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Understanding Virtual Users: Connecting Research to Practice

This article explores transaction log analysis as a method to understand the behaviors of online retrieval system users, providing valuable data for system and service development. It also discusses the limitations of this analysis and presents data on netLibrary site activity. The article concludes with current research methods to further understand information-seeking behavior.

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Understanding Virtual Users: Connecting Research to Practice

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  1. Understanding Virtual Users:Connecting Research to Practice Lynn Silipigni Connaway Consulting Research Scientist Clifton Snyder Software Engineer October 16, 2004

  2. Transaction Log Analysis • Unobtrusive • Takes advantage of technology • Macroanalysis – aggregate use data and patterns • Microanalysis – individual search patterns • Incorporate with other data collection methodologies • Identify the behaviors of users of online retrieval systems • Provide data to develop systems and services based on user behavior • Online public access systems • Web logs • Electronic journals • Electronic books

  3. What Can Be Learned from Transaction Log Analysis • What is being accessed • Subject areas • Types of content • Publishers of content • Number of accesses • Items • Screens/pages • Patterns of access • When accessed • Length of use/activity • Movements within the site and the text • System and interface design

  4. Limitations of Transaction Log Analysis • Do not know • Who are the users • Usually cannot associate user demographics with usage patterns • Where they get access to the resources • How they use resources • Why they use resources • Massive amounts of data to manipulate • When systems change, data collected may change • Types of possible analyses dependent upon data collected and stored

  5. netLibrary Site Activity • Unique Users • Tues., 2/26/02 = 3,796 • Wed., 2/26/03 = 8,789 • Thurs., 2/26/04 = 14,350 • Total Sessions • Tues., 2/26/02 = Not Available • Wed., 2/26/03 = 10,874 • Thurs., 2/26/04 = 15,478

  6. Time Per Session (Minutes)

  7. netLibrary Login Times

  8. Books Viewed Per Account

  9. Unique Pages Viewed Per Book

  10. Unique Pages Viewed Per Session

  11. 2/26/2002 Search Types 27,817 Total Searches

  12. 2/26/2003 Search Types 37,136 Total Searches

  13. 2/26/2004 Search Types 43,189 Total Searches

  14. 2/26/2004 Search Types (No Blanks) 29,558 Total Searches

  15. Search Type Comparison

  16. Data Interpretation • Increase • Number of users • Number of sessions • Little difference • Duration of sessions • Books viewed per account • Pages viewed per book • Pages viewed per session • Peak usage times correlate with time most libraries are open and available • Majority of searches are keyword searches

  17. Search Types, Terms, and Items Viewed • Title • Subject • Keyword (default) • Author • Full Text • Top Viewed Items

  18. Comparison : Top 10 searches

  19. Current Research • Identify the whys and hows of information-seeking behavior • College and university users • Online survey • Focus group interviews • Structured field observations • Structured interviews • Library and information science professionals • Individual interviews and focus group interviews • National Advisory Council • Local Advisory Council • Online Survey • OCLC Members Council • OCLC Board of Trustees

  20. Questions and Discussion connawal@oclc.org

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