Meeting User Needs and Expectations: A Library’s Quest for Discovery

Taylor and Francis recently released its white paper entitled Facilitating Access to Free Online Resources: Challenges and Opportunities for the Library Community. Primary research within the white paper revealed that 71%of librarians surveyed struggle with the unknown permanence of free content. What is on the horizon with librarians as they try to update their discoverability services to support users on their journey to obtain free content?

Taylor and Francis Group’s study determined that librarians are planning to improve their search user interfaces for their library web sites, librarians plan to improve their cataloging systems, and librarians plan to conduct user research to understand their researchers’ needs. Taylor and Francis will explore these research themes further through segmented primary research and present on its findings.

Following this, the George Washington University (GW) Libraries will share a case study detailing its quest to meet user needs and expectations by expanding the collection of research data beyond traditional avenues using Twitter. The GW Libraries’ Twitter Project had its genesis in an article by a faculty member. In turn, the process enriched and empowered other faculty research experiences. It also raised the library’s profile and statute among faculty. A vital element of the Project was GW's use of the right personnel with the right skills to access effective technologies. The social metadata harvested via Twitter formed a rich resource for cultural heritage studies and research at the University. The Project was recently awarded the IMLS Sparks Ignition Grant to advance the automation of data collection.