User Experience (UX) Librarianship and Health Sciences Libraries (HSLs)

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Health Sciences Librarianship
• User Experience (UX) Research

Background:

• User experience (UX) is a growing area of focus in academic libraries.
• Health sciences libraries (HSLs) face unique challenges in implementing UX initiatives.
• Understanding the roles and perspectives of librarians involved in UX is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how health sciences librarians describe their user experience (UX) roles and initiatives.
• To identify barriers and successes encountered in UX work within HSLs.
• To inform future UX research and decision-making for HSLs.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to health sciences librarians with UX duties.
• 40 survey responses provided data on demographics, work plans, recruitment, and data collection.
• Four in-depth interviews were conducted to gather further qualitative insights.

Main Results:

• The study details the diverse roles and initiatives undertaken by librarians in UX.
• Identified common barriers include resource limitations and institutional support.
• Key successes involve improved user satisfaction and service development.

Conclusions:

• Health sciences librarians are actively engaged in UX, contributing significantly to library services.
• Addressing identified barriers can enhance the effectiveness of UX initiatives in HSLs.
• The findings provide valuable information for librarians, staff, and administrators to support UX efforts.