Users’ evaluation of digital libraries (DLs): Their uses, their criteria, and their assessment

• Published in: Information processing & management Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 1346 - 1373
• Main Author: Xie, Hong Iris
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2008; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Digital libraries; Digital library evaluation; Digital library evaluation criteria; Digital library use; Evaluation; Exact sciences and technology; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Library and information science. General aspects; Sciences and techniques of general use; Studies; Use and user studies. Information needs; User feedback; User perspectives; Users; Digital library evaluation; User perspectives; Digital library evaluation criteria; Digital library use; Performance evaluation; Performance requirement; User study; Use study; Electronic library
• ISSN: 0306-4573; 1873-5371
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ipm.2007.10.003

Millions of dollars have been invested into the development of digital libraries. There are many unanswered questions regarding their evaluation, in particular, from users’ perspectives. This study intends to investigate users’ use, their criteria and their evaluation of the two selected digital libraries. Nineteen subjects were recruited to participate in the study. They were instructed to keep a diary for their use of the two digital libraries, rate the importance of digital library evaluation criteria, and evaluate the two digital libraries by applying their perceived important criteria. The results show patterns of users’ use of digital libraries, their perceived important evaluation criteria, and the positive and negative aspects of digital libraries. Finally, the relationships between perceived importance of digital library evaluation criteria and actual evaluation of digital libraries and the relationships between use of digital libraries and evaluation of digital libraries as well as users’ preference, experience and knowledge structure on digital library evaluation are further discussed.