Presented at LILAC 2009

1. September 18, 2017 Copyright University of East Angli
LILAC 2009: parallel session
Users’ experiences of new
generation search interfaces:
introducing Ex Libris’s™
PRIMO® at UEA
Sarah Elsegood
Arts and Humanities Faculty Librarian
University of East Anglia
s.elsegood@uea.ac.uk

2. September 18, 2017
Contents
1. What is Primo?
2. Functionality – how is it different to OPAC?
3. Web 2.0: a) tags and b) reviews
4. What do our users think?
5. Impact on IL skills teaching?
6. Future developments
7. Discussion

3. September 18, 2017
1.What is Primo?
Primo is a
one-stop solution for the discovery and delivery
of local and remote resources, such as books,
journal articles, and digital objects. Branded
locally as Broadsearch.
Library Catalogue + Digital repository
UEA e-resources
Digitool: UEA’s digital repository
http://broadsearch.uea.ac.uk

4. September 18, 2017
Aleph OPAC at UEA

5. September 18, 2017
2. Functionality – how is it
different from OPAC?
evidence that users prefer other search, retrieval and delivery
services, such as Google
users prefer quick easy intuitive interfaces
relevance ranking is popular
improved aesthetic experience
Primo offers access to the high quality content through an
attractive interface
Web 2.0 tags and reviews
Access to journal articles via sub-set of databases
“Did you mean? “ – searching can be less precise

6. September 18, 2017

7. September 18, 2017
Books, etc: Facets, icons and
availability and Frbrization

8. September 18, 2017
Integration with Aleph OPAC

9. September 18, 2017
Accessing e-books

10. September 18, 2017
Locating print and e-journal titles

11. September 18, 2017
Articles, etc: Searching e-resources

12. September 18, 2017

13. September 18, 2017

14. September 18, 2017
SFX linking to UEA-subscribed content

15. September 18, 2017
3a. Web 2.0: Tagging

16. September 18, 2017
3b. Web 2.0: Reviews

17. September 18, 2017
Primo and OPAC usage Autumn Semester
22 September 2008 - 14 December 2008
Number of searches
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eek1
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eek8
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eek9W
eek10W
eek11
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eek12
Books, etc.
Articles, etc.
OPAC

18. September 18, 2017
Primo and OPAC Usage Spring Semester 2009
0
10000
20000
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Week
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Books, etc.
Articles, etc.
OPAC

19. September 18, 2017
4. What do our users
think?
We asked for 3 types of response:
I particularly liked…
It would be good if perhaps it could…
The following needs improving…
Any other comments
Users were asked to indicate status: e.g.
undergraduate, taught postgraduate, etc.
Feedback was also sought on the interface
welcome screen

20. September 18, 2017
User feedback
Refine searches is a great feature that helps with
research
I like the showing of multiple editions under a single title
on the search results page
the convenient searching system is wonderful! it's helps
me a lot when I’m doing research or writing an essay
I've had quite a bit of trouble getting my students to
search anything other than JSTOR because of the
difficulty they find in the interfaces - Primo looks like it
might solve that problem - it's much more intuitive
[lecturer]
[on tagging and reviews] Goodness - that does sound
useful. Am interested in how the reviews will pan out - it
might end up being a good device for us as tutors to flag
the usefulness of a book. [lecturer]

21. September 18, 2017
User feedback
“Broadsearch is simpler and feels as though it has been designed
for research users rather than as an inventory of books to which
researchers can have access. I like the flexibility of being able to
do simple general searches (if I don't really know what I want or if
I am a relative novice - I fall into both categories!) or to do
sophisticated screening and narrowing if I am in a position to be
more discriminating. “
“The narrowing options, available and suggested, are very
helpful. I also like the fact that information on availability is shown
on the same page as other details so you don't have to keep
switching. “
[Politics taught postgraduate, mature student]

22. September 18, 2017
User feedback
There's no need for multiple card displays that make
sense to a librarian but not a library user.
Opening some links in new windows unpredictably
makes browsing a rather unpleasant experience.
This is definitely a step in the right direction
Useless
It’s useful and convenient, although the article bit does
tend to take a long time to load.
Aaaargh! What on Mars was wrong with the other
interface?

23. September 18, 2017
Information Services staff
feedback
Appearance of front page user-friendly and colourful
I liked the fact that you can enter a search term and
switch between tabs without re-entering the search
I liked article searching – seems easier than MetaLib
Overall v. good and relatively easy to use. I am often
put off by new things like this. Wasn’t scary!
I particularly liked the way it told you if a book was on
loan or not
User-friendly, easy to find what you need quickly
Easy to use. Lots of information. I like it a lot!
Visually it is fairly easy on the eye and not too cluttered

24. September 18, 2017
6. Impact on IL skills
teaching?
Advice needed on constructing search strategies,
selecting appropriate keywords, refining searches
Some brief explanation of the features is helpful
Users need help in evaluating the results and refining
searches
Users strayed into Articles, etc. searching without
realising what it was and what they were searching
Broadsearch provided a useful starting point for
teaching database searching. Students move on to
MetaLib and the full range of e-resources after first
searching a smaller sub-set using Articles, etc. tab
LAW and MED students need to use native interfaces

25. September 18, 2017
7. Future developments?
v.3.0 integration of full OPAC functionality
Harvesting of data directly from database publishers?
Combined local and remote search option?
User-defined lists?
Unified Resource Management System (URM) to
replace Integrated Library Systems model (ILS)

26. September 18, 2017
References:
Elsegood, S (2009), Narrow or Broadsearch? Implementing Ex Libris’s Primo interface at the
University of East Anglia
Serials, 22 (1), pp 70-74
http://dx.doi.org/10.1629/2268
(subscribers only)
Ex Libris Primo
<http://www.exlibrisgroup.com/category/PrimoOverview >
Accessed: 6 March 2009
How to compete with Google, JIBS User Group workshop 13 November 2008
<http://www.jibs.ac.uk/events/workshops/simplerds/>
Accessed: 6 March 2009
Lewis, N (2008), Implementing Ex Libris’s Primo at the University of East Anglia, Ariadne 55
<http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue55/lewis/>
Accessed: 6 March 2009

27. September 18, 2017
Other UK Primo Libraries:
Primo at the British Library (Beta site)
http://searchbeta.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?
vid=BLVU1&fromLogin=true&fromLogin=true
SUPrimo at the University of Strathclyde – coming soon!
SOLO – Search Oxford Libraries Online
http://solo.ouls.ox.ac.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=OXVU1&from