ABSTRACT

As libraries have increased their use of such digital materials as e-journals, electronic theses and dissertations, and gray literature stored in digital repositories, they have sought new and better ways to make these materials findable and usable by students, faculty members, and other patrons. This has meant developing online tools, in addition to the library catalog, that make it possible to search large collections of e-resources, sort through and pare down long lists of “hits” to find the most appropriate ones, and then gain access to these materials in only a few “clicks.” It might seem that the requirements for these online tools would be so obvious that developers would never have to consult with librarians, let alone users, to build them successfully. However, experience shows that the best online tools depend on participation throughout the design and development process by a variety of people, including students and faculty members, librarians and library staff, interface designers, and software engineers.