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Designing, Managing, and Designing, Managing, and Evaluating Web-Based Subject Evaluating Web-Based Subject

Guides: A Case StudyGuides: A Case Study

Sam Chu, Ph.D.Sam Chu, Ph.D.Bibliographic Instruction LibrarianBibliographic Instruction Librarian

The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology4 June 20054 June 2005

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OutlineOutline1)1) Reasons & MethodReasons & Method2)2) Description of Subject Guides at HKUST LibraryDescription of Subject Guides at HKUST Library3)3) Design, Standardization, and Authoring ToolsDesign, Standardization, and Authoring Tools4)4) Subject Guide MaintenanceSubject Guide Maintenance5)5) Usage Statistics Analysis Usage Statistics Analysis 6)6) ConclusionConclusion7)7) Future DirectionsFuture Directions8)8) Discussion and Q & ADiscussion and Q & A

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Reasons for the StudyReasons for the Study

To Improve Reference ServicesTo Improve Reference Services Librarians create Librarians create web-based subject guides to facilitate web-based subject guides to facilitate

research, study, & teachingresearch, study, & teaching Improving subject guides will help students, faculty & staff Improving subject guides will help students, faculty & staff

do these activities betterdo these activities better

To Fill a Gap in the Professional LiteratureTo Fill a Gap in the Professional Literature Past research has examinedPast research has examined subject guide design & subject guide design &

maintenance across institutionsmaintenance across institutions Few studies on how a single institution creates & maintains Few studies on how a single institution creates & maintains

its guidesits guides No published studies analyzed web-guides usage statisticsNo published studies analyzed web-guides usage statistics

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Method - Method - Case StudyCase Study

DescribesDescribes How How librarians at HKUST Library have created & librarians at HKUST Library have created &

maintained about 120 maintained about 120 subject guides subject guides How How the guides & the librarian’s practices have the guides & the librarian’s practices have

evolved in the past 10 yearsevolved in the past 10 years

AnalyzesAnalyzes Usage Usage statistics for subject guides & course guidesstatistics for subject guides & course guides

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Description of Subject GuidesDescription of Subject Guides

Subject Guides linked from Home Page Arranged in five areas to match the 4 Schools

• Business & Management

• Engineering

• Humanities & Social Sciences

• Science

• PLUS - General Reference

..

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Description of Subject GuidesDescription of Subject Guides

Two Types of GuidesTwo Types of Guides

Course guidesCourse guides

- Designed for a particular course – often with a library workshop - Designed for a particular course – often with a library workshop

Subject guides Subject guides

- More general in nature.- More general in nature.

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Description of Subject GuidesDescription of Subject Guides

Library’s First Subject Guide

- Rolled out in 1995 & updated regularly

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Workflow of Creating Subject/Course GuidesWorkflow of Creating Subject/Course Guides

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Design, Standardization & Authoring Tools:Design, Standardization & Authoring Tools:Two Architectural modelsTwo Architectural models

Pathfinder model:Pathfinder model: Uses Uses multiplemultiple html pages html pages Covers a broad subject or collectionCovers a broad subject or collection 2 levels:2 levels:

Main page with links to the 2nd level of multiple Main page with links to the 2nd level of multiple pagespages

Second level pages - resources listed & describedSecond level pages - resources listed & described

e.g., e.g., Legal InformationLegal Information

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Design, Standardization & Authoring Tools:Design, Standardization & Authoring Tools:Two Architectural models – cont’Two Architectural models – cont’

Subject guide template modelSubject guide template model Single-pageSingle-page design with 3 sections design with 3 sections

Finding Library Materials – classification, subject headings, etc.Finding Library Materials – classification, subject headings, etc. Reference Tools – list of useful sources (e.g. databases, Reference Tools – list of useful sources (e.g. databases,

encyclopedias, etc.)encyclopedias, etc.) Reference Topics – sub-topics of the pageReference Topics – sub-topics of the page

e.g., e.g., E-CommerceE-Commerce

Course GuidesCourse Guides No fixed template, but follow some of the same standardsNo fixed template, but follow some of the same standards e.g.,e.g., Effective Learning and Thinking SkillsEffective Learning and Thinking Skills

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Design, Standardization & Authoring Design, Standardization & Authoring Tools:Tools:

StandardizationStandardization Standards ensure guides have a coherent look Standards ensure guides have a coherent look

- increase readability- increase readability Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) help achieve Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) help achieve

standardizationstandardization Control the fonts, colors & layout of the guidesControl the fonts, colors & layout of the guides Updates in format quick & global because Updates in format quick & global because

changes made centrallychanges made centrally

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Standards for Basic ComponentsStandards for Basic Components ComponentComponent NotesNotes Coding & Other InfoCoding & Other Info

Top banner Top banner All Guides carry the same All Guides carry the same banner.banner.

<!-- START BANNER --><!--<!-- START BANNER --><!--#include virtual="/ssi/guides-#include virtual="/ssi/guides-ban.ssi"--><!-- STOP BANNER -->ban.ssi"--><!-- STOP BANNER -->

Character Character encodingencoding

Use Unicode - display Use Unicode - display Chinese (simplified & Chinese (simplified & traditional) & other non-traditional) & other non-English langsEnglish langs

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> content="text/html; charset=utf-8">

Section headings Section headings Different levels of headings Different levels of headings standardizedstandardized

TitleTitle - coded <H2> - coded <H2>

First level headings use <H3>First level headings use <H3>

Second level headings use <H4> Second level headings use <H4>

Scripted links for Scripted links for

Internet resourcesInternet resources Library maintains a web Library maintains a web directory in the server – has directory in the server – has a cgi-scripted link for each a cgi-scripted link for each

When available, use a scripted linkWhen available, use a scripted link

instead of the real URL.instead of the real URL.http://library.ust.hk/cgi-bin/beyond/jump.cgi?http://library.ust.hk/cgi-bin/beyond/jump.cgi?

http://www.logisticsworld.com/http://www.logisticsworld.com/

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Previous Authoring Tool - Previous Authoring Tool - ComposerComposer

Benefits – easy to useBenefits – easy to use

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Previous Authoring Tool: Previous Authoring Tool: Composer – cont’Composer – cont’

ProblemsProblems Line spacing & indentation difficult to control Line spacing & indentation difficult to control Using the “publish” function to upload an html file Using the “publish” function to upload an html file

changed lay-out or linkschanged lay-out or links

- Generated new coding - Generated new coding

- Changed the coding- Changed the coding

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New Authoring Tool - New Authoring Tool - HTML-KitHTML-Kit

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New Authoring Tool - New Authoring Tool - HTML-KitHTML-Kit

BenefitsBenefits Freeware – a user-friendly Web editorFreeware – a user-friendly Web editor Doesn’t generate unintended code Doesn’t generate unintended code Allows editing on the server itself Allows editing on the server itself Plug-Ins Generator: Plug-Ins Generator:

Allows shortcuts to reduce coding workAllows shortcuts to reduce coding work

ProblemsProblems Page authors need some html coding proficiencyPage authors need some html coding proficiency Main window does not display Unicode properly Main window does not display Unicode properly

Chinese & other non-English scripts & diacritics must be input in a Chinese & other non-English scripts & diacritics must be input in a separate Unicode editorseparate Unicode editor

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Subject Guide MaintenanceSubject Guide Maintenance

Two types of maintenance neededTwo types of maintenance needed Link checking Link checking

Monthly - keeps the links on our pages functional & currentMonthly - keeps the links on our pages functional & current Review & updatingReview & updating

Yearly or biannually – allows for changes in resources or approaches to Yearly or biannually – allows for changes in resources or approaches to topicstopics

Link checkingLink checking Easier if you use an automatic link checking program Easier if you use an automatic link checking program HKUST Library uses Multi-Owner Maintenance spider (MOMspider)HKUST Library uses Multi-Owner Maintenance spider (MOMspider) We have used “MOM” since 1996We have used “MOM” since 1996 http://ftp.ics.uci.edu/pub/websoft/MOMspider/http://ftp.ics.uci.edu/pub/websoft/MOMspider/

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MOMspider’s ReportMOMspider’s Report

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Link CheckingLink Checking MOMspider results show if links are:MOMspider results show if links are:

ValidValid BrokenBroken Redirected Redirected Recently modifiedRecently modifiedOnly need to pay attentions to the links that are broken or redirectedOnly need to pay attentions to the links that are broken or redirected

Problems:Problems: Many “broken” links still valid:Many “broken” links still valid:

Some sites prohibit MOMspider by using robots.txt (Robots Exclusion Some sites prohibit MOMspider by using robots.txt (Robots Exclusion Standard).Standard).

Many redirected links are merely scripts used by different sites in place of the Many redirected links are merely scripts used by different sites in place of the direct URLdirect URL

Partial Solution:Partial Solution: Library Support Staff help some author librariansLibrary Support Staff help some author librarians

Checking the MOMspider reportsChecking the MOMspider reports Identify the real broken linksIdentify the real broken links

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Usage Statistics AnalysisUsage Statistics Analysis About 67% of the libraries keep usage statistics of these guides About 67% of the libraries keep usage statistics of these guides

Few use the data for evaluation purposes Few use the data for evaluation purposes (Morris & Grimes, 1999; Jackson & Pellack, 2004). (Morris & Grimes, 1999; Jackson & Pellack, 2004).

““One might question the wisdom of creating and maintaining these guides One might question the wisdom of creating and maintaining these guides without considering some hard data about their use”.without considering some hard data about their use”.

- - Jackson & Pellack (2004, p. 325)Jackson & Pellack (2004, p. 325)

HKUST Library began to review the subject guide usage statistics in 1996HKUST Library began to review the subject guide usage statistics in 1996

This analysis will:This analysis will: Consider the usage statistics for HKUST users Consider the usage statistics for HKUST users

- Who access the guides using an on-campus computer- Who access the guides using an on-campus computer Examine the usage statistics for non-HKUST users Examine the usage statistics for non-HKUST users (visitors) (visitors)

- Who access the guides using an off-campus computer- Who access the guides using an off-campus computer Compare the usage statistics for both user groupsCompare the usage statistics for both user groups

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis:Chart ranking of the top 24 Guides (20%)Chart ranking of the top 24 Guides (20%)

May 2004 - April 2005 May 2004 - April 2005

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis:Outside users access HKUST Library’s subject Outside users access HKUST Library’s subject guides 11 times more often than HKUST usersguides 11 times more often than HKUST users

595,689 hits between May 2004 & April 2005 595,689 hits between May 2004 & April 2005 - Human access: 95%- Human access: 95%- Robots access: 5%- Robots access: 5%

49,809 hits (8%) from 49,809 hits (8%) from on-campus computerson-campus computers (HKUST users) (HKUST users)

545,880 hits (92%) from 545,880 hits (92%) from off-campus computersoff-campus computers (visitors) (visitors) - Some “visitors” might be - Some “visitors” might be HKUST users who accessed the guides via HKUST users who accessed the guides via

the Internet off-campus.the Internet off-campus.

Definition of “hit”Definition of “hit”Every click on the main page or a sub-page of a guide is Every click on the main page or a sub-page of a guide is counted as one hit.counted as one hit.

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis:

Does the 80/20 rule apply to the Guides?Does the 80/20 rule apply to the Guides? "20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results" "20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results"

- Brian Tracy (2001, p. 1)- Brian Tracy (2001, p. 1)

Table shows the top 24 guides (20% of all subject guides) Table shows the top 24 guides (20% of all subject guides) - Accounts - Accounts for about 70% of all guide’s accesses for about 70% of all guide’s accesses This applies for HKUST users & visitors (together or separately)This applies for HKUST users & visitors (together or separately)

General application of the rule: focus on doing well in the top 20% of our General application of the rule: focus on doing well in the top 20% of our activities to maximize our overall productivityactivities to maximize our overall productivity Holds true for HKUST although it is 70%Holds true for HKUST although it is 70%

A library with limited staff would do well to identify the top 20% of its A library with limited staff would do well to identify the top 20% of its

subject guides used by its targeted user groups & give them top priority in subject guides used by its targeted user groups & give them top priority in updating.updating.

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis: Usage Rates Indicate which Guides Usage Rates Indicate which Guides

HKUST Users ValueHKUST Users Value• Assumption: Guides with the most hits - most important to our users.Assumption: Guides with the most hits - most important to our users. • Top 24 subject guides for HKUST users sorted into 4 groups by hits per year.Top 24 subject guides for HKUST users sorted into 4 groups by hits per year.

Job Hunting Guide Job Hunting Guide & & 10 Steps to a Research Paper10 Steps to a Research Paper 4,000 - 7,000 hits4,000 - 7,000 hits

China Studies Guide, Hong Kong Information Guide, & Legal China Studies Guide, Hong Kong Information Guide, & Legal Information GuideInformation Guide

2,000 - 3,999 hits2,000 - 3,999 hits

High-tech Industrial Zones Subject Guide, Company Information High-tech Industrial Zones Subject Guide, Company Information Guide, etc. Guide, etc.

1,000-1,999 hits 1,000-1,999 hits

International Relations (SOSC 125)International Relations (SOSC 125), Chemistry, etc, Chemistry, etc. . 453 to 999 hits453 to 999 hits

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis: Top 24 guides for HKUST users sorted into 4 groupsTop 24 guides for HKUST users sorted into 4 groups

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis: Implication for collection developmentImplication for collection development

Assumption: The subject guides most used by HKUST Assumption: The subject guides most used by HKUST indicate the information needs of our core usersindicate the information needs of our core users

Hong Kong Information & Legal Information guides are Hong Kong Information & Legal Information guides are the 4th & 5th most popular of the 119 subject guides.the 4th & 5th most popular of the 119 subject guides.

- HKUST Library should review its collection & ensure that it is - HKUST Library should review its collection & ensure that it is strong enough to satisfy the users’ needs.strong enough to satisfy the users’ needs.

Other “hot topics” revealed by the high usage of the other Other “hot topics” revealed by the high usage of the other guides should also be examined.guides should also be examined.

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis: Similarities between HKUST users & visitorsSimilarities between HKUST users & visitors

The 2 groups share the 6 same subject guides in their top 7 subject guides. The 2 groups share the 6 same subject guides in their top 7 subject guides. These 6 same guides are all These 6 same guides are all general guidesgeneral guides

General guides are popular than course-related guides for both sets of users.General guides are popular than course-related guides for both sets of users.

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Usage Statistics Analysis:Usage Statistics Analysis: Differences Between HKUST Users & VisitorsDifferences Between HKUST Users & Visitors

HKUST usersHKUST users 10 of the top 24 guides were course guides10 of the top 24 guides were course guides In general, the course guides ranked higher among HKUST users than In general, the course guides ranked higher among HKUST users than

non-HKUST usersnon-HKUST usersVisitorsVisitors

2 of their top 24 guides were course guides2 of their top 24 guides were course guides Used the more general guides more heavilyUsed the more general guides more heavily

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Conclusion Conclusion Collaboration between guide authors, the User-Ed Committee & the S&D Committee Collaboration between guide authors, the User-Ed Committee & the S&D Committee

ensure guides are of high qualityensure guides are of high quality

Standardizing the format & style through the use of templates, style sheets, & Unicode Standardizing the format & style through the use of templates, style sheets, & Unicode creates a harmonious look & increases readability creates a harmonious look & increases readability

Updating the guides on an on-going basis keeps the content & links up-to-date which Updating the guides on an on-going basis keeps the content & links up-to-date which increases their usefulness & use.increases their usefulness & use.

HKUST subject guides are used by HKUST people & Visitors (who used the guides HKUST subject guides are used by HKUST people & Visitors (who used the guides 11 times more frequently)11 times more frequently) The 6 most popular guides among both groups were general guides The 6 most popular guides among both groups were general guides After the top 6After the top 6

HKUST users preferred course guidesHKUST users preferred course guides Visitors still preferred the more general subject guidesVisitors still preferred the more general subject guides

80/20 rule is generally applicable & libraries should identify the top 20% of its guides 80/20 rule is generally applicable & libraries should identify the top 20% of its guides & give foremost attention to & maintaining them. & give foremost attention to & maintaining them.

The frequent use by HKUST users & visitors show the effort & time spent on creating The frequent use by HKUST users & visitors show the effort & time spent on creating & updating these guides are worthwhile& updating these guides are worthwhile

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Online survey of individual guides:

Quantitative information # of times the respondents have used the guides before User demographics

Qualitative information How did the user get to the page (class, surfing, Google?) How useful was the information provided Suggestions for improvements Suggestions for new guides

Future Directions

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Questions & Answers Questions & Answers & Discussions& Discussions

Thank YouThank You

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ReferencesReferences

Rebecca Jackson, Lorraine J Pellack, “Internet Subject Guides in Academic Rebecca Jackson, Lorraine J Pellack, “Internet Subject Guides in Academic Libraries: An Analysis of Contents, Practices, and Opinions,” Libraries: An Analysis of Contents, Practices, and Opinions,” Reference & Reference & User Services QuarterlyUser Services Quarterly 43 (Summer 2004): 319-327. 43 (Summer 2004): 319-327.

Sara E Morris, Marybeth Grimes, “A great deal of time and effort: An Sara E Morris, Marybeth Grimes, “A great deal of time and effort: An overview of creating and maintaining Internet-based subject guides,” overview of creating and maintaining Internet-based subject guides,” Library ComputingLibrary Computing 18 (1999): 213-216. 18 (1999): 213-216.

Brian Tracy (2001), "Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything", available at Brian Tracy (2001), "Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything", available at http://www.mercola.com/2001/nov/3/80_20_rule.htm (accessed May 13, http://www.mercola.com/2001/nov/3/80_20_rule.htm (accessed May 13, 2005).2005).