Student-Centered Design: Creating LibGuides Students Can Actually Use

Abstract

In this mixed-methods study, librarians at Kennesaw State University Library System conducted a year-long design research project to create a flexible subject guide “blueprint” for undergraduate students using LibGuides. Methods included a card sorting study with 18 undergraduate students and usability testing with 40 undergraduate students. The study’s goals were to identify what content, aesthetic design, organization, and structure students preferred on a subject guide. This paper addresses the current literature on research guides usability, overviews the design and implementation of the study, and highlights practical results that will easily be transferrable to other libraries.

Knowledge Management Organization in the Context of LibGuides of Sumy State University Library

“…2. Website Content According to the Specialty "Sports" Creating and maintaining subject guides is an ongoing challenge for many academic libraries (Barker & Hoffman, 2021). There is always the possibility that users will not wish to use the information provided in the LibGuides format.…”

“…The topic of the development and use of LibGuides is widely presented in the studies of foreign scientists (Mwanzu, Nakaziba, Karungi, Ayebazibwe, & Gatiti, 2022;Barker & Hoffman, 2021;Logan & Spence, 2021;Goodsett, Miles, & Nawalaniec, 2020;Paschke-Wood, Dubinsky, & Sult, 2020;Clever, 2020;Tyson & Dinneen, 2020). Abroad, LibGuides are a fairly common practice, it is a convenient format for presenting information, which significantly saves time for students, teachers, and scientists to search for the necessary scientific and educational resources.…”

LibGuides as Outreach

“…palrap.org Barker and Hoffman (2021) noted that while librarians are often experts in subject-specific research methods, they are less knowledgeable of web design best practices (p. 75). In considering the divide between librarian expectations for research guides and student expectations for research guides, Barker and Hoffman stated that students tend to want guides that are organized around research processes, as opposed to guides organized around lists of sources related to specific subjects (pp.…”

From Pathfinder to Indigenized: An Assessment of LibGuides for Indigenous Studies by ARL Member Institutions

“…46 Alternatively, some have questioned the connection between the use of LibGuides and pedagogy in higher education and whether the wide adoption of the tool addresses information inequity. 47 Among academic libraries, a common theme in the literature is guide effectiveness in reaching target audiences 48 and providing library services. 49 Bowen's comparison study concluded that LibGuide and web-based tutorials are equally effective tools for delivering information literacy skills and strategies.…”