Abstract:
The American University in Cairo library started using Summon, our web-scale discovery service, in the Fall of 2010. Like competing products on the market, Summon provides a simple search interface, onestop access to all of the library’s resources, and faceted browsing to help users sift through all of that content.
Some usability studies suggest that Summon is faster and easier to use than a traditional OPAC. But do patrons really know what they’re looking at? Do they actually use faceted browsing? Is Summon facilitating deep research or making it more confusing? To answer these and other questions, we combined a traditional,
controlled usability study with close observations of organic, unstructured patron use, also informed by survey data and in-house discussions with library staff and faculty. We hope that our observations and analysis will be useful to other AMICAL institutions as they evaluate and implement tools like Summon.