Journal Article: “Library Terms that Users (Don’t) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021”
The article linked below was recently published by C&RL (College and Research Libraries).
Title
Library Terms that Users (Don’t) Understand: A Review of the Literature from 2012-2021
Authors
Courtney McDonald
University of Colorado Boulder
Nicole Trujillo
University of Colorado Boulder
Source
C&RL (College and Research Libraries)
Vol 85, No 6 (2024)DOI: 10.5860/crl.85.6.906
Abstract
This paper compares website usability—specifically library users’ understanding of library terms—for fifty-one original research studies between 2012-2021, with the findings of John Kupersmith’s 2011 white paper “Library Terms That Users Understand.” Studies reported approximately twice as many terms that users didn’t understand than terms users did understand, with some terms appearing in both categories. Analysis of the findings suggests a majority of Kupersmith’s guidelines remain applicable to today’s online environment, with some adjustments related to technology advances. We propose an additional guideline that acknowledges the role non-library websites play in guiding how users interact with library terminology.
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Filed under: Academic Libraries, Journal Articles, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.
