IGeLU 2014
Meeting the discovery challenge: user expectations, usability and Primo
Andy Land, Manchester University

Collection is about 4millions. Use Primo since 2010 and move to Alma in 2013. Carried out a research into students needs and usability of Primo in this context. They call it "Library Search". The results show:

• Most heavily used service in the library
• Google comes first but LS is second
• Same for accessing digital content although LS comes first for science related subjects
• LS comes first when wanting to find a known item
• Some functionalities we're liked e.g. facets
• Less liked e.g pre-search filtering

This highlighted a degree of concerns with regards to Primo. There's a general discomfort with discovery with the users. Before move to Alma users we're mostly using the catalogue and suddenly we're swamped by content. They would often limit themselves to the first results on the screen, not using the other filters. Work done with Ex Libris and in BackOffice to address these issues. Example

• Changed pre-filters with tabs: search everything vs library catalogue only
• Modified display of facets e.g. their order
• Frberisation was a problem for users so work was done to keep things simpler
• Improved display with visible colours, use of white spaces, tabs etc. to better highlight things
• Spelling suggestions made more visible
• Add "sign in" links in numerous places
• Suggestions to improve metadata in the community zone e.g. authors presented with different names
• Launched a live chat service with library experts
• Other projects o use stuff as crowdsourcing  etc.