Focus Group number two occured last night - a large and lively group of diverse people who were willing to sit and provide input for an hour in exchange for bagels and gift cards!
If we weren't hit over the head from input from the first focus group, the second bunch certainly put the nail in the coffin (in a positive use of the analogy). They use the website to access our "stuff" - finding, renewing, holding, etc. They want better ways to find and and to sort, easier ways to renew and to pay fines (can't i pay a $.30 fine online, please?).
A couple mentioned the research databases (be still, my heart!) but most of the discussion centered on features around the catalog and enhancing that experience. In this techno-world, they look to features found in other sites and want them applied here, too. Why must I re-enter my library card numerous times to hold a book? I want to be able to tell which titles are board books. It would be nice to find series information in the catalog. One patron found movie previews and said this was a nice feature and another focus grouper asked, "where did you find it?"
Some of the things they discussed we actually already do (!) but by virtue of their having mentioned it tells me we aren't doing the best job of saying how or why we do what we do. Someone asked about using the upper right side for "support" - how important is that? We do have series information in the catalog, just not findable with a blinking red arrow that says "click me"
While they responded to our new design, it wasn't an overwhelming "love it" kind of reaction. There were likes (the green, the no scrolling, the multitude of ways to search the catalog) but there were also the don't likes too (no rotating pictures on the home page please - it takes up ram space, where's the "help" button?)
Today is our last focus group for the general go-around. I suppose i should capture in the blog the questions we have been asking:
1. What are your primary reasons for visiting a library web site?
2. What are the easiest web sites for you to search and navigate and why?
3. What would you like to see on the Arapahoe Library District's web site?
We ask them to cruise around our existing site and provide input and then do the same for the green page.
Off to take more notes, visit more and learn more!
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1 comment:
Cynthia, you're right that all the series information is in the catalog. But a patron who just wants a list of them all probably needs something different. Is that an avenue you'd like to pursue?
We could make lists of the series names by level, (juvenile, ya, and adult) which could be put on the website. Let me know if you think this is an option.
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