A Comprehensive Analysis of Academic Library Websites: Design, Navigation, Content, Services, and Web 2.0 Tools

Purpose This study aims to investigate the application of Web 2.0 technologies in the libraries of the top 100 universities in the world to provide a model for Web 2.0 application in academic library websites. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from the universities’ library websites for three months based on a Web 2.0 checklist. The list of universities was extracted from Webometrics Ranking of World Universities in 2015. Findings The research shows the priorities of these universities in their use of Web 2.0 tools include social networks and mashups at the most (94.5 per cent), followed by RSS (91.2 per cent) and social tagging (82.4 per cent) and other tools with lower priorities. Moreover, it revealed the most common applications of these tools in the mentioned websites followed by their objective evidences in different libraries. The results indicate that the total Web 2.0 application in the libraries of the top 100 universities was below average (40.23 per cent). Finally, the model for Web 2.0 application in academic library websites was designed. Originality/value The focus of this study is on the value and application of each tool in the websites and demonstrate a clear model to apply in other library websites. The model for Web 2.0 technologies application in academic library websites has not been designed and pictured before.

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Academic Library Websites Show Heavy Use of Web 2.0 Applications

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice ◽

10.18438/b8x61k ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 67 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Diana K. Wakimoto

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Social Networking ◽

Academic Libraries ◽

Instant Messaging ◽

Academic Library ◽

The United States ◽

Social Networking Services ◽

Main Page ◽

Library Websites

A Review of: Boateng, F., & Liu, Y. Q. (2014). Web 2.0 applications’ usage and trends in top US academic libraries. Library Hi Tech, 32(1), 120-138. doi:10.1108/LHT-07-2013-0093 Abstract Objective – To explore Web 2.0 application use in academic libraries through determining: Web 2.0 applications used, the purpose of using these applications, and how the use of Web 2.0 is changing. Design – Exploratory survey of academic library websites using content analysis of websites, blogs, and social networking service platforms. Setting – Websites of academic libraries in the United States, blog platforms, and social networking services. Subjects – 100 academic libraries. Methods – The researchers based their selection of academic library websites on the US News & World Report’s 2013 list of the top 100 best colleges in the United States. The authors created a checklist to determine which Web 2.0 technologies were used by the academic libraries on their websites and for what purposes. The researchers searched for Web 2.0 applications on the main page and one subpage down from the main page. The researchers also used keyword searches on the library’s website to find Web 2.0 applications and searched blog platforms and social networking sites. Main Results – The authors found that Facebook and Twitter were the most popular Web 2.0 applications and that all of the libraries analyzed used social networking services. Blogs were the second most popular Web 2.0 tool at 99% participation rate, followed closely by RSS (97%) and instant messaging (91%). Libraries used these Web 2.0 tools for information sharing including: outreach, promotion, providing online reference services, subject guides, tutorials, highlighting resources, and posting announcements. Conclusion – The academic libraries analyzed in this study use Web 2.0 applications to a much greater extent than previous research had shown. The researchers expect to see increased use of Web 2.0 applications by academic libraries in the coming years. They suggest that future research focus on Web 2.0 use by historically black colleges in the United States and on collaboration between academic libraries and other academic units when offering Web 2.0 services.

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An Investigation in to The use of web 2.0 Tools in The University Library Websites in India

Journal of Library and Information Communication Technology ◽

10.5958/2456-9399.2018.00007.x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 65

Author(s):

Annu. L. Punoose

Keyword(s):

Web 2.0 ◽

Web 2.0 Tools ◽

University Library ◽

Library Websites ◽

The University

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Web 2.0 applications' usage and trends in top US academic libraries

Library Hi Tech ◽

10.1108/lht-07-2013-0093 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 120-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Frank Boateng ◽

Yan Quan Liu

Keyword(s):

Web 2.0 ◽

Academic Libraries ◽

Academic Library ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Social Bookmarking ◽

Content Type ◽

Main Research ◽

The Us ◽

The Usa ◽

Library Websites

Purpose – This paper aims to explore Web 2.0 technologies usage and trends in the top 100 US academic libraries as exemplified through the academic library websites. Design/methodology/approach – The top 100 universities were selected from the US News & World Report's (USNWR) 2013 ranked list's top 100 of the best colleges in the USA. Content analysis was used in terms of quantitative approach. A checklist was developed as the main research instrument based on other checklists and questionnaires. Each of the selected university library websites was visited within a period of two weeks to explore implementation and usage of web tools, including SNS, blog, RSS, wikis, podcast/vodcast, and social bookmarking/tagging. Findings – All 100 academic libraries had a social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, making SNS the most widely applied Web 2.0 tool. The wiki was the least applied Web 2.0 technology, with a 34 percent participation rate. Blog was the second most popular tool with a 99 percent participation rate, followed by RSS and IM/Chat with 97 percent and 91 percent respectively. The vodcast and podcast had 47 percent and 46 percent participation rates respectively, while social bookmarking/tagging were also used by 39 percent of the academic libraries. Research limitations/implications – This study is completely based on publicly available data regarding usage of Web 2.0 applications. Web 2.0 tools used on library intranets were not analyzed for this study. Outcomes suggest that academic libraries are increasingly using Web 2.0 applications to promote themselves, enhance library services, and highlight resources to patrons. Originality/value – This is the first research that draws an overall picture of the usage and trends of Web 2.0 applications in the top 100 US academic libraries. This study demonstrates some noticeable patterns regarding usage, trends, and adoption which are relevant to how Web 2.0 applications are perceived and used within academic libraries. The study provides academic libraries with helpful information to better meet their user needs by effectively applying Web 2.0. Additionally, library managers, librarians and other libraries may also find this research beneficial as they plan to deploy Web 2.0.

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A comparative analysis of available features and Web 2.0 tools on selected Nigerian and South African university library websites

The Electronic Library ◽

10.1108/el-10-2014-0182 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 504-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Adeyinka Tella ◽

Oyegunle John Oladapo

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

South African ◽

The South ◽

Web 2.0 Tools ◽

Content Type ◽

University Library ◽

South African Universities ◽

Nigerian University ◽

Library Websites

Purpose The study aims to present a comparative analysis of available Web 2.0 tools in library websites of selected Nigerian and South African universities. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis was adopted as the design for the study. Twenty university library websites comprising ten top-ranking Nigerian universities and ten top-ranking South African universities were sampled for data collection. Five research questions developed and answered. Findings The findings show that the use of Web 2.0 tools in the selected universities is encouraging. There are more Web 2.0 tools available on the South African university library websites. The South African university libraries are ahead of their Nigerian counterparts in terms of the integration of Web 2.0 tools, e-resources and e-databases and provide platforms for easy retrieval of information by their users. There are more e-resources available on the South African university library websites compared with their Nigerian counterparts. e-Journals are the most available e-resources in the selected university library websites of both countries. Similarly, more academic e-databases are available on the South African university library websites, whereas only few are listed on the web pages of the selected Nigerian university library websites. Research limitations/implications Because available studies seem to ignore the possibility of comparing one university library’s website with another, conducting a study such as this will provide an insight and idea on the types of features, tools and applications to be included on university library websites. This will be useful for university whose library is planning to develop a website. Originality/value Because of the wide variation reported in this study concerning available tools and resources on the university library websites in South Africa and Nigeria, it is recommended that African universities should come up with a standard that will mandate universities to have a certain number of tools identified in this study on their various university websites.

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Assessing Institution’s Footprint in Web 2.0: A Comparative Analysis of University Library Websites in Bangladesh

Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology ◽

10.51983/ajist-2019.9.2.285 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 10-16

Author(s):

Shamima Yesmin

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Comparative Analysis ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Private University ◽

Public University ◽

University Libraries ◽

Public And Private ◽

Web 2.0 Tools ◽

University Library ◽

Library Websites

The objective of this study was to compare the availability of web 2.0 tools on selected public and private university library websites in Bangladesh. Existing studies of web 2.0 seem to have ignored the possibility of comparing public university library websites with private university library websites. Conducting a study like this will provide an overview about the existing status of Web 2.0 tools. Content analysis was adopted as the method for the study. Twenty university library websites, comprised of ten top-ranked public and ten top-ranked private universities in Bangladesh, were studied for data collection. The findings demonstrate that the use of web 2.0 tools on the selected university library websites is still in its early stage, but it has been growing rapidly. More than 90% of the university libraries apply one or more web 2.0 tools to their websites. The private university library websites are ahead of public university libraries in terms of the integration of web 2.0 tools. Internal applications that are not publicly accessible contain information that may not be collected through content analysis since these links usually cannot be found on library web sites.This study is unique in terms of comparing public and private university library’s web contents. The findings from this comparative analysis will be useful for a university to track their own position and also those are planning to develop a website.

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