1.
Introduction: A
library user study may be defined as any study relating to library use, in any
or all of its aspects. It refers to any systematic examination of the
characteristics and behaviour of the users and, if feasible, of non-user of
library system and services. User studies are, by definition, about people, behaviour
and contexts. They need both quantitative and qualitative approaches to be
combined to produce the both the holistic view and the robust data needed to
validate data collected. User studies, use studies, information-need studies,
information transfer studies, communication behaviour studies, information
dissemination and utilisation studies, user-research, etc., are all closely
related terms.
2. Need of the
User Study: User
studies and user data are essential to system analysis. User information is the
important part in measurement and evaluation of library services. It is also
helpful for the planning of libraries. User studies have a number of impacts on
library services and system. User studies are directly or indirectly, playing a
pivotal role in systems and services, such as collection development, resource
allocation, improvement of library techniques etc. Library user studies are important for the following reasons-
a) To Identify
the User Need:
In the context of library and information science or system, it is extremely
important that in-depth user studies are conducted to acquire the actual and
potential needs of the users.
b) To Know How
Well the System Works: On the basis of user studies, the collection
building, processing and organisation and service are assessed.
c) To Improve
the System or Services: A user study indicates the successes and
shortcomings in the planning and development of services and it can be used in
improving the system. The result of the user studies are potentially useful in
bridging the gap between the kind of information services needed and the kind
of services in existence. Again, the user studies provide a substantial body of
specific knowledge, facts and conclusions that are of great value for the
development of new facilities.
d) To Justify
the Expenditure:
The library and information centres are the spending institutions. Their cost
need to be justified based on the use studies, and it can only be achieved
through user studies.
3. Type of User
Studies:
Herbert Menzel investigated user study and defined information seeking
behaviour from three angles:
a) Behaviour
Studies:
When approached from the point of view of the scientist or technologists, these
are studies of scientists’ communication behaviour. It aimed at determining the
overall pattern of interaction with the user community.
b) Use Studies: When approached
from the point of view of any communication medium, they are use studies.
Studies to assess the use of given information source, such as books and periodical
publications - generally known as use studies
c) Information
Flow Studies:
When approached from the science communication system, they are studies in the
flow of information among scientists and technologists. It is the studies to
determine the information flow pattern in the system of communicating
knowledge.
4. Methods of
User Study:
The user studies can be of qualitative type or quantitative type. Monitoring
user behaviour is a qualitative user study, where as how many time a book is
consulted by the user is a quantitative type of user study. Methods of user
study could be classified as follows-
a) Qualitative
Methods: Qualitative
researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the
reasons that govern such behaviour. The
following qualitative methods can be use for user studies
i) Focus Group: The term was coined
by psychologist and marketing expert Ernest Dichter. A focus group is a form of
qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their
perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service,
concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an
interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group
members.
ii) Card Sorting: Card sorting is
a simple technique in user experience design where a group of subject experts
or users, however inexperienced with design, are guided to generate a category
tree or folksonomy. It is a useful approach for designing information
architecture, workflows, menu structure, or web site navigation paths.
iii) Contextual Design: Contextual
Design (CD) is a user-centered design process developed by Hugh Beyer and Karen
Holtzblatt. It incorporates ethnographic methods for gathering data relevant to
the product via field studies, rationalizing workflows, and designing
human-computer interfaces. In practice, this means that researchers aggregate
data from customers in the field where people are living and applying these
findings into a final product.
iv) Prototype: A prototype is an early sample,
model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as
a thing to be replicated or learned from. It is a term used in a variety of
contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A
prototype is designed to test and trial a new design to enhance precision by
system analysts and users. Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a
real, working system rather than a theoretical one. In some workflow models,
creating a prototype-a process sometimes called materialization is the step
between the formalization and the evaluation of an idea.
b) Quantitative
Methods:
Quantitative research is the systematic empirical investigation of observable
phenomena via statistical, mathematical or numerical data or computational
techniques. The following quantitative methods can be use for user studies
i) Survey Methodology: Survey methodology studies the sampling
of individual units from a population and the associated survey data collection
techniques, such as questionnaire construction and methods for improving the
number and accuracy of responses to surveys.
ii) Web Analytics: Web analytics
is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of web data for purposes
of understanding and optimizing web usage for example Google Analytics.
iii) Citation Analysis: Citation analysis
is the examination of the frequency, patterns, and graphs of citations in
articles and books. It uses citations in scholarly works to establish links to
other works or other researchers.
5. Conclusion: User studies
focuses on understanding user behaviours, needs, and motivations through
observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies. In
general, it can be said that there are good grounds for carrying out user
studies since they are the most effective way of determining user needs and
therefore of being able to establish the facilities to meet them properly; they
also enable continuous evaluation of the system to take place. User studies
show the different channels employed by users in the information acquisition
process and also the different types of information sources and the frequency
with which they are used.
How to Cite this
Article?
APA Citation, 7th Ed.: Barman, B. (2020). A comprehensive book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications.
Chicago 16th Ed.: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. Guwahati:
New Publications, 2020.
MLA Citation 8th Ed: Barman, Badan. A Comprehensive Book on Library and Information Science. New
Publications, 2020.

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