Logins and Bailouts: Measuring Access, Use, and Success in Digital Libraries

Abstract

Easier and wider access to information is often touted as a primary benefit of digital libraries. Claims such as 'the world's information at your fingertips' and 'desktop access to entire library collections' are commonplace. Examines the nature of access to information resources and the relationship of access to use, which allows consideration of how these alluring visions of easy information availability might be achieved. Measuring and interpreting access and use data within a digital library is complex, however, and the lack of standard metrics across systems makes it especially difficult to develop explanatory frameworks related to digital-library use. Draws on work associated with the NSF/DARPA/NASA Digital Libraries Initiative (DLI) project at the University of Illinois, which ran from 1994 to 1998. Describes design and evaluation activities that accompanied the implementation of DeLIver across the University of Illinois campus, concentrating on one particular barrier to use: the difficulties potential users have in logging in to a digital library. To gain access to DeLIver, potential users are required to submit their university network identification number (NetID) for authentication. Users must then complete a registration questionnaire that collects basic identification, demographic, and occupational data, as well as informs them of how user data will be utilized.