Usability testing for an open-source integrated library system. A task-based study of the Koha OPAC interface
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-03-2017-0049 |
| Pages | 487-503 |
| Published date | 04 June 2018 |
| Date | 04 June 2018 |
| Author | Asma Khatun,S.M. Zabed Ahmed |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
Usability testing for an
open-source integrated
library system
A task-based study of the Koha OPAC interface
Asma Khatun
Ayesha Abed Library, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and
S.M. Zabed Ahmed
Department of Information Science and Library Management,
University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to empirically examine the usability of the Koha OPAC from a user
perspective.
Design/methodology/approach – A series of usability tests with Koha were carried out at a private
university in Bangladesh. Both experienced and novice users participated in these tests. Experienced users
participated only once, whereas novices took part in three successive sessions. At rst, novices’ initial
performance was recorded. Then, they performed the same tasks after a short training tutorial. Novices again
participated in the retention experiment with the same tasks after four weeks. A set of seven tasks was given
to the users to see their performance in terms of time taken, number of errors made and success scores.
Performance data were captured through a computer screen recording software, and satisfaction scores were
obtained using a modied version of Questionnaire on User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS). Comparisons of
performance and satisfaction with Koha OPAC were made between experienced users and novices’ initial,
learning and retention experiments and amongst novices’ three test sessions.
Findings – The results showed signicant performance difference between experienced and novices’ initial
session. Novices could easily pick up the functionality of Koha OPAC when a brief training was provided. The
comparative analysis of performance between experienced users and novices’ learning showed no signicant
difference between these sessions. There was a signicant difference between experienced and novices’
retention in terms of success scores. The comparison amongst novices’ initial, learning and retention sessions
showed signicant performance differences in time taken and errors made. The QUIS results also showed
signicant differences in subjective satisfaction for several items between experienced users and naïve
sessions, and for one item amongst novices’ three experiments.
Originality/value – This is a pioneering study of the task-based usability of Koha OPAC. The ndings
from this study will encourage researchers to empirically examine the usability of other open-source ILSs,
which might result in improved user performance and satisfaction with these systems.
Keywords Usability testing, OPAC, Koha, User interface, Open-source integrated library system
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The use of open-source integrated library systems (ILSs), also known as library
management systems (LMSs), has become common in academic libraries worldwide.
Samuels and Griffy (2012) provided two primary considerations for using open-source
solutions in any library project. The rst obvious consideration is that these software are
freely distributed, and secondly, they make the source code openly available, thus allowing
Koha OPAC
interface
487
Received 8 March 2017
Revised 3 June 2017
17 August 2017
31 August 2017
19 September 2017
Accepted 28 October 2017
The Electronic Library
Vol. 36 No. 3, 2018
pp. 487-503
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
DOI 10.1108/EL-03-2017-0049
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0264-0473.htm
edits and improvements to the software. According to Pruett and Choi (2013), open-source
ILSs offer a valuable alternative to proprietary systems. Initially, those libraries that have
nancial constraints to procure proprietary solutions choose to use an open-source ILS to
integrate the library services under a common platform. But the scenario has changed over
the past few years. Open-source ILSs have made their way into developing and developed
countries. There are currently several open source ILSs available. A few examples of such
systems include: ABCD, Evergreen, Koha, NewGenLib, OpenBiblio, PMB, phpMyLibrary
and so on.
Originally developed in 1999 by Katipo Communications for the Horowhenua Library
Trust in New Zealand and rst deployed on 01 January 2000 (Breeding, 2008), Koha is often
claimed to be one of the most functionally advanced open-source ILSs available today
(Macan et al., 2013; Singh and Sanaman, 2012). Its development has been steered by a
growing community of libraries and support groups worldwide. Koha offers a range of
functionalities and features that would be expected in any ILS, including acquisition,
cataloguing, circulation, serials control and the online public access catalogue (OPAC). In
addition to typical search and browse facilities, the Koha OPAC integrates many added
features, such as making purchase suggestions, holding books, patron tagging,
bookmarking, comments and reviews. Although Koha has a fully functional default OPAC
interface, it is possible to customize the interface according to user needs.
Koha has been utilized by a number of university libraries in Bangladesh. The aim of this
paper is to empirically examine the usability of Koha’s default OPAC at BRAC University’s
Ayesha Abed Library, a private university library in Bangladesh. Usability is dened as the
“extent to which a product can be used by specied users to achieve specied goals with
effectiveness, efciency and satisfaction in a specied context of use” (ISO 9241-11:1998,
2017). Nielsen (1993) described usability in terms of ve common characteristics: ease of
learning, efciency of use, memorability, error frequency and severity and subjective
satisfaction. The usability features in a library OPAC design will allow improved user
performance and satisfaction with its user interface. It is, therefore, essential to design user-
centred OPACs and to test them for usability on a regular basis. Although there have been
several studies on the usability of library OPACs, a formal task-based usability testing for
open-source ILS OPACs in an academic setting is still lacking. This paper, thus, aims to
achieve two broad objectives: to investigate the usability of Koha’s default OPAC interface
by experienced and novice students using real task scenarios at a university library and to
compare student performance and satisfaction with the Koha OPAC.
Literature review
Although the rst large-scale online catalogues were implemented in libraries in the mid- to
late 1970s (Borgman, 1996), the philosophy of a library OPAC was projected even before
computer technology and its applications were introduced to the library world. Swanson
(1964) predicted the emergence of the OPAC and emphasized the interaction between library
users and a console (now computer). He illustrated a future OPAC interface where users
would be able to search for known items by author, title, publisher or date of publication,
and view related entries using similarity criteria. Early OPACs offered only basic search
capabilities. They were difcult to navigate and required extensive training to use them
effectively. There have been numerous research studies conducted to examine the
functionalities and features of early OPACs and user reactions with such systems. For
example, Dowlin (1980) studied the adoption of OPACs by users at a time when a sufcient
number of OPACs were implemented in libraries. The study found that terminal access was
preferred by many library users because the system was easy to use. Hildrith (1985)
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