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Measuring the Usability of the Interface of the Saudi Digital Library

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Transactions on Engineering Technologies

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of the use of web-based resources for education purposes, the usability of a digital library has come to be considered as an important element in the achievement of the full potential of any DL project. This paper applied a questionnaire-based usability test as the main method of measuring the usability of the interface of the Saudi Digital Library (SDL). Based on related studies, a set of sixteen items covering four axes: efficiency, effectiveness, aesthetic appearance and learnability were developed to evaluate the interface of the SDL. Twenty-two undergraduate students from the department of Information Studies in IMAMU participated in completing the Likert scale questionnaire. The main finding of the study indicated that the level of usability of the SDL’s interface was not acceptable, in particular in terms of aesthetic appearance. Moreover, it appears that problems facing other Internet applications in Saudi Arabia will continue to influence the development of digital library projects.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Information Studies Department, College of Computer and Information Sciences, Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMBSIU), P. O. Box 5701, Riyadh, 11432, Saudi Arabia

    Abdulrahman Nasser Alasem

Authors
  1. Abdulrahman Nasser Alasem
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Correspondence to Abdulrahman Nasser Alasem .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Computer & Communication, Catholic University of DaeGu, DaeGu, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Haeng Kon Kim

  2. IAENG Secretariat, International Association of Engineers, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR

    Sio-Iong Ao

  3. College of Engineering, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA

    Mahyar A. Amouzegar

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Alasem, A.N. (2014). Measuring the Usability of the Interface of the Saudi Digital Library. In: Kim, H., Ao, SI., Amouzegar, M. (eds) Transactions on Engineering Technologies. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9115-1_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9115-1_23

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-017-9114-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-9115-1

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