Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
6-2026
Abstract
In this chapter, we show how we used assessment and user experience (UX) methods to improve our library’s website. We conducted usability testing, during which we observed participants complete tasks on our website. To help support our testing, we used our library’s biennial user satisfaction survey, where we included several targeted questions that assessed user engagement with the website. We used the results of both assessments to inform updates to the website. Together, the results of our usability testing and survey provide a full picture of website use and lead to a more user-centered website. While the survey was quantitative and allowed for responses from a large, diverse group of library users, a small group of core users participated in our qualitative usability testing. We shared the findings from both our usability testing and survey with stakeholders, ensuring transparency and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Keywords
library website, assessment, user experience in libraries, academic libraries, usability testing, survey
Language
English
Publication Title
Assessment Tools for Successful Library Evaluations: A Practical Guide
Rights
© 2026 by Josie Cotton and Liz Bober. This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence. This means that anyone may distribute, adapt, and build upon the work for non-commercial purposes, subject to full attribution. If you wish to use this manuscript for commercial purposes, please contact permissions@emerald.com.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Josie Cotton, Liz Bober, 2026. "Joining Forces: Enhancing Website Usability Through UX and Assessment at an Academic Library", Assessment Tools for Successful Library Evaluations: A Practical Guide, Holt Zaugg
Manuscript Version
Accepted Manuscript