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Library websites are evolving into information gateways, unlocking access to library resources and services. Usability testing of library Web interfaces is a crucial factor in the continuing development and improvement of the user interface. The Central Medical Library (CMK) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia started to create its website in 1997 and decided to extend it to a library portal last year. A prototype portal was developed incorporating suggestions obtained from website evaluation studies. Based on a literature review usability testing was performed to gain better understanding of how users were interacting with the portal as they approached various information seeking tasks. We employed different methods for testing usability of websites, which consisted of observing actual users interacting with the portal and collecting information in specific ways in which the site was easy or difficult for them to use and the users’ satisfaction with the system. Usability testing can be divided into four broad categories of methods: objective performance, subjective preference, experimental evaluation and direct observation. We found the protocol analysis or “think aloud” method as the most promising method for reviewing users assumptions, inferences, misconceptions and problems that the users had faced while performing tasks using CMK portal. It was useful that a small group of users representative of the target population could yield important results. These usability studies uncovered problems related to unclear terminology, proper use of color, size, and location for navigational links, organization of information, and the need for context sensitive help, and clear and consistent navigation. The results of the usability testing will be used in the future development of the portal to better meet the information needs of CMK users. |