Diving in at the deep end : the value of alternative in-situ approaches for systematic library search
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Date
07/05/2016Keywords
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Abstract
OPAC interfaces, still the dominant access point to library catalogs, support systematic search but are problematic for open-ended exploration and generally unpopular with visitors. As a result, libraries start subscribing to simplified search paradigms as exemplified by web-search systems. This is a problem considering that systematic search is a crucial skill in the light of today’s abundance of digital information. Inspired by novel approaches to facilitating search, we designed CollectionDiver, an installation for supporting systematic search in public libraries. The CollectionDiver combines tangible and large display direct-touch interaction with a visual representation of search criteria and filters. We conducted an in-situ qualitative study to compare participants’ search approaches on the CollectionDiver with those on the OPAC interface. Our findings show that while both systems support a similar search process, the CollectionDiver (1) makes systematic search more accessible, (2) motivates proactive search approaches by (3) adding transparency to the search process, and (4) facilitates shared search experiences. We discuss the CollectionDiver’s design concepts to stimulate new ideas toward supporting engaging approaches to systematic search in the library context and beyond.
Citation
Hinrichs , U , Butscher , S , Mueller , J & Reiterer , H 2016 , Diving in at the deep end : the value of alternative in-situ approaches for systematic library search . in Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '16) . ACM , New York , pp. 4634-4646 , 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI'16) , San Jose, CA , California , United States , 7/05/16 . https://doi.org/10.1145/2858036.2858549 conference
Publication
Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '16)
Type
Conference item
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Copyright © 2016, the Author(s). This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2858036.2858549
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