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What in the World? Geographical Representation of Library Collections in WorldCat: A Prototype

This project aims to test and visualize data from WorldCat by country of publication, supporting data mining research and easing review. It complements the AAU/ARL Global Resources Network project and is part of CLIR. The objectives include representing library data from UNESCO, ARL, and NCES, showing various library statistics geographically. The technology used includes Geographic Information Systems, user interface design principles, and usability testing methodologies.

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What in the World? Geographical Representation of Library Collections in WorldCat: A Prototype

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  1. What in the World? Geographical Representation of Library Collections in WorldCat:A Prototype Lynn Silipigni Connaway connawal@oclc.org Clifton Snyder snyderc@oclc.org Larry Olszewski ASIST Conference November 1, 2005

  2. OCLC WorldMapTM: Objectives • Research prototype • Test geographical representation of WorldCat • Titles and holdings by country of publication • Support data mining research area • Visually display mined data to ease review and analysis • Internal use • Sales and marketing • External use • Library collection assessment and comparison • Complement the AAU/ARL Global Resources Network project • Currently a project of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR)

  3. OCLC WorldMapTM: Objectives • Geographically represent library data from UNESCO, ARL, and NCES • Number of libraries • Amount of library expenditures • Number of volumes and titles • Number of librarians • Number of users

  4. Geographic Information Systems: Background • Geographic information systems (GIS) applied to library and information science (Gluck, 1994) • Identified how GIS software facilitates library market analysis (Koontz, 1996) • Studied users to determine relevance or potential value of geospatial objects from metadata (Fraser & Gluck, 1999) • Developed Public Library Geographic Database (Koontz & Jue, 2004, 2004a) • Geographically represents United States public library census data

  5. User Interface Design: Background • Identified how to communicate information through the simultaneous presentation of words, numbers and pictures (Tufte, 2001) • Five factors for benchmarking the usability of an interface (Shneiderman & Plaisant, 2004) • Time to learn • Speed of performance • Rate of errors • Retention over time • Subjective satisfaction

  6. Usability Testing: Definition • Degree to which a user can successfully learn and use a product to achieve a goal • Research methodology • Evaluation • Experimental design • Observation and analysis of user behavior to achieve a goal (Dumas & Reddish, 1993, p.22) • “User-centered design” process involving user from initial design to product upgrade (Norlin & Winters, 2002) • Approach is to be a servant to the users of a system NOT to be subservient to technology (Gluck, 1998) • Identify usability problems and make recommendations for fixing and improving the design (Rubin, 1994)

  7. Usability Testing: Web Design Criteria • Ten Usability Heuristics (Nielsen) • Visibility of system status • Match between system and the real world • User control and freedom • Consistency and standards • Error prevention • Recognition rather than recall • Flexibility and efficiency of use • Aesthetic and minimalist design • Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors • Help and documentation

  8. Usability Testing: Methodology • Artificial environment (laboratory) • Maintain more control • May provide more specific data on a particular feature • Natural environment • Better holistic representation of real people doing real work

  9. Usability Testing: OCLC WorldMapTM • Artificial environment (laboratory) • OCLC usability lab • Developed documentation • Screening questionnaire • Task list • Posttest questionnaire • Executive summary

  10. Usability Testing: OCLC WorldMapTM • First set of tests, September 2004 • Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) • 3 usability test participants • Developer, marketing, production manager • High learning curve • Difficult to navigate and use • Conducted informal usability tests • Redesigned the interface

  11. Usability Testing: OCLC WorldMapTM • Second set of tests, September 2005 • Flash • 3 usability test participants • Library services consultant (2), sales • Much lower learning curve • Improved task time • Revised the interface

  12. Technology: OCLC WorldMapTM • First implemented SVG • Open standard maintained by W3C • Simple XML file • Young technology • Browser support limited • Requires plug-in • Converted to Flash • Browser compatibility • Plug-in compatibility (if a plug-in was installed!) • For a detailed comparison of SVG and Flash, see: http://www.carto.net/papers/svg/comparison_flash_svg/

  13. France [source]:

  14. Available for demonstration at:http://alcme.oclc.org/worldmap/index.htmlReplace URL with Research Works URL, if available by time of presentation

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