Undergraduate metasearching in a New Zealand academic library : a study assessing the usability, functionality, and relevance of multisearch at the University of Otago

Abstract

Metasearching software is a developing technology that is designed to facilitate access to electronic resources. This study assesses the usability, relevance, and functionality of a typical metasearching system within the New Zealand academic environment. The study focuses on evaluating the role of this portal software as an information discovery tool for undergraduate students. Endeavour's Encompass for Resource Access (ERA) software, implemented at the University of Otago, was examined in this case study. A mixed methods approach was used to collect the data for analysis. Quantitative results and qualitative responses were gathered from a sample of fifteen undergraduate students using task-based usability testing and a post-test questionnaire. The results show that undergraduate students regard metasearching as a relevant service in a tertiary library. However, the low success rates in the task-based testing indicate that usability faults need to be addressed to ensure that the software functions at a high standard and becomes more user-focused. The study concludes that current metasearching systems are an entry-level information retrieval tool for novice end-users.