| A field study investigates how scholars utilize the user interface features in a web-based research library to conduct historical research. Taking a user-centered approach, the investigation designs a web-based research library and evaluates its use by researchers. Initially, the investigation examines the behavior of scholars conducting historical research in a library special collection on Scientific Management. The results of the multiple-case study produce a conceptual model of scholarly inquiry and the design requirements for a digital library to support researchers' behavior. The requirements include user interface features and capabilities for researchers to access a database of large full-text and multimedia documents by remotely submitting natural language queries to an intelligent information retrieval system. The investigation implements a prototype of a web-based research library to examine its use and test the initial design requirements.; Two preliminary field studies on students' use of on-line databases examine survey instruments for measuring user attributes. A pilot case study of students conducting web-based research investigates participant observation methods for studying users of a web-based research library.; Announcements on the Internet promote the availability of the database and attract an international group of researchers to the study. A web-based field laboratory recruits participants for the study, describes the database, administers surveys, and provides end user instruction. Log reports, created from on-line monitoring logs, support semi-structured interviews of users and analysis of their web-based research behavior.; Utilizing a multiple-case study approach, the investigation examines the information seeking behavior of nine scholars conducting historical research while using the implemented prototype of a web-based research library. The results describe end user styles of system learning, web-based browsing strategies, scholarly inquiry behavior, degree of question specification, types of question asking, and support for specific stages of the research process. The study proposes recommendations for user interface design and presents implications for end user instruction and for studying the use of digital library systems and similar distance learning environments. |
