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Abstract
ABSTRACTThis article presents the findings of a case study that examined user navigation in a large-scale digital library in the context of academic use. Using the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) as a case, the study explored user navigation and understanding of a distributed model of large-scale digital libraries. The DPLA model involves two- or three-step navigation pathways. Most study participants could navigate the DPLA distributed, multilayered system effectively. This study found some confusion among the participants when they must move through a three-step process to locate digital objects provided by a metadata aggregator service hub. The study participants also pointed out the advantages of a distributed model in collocating digital resources and connecting users to a wide range of digital libraries.
Highlights
Two decades of extensive digital library development and mass digitization have resulted in a critical mass of digital versions of books, journals, and primary sources
This paper presents the findings of a study on user navigation through a large-scale digital library (DL) system, using the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) as case
This study focuses on user navigation through a large scale distributed DL system
Summary
Two decades of extensive digital library development and mass digitization have resulted in a critical mass of digital versions of books, journals, and primary sources. Resource discovery in the digital library (DL) environment was difficult, as it required locating and searching individual digital libraries and collections. Large-scale digital libraries (DLs) represent the step in digital library development by providing a single access point to and the ability to search across a multitude of scientific and cultural heritage collections. Large-scale distributed systems, such as the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) or Europeana, gather metadata from individual DLs or other aggregators and offer a central portal for searching and linking to digital objects. Very little is known about user interaction with large-scale DLs and the ways users search and locate digital objects in a distributed network. This paper presents the findings of a study on user navigation through a large-scale DL system, using the DPLA as case. This study was exploratory in nature and adopted a qualitative research strategy with direct observations and interviews as its primary data collection techniques
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