Digital library creators and users: Evaluating intended users versus actual users.

摘要

The creation and use of digital libraries is explored in this case study by using four digital libraries. Current literature emphasizes the importance of end-user research in digital library development. However, little research is being conducted to discover who is actually using digital libraries. This thesis evaluates who the intended users are versus who the actual users are. The four digital libraries chosen for this study are: Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), Project Gutenberg (PG), CeltDigital (CD), New Zealand Digital Library (NZDL) Niupepa Maori Newspaper Collection (NMN). An administrative questionnaire is given to the designers and administrators of the digital library in order to determine their mission, goals and who their target user population is. A web-based survey is implemented in order to discover who is actually using the digital library and their satisfaction level. A comparison is then made to determine if the actual users are the creators' intended user group.