
pretty quickly.
If the list is filtered in realtime, with the user seeing things dropping
off the list visually, there's a much lower perceived risk factor on the
part of the user, where they can quickly reformulate their query without
waiting for the system to reply.

I see it as the difference between a conversation (type something, enter,
wait for reply, evaluate reply, reformat query, repeat) and a stream of
consciousness output (typing and evaluation happens simultaneously - your
user does not have to switch modes to evaluate output.)  The key here is to
use an asynchronous technology that will facilitate this, as well as the
proper visual clues to indicate what is happening to the filtered results.

It also has to do with visual presentation of the input box to provide
further clues as to what its functionality is.

*"We all expect search boxes to search content, not descriptions of
content."*
*
*
I don't think I agree with you on this one.   The truth is, we don't know
*what* to expect when we search something, since every search engine
provides the same interface without giving any clues on what to expect the
output to be.

However, I *do* agree with you 1000% on your last point - libraries
providing different search boxes for different content is just plain dumb.
 I think this speaks to the fact that users don't know what to expect when
they type something in.  They rightly expect that searching something on the
library site will search the library site, *including* the catalogue, in
much the same way that they expect that physically visiting a library will
mean they can physically see the materials, or find out about services, or
both.

On 9/10/07, Walker, David <dwalker at calstate.edu> wrote:
>
> > 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/
>
>
>