Assessing the usability of on-line library systems

Computer-based library systems are becoming pervasive throughout public and university libraries. The purpose of the present study was to survey the users of a representative system to assess the degree to which they used the system's functionality, their difficulties with the system, and their experiences learning the system. The majority of the 966 users of the system made limited use of the more advanced system commands and had difficulty understanding how the system works. Importantly, many of the users reported remotely accessing the system, which has implications for the development of training and help systems. The data from the survey are interpreted in the context of suggestions for design and training improvements for library on-line systems.