User Experience at University of Houston Libraries

We updated the search tools on libraries.uh.edu in December to accommodate format-specific filtering.

This allows users to select a format (books, articles, etc.) to limit their search by before they submit their initial query.

The hope is that this additional feature will make known-item searching faster. For example, if a user knows they need a specific book, they can limit results by format from the get-go and only return results of books.

On the homepage, we added a drop-down with applicable formats to the search box.

We also added new format content pages that provide additional options for each specific format. For example, a user looking for books can visit the new Books page and see information about call numbers, ILL, and more things relating to book searching.

The site, libraries.uh.edu, was reorganized in August.

Previously, our main site categories were:

• Find & Search
• Services
• Spaces & Rooms
• Libraries & Collections

Now, they are:

• Search
• Borrow
• Research & Learning
• Spaces & Technology

This reorganization was supported by evidence collected from tree-testing earlier this year. Both trees tested fairly well. I chose this organization, where “Search” and “Borrow” are separated, so that they might grow long-term without getting jumbled.

“Services” has now been phased out in favor of more descriptive categories. No more junk drawer.

We also now have “Research & Learning,” which is a new type of category for us about our research and instruction services. I expect lots of work on content in this category in the months ahead.

I updated the homepage of libraries.uh.edu as well as Find & Search, one of our more visited pages.

In this post:

• Homepage update
• Find & Search update