From Shelf to Screen: Reinventing SVA Libraries' Catalog & Collections for the Self-Service Era
TEAM
Liwen Chang
Qasim Malik
WHAT I DID
Conducted 12 eyetracking sessions & audited the platform to solve usability issues with design recommendations.
DURATION
February - May 2025 / 14 weeks
SKILLS
Usability Testing / User Research / UX Design / Content Strategy
Overview
Optimizing SVA Libraries’ Catalog and Collections for Self-Service and Simplified Access
This user experience research project aimed to improve the usability of SVA Libraries’ Catalog and Collections by identifying user pain points, simplifying key interactions, and encouraging self-service.
Over a 12-week period, our team conducted eye-tracking studies and usability testing with SVA and Pratt students across desktop and mobile platforms. Despite high task completion rates, users reported frustration due to unintuitive navigation, unclear labeling, and poor visual hierarchy. Key issues included difficulties with the “Map It” feature, inconsistent layouts, and underutilized self-service tools.
Our findings led to actionable recommendations such as enhancing interface clarity, improving content labeling, and introducing consistent navigation paths. By addressing these challenges, we aim to create a more intuitive and empowering digital library experience for all users.
What does the SVA Library website offer?
Access to the catalog, digital collections, research databases, library services, and support resources—all in one place.
The library website helps SVA students, faculty, and staff to easily access and navigate essential resources to support their academic and research needs.
The challenge
Students struggle to complete tasks online, burdening librarians with in-person requests
While students actively do engage with and find library resources highly valuable, they face challenges when attempting to complete tasks online. This struggle results in a higher volume of in-person requests, ultimately increasing the workload for librarians who must provide assistance that could otherwise be handled digitally.
To address this, my team led the design process, working closely with the SVA Libraries staff to resolve the 2 key pain points driving the issue:
01
Users are often unable to complete primary functions (determining availability, placing holds, finding materials) to access materials from the Library Catalog.
02
Users struggle to find guidance or support when issues arise.
Our goal 🌟
To improve the usability of SVA Library Collections by identifying and resolving user pain points, streamlining tasks, and encouraging self-service.
How did we solve this problem?
Identified five critical issues and delivered clear, relevant, and actionable recommendations tailored for implementation
Our solutions addressed the core of the problem with the SVA Libraries Catalog and Collections.
⭐️ Increase function visibility by aligning language and layout with user expectations by relabeling Hold and Map It functions and increasing the size and visibility of item status
⭐️ Encourage self-service by moving the FAQs to top of Ask a Librarian page and grouping information by topic or user need
Our recommendations aim to make the system more intuitive, efficient, and supportive for users by focusing on:
📚 Easier Access to Resources
📱 Mobile-Friendly Experience
🔍 Better Navigation
🙋♀️ Improving Self-Service
🧭 Faster Learning Curve
🎯 Reducing Frustration
🤝 Less Strain on Librarians
💡 A More Engaging Experience
We made a huge impact 🎉
SVA Libraries found our insights valuable, actionable, and ready for implementation!
SVA Libraries were excited about our recommendations, mentioning that our research proposed some new ideas and validated older ones. They acknowledged the value of our insights, finding them not only practical but also feasible for implementation.
So how did I do it? Let’s start from the beginning!
Understanding the problem
What could be limiting students' ability to access library services online?
SVA Libraries sought to test its website, focusing on improving usability to ensure students can easily access resources, complete tasks independently, and navigate the system with confidence.
Through discussions with the client and their understanding of how students use the library catalog, we identified key areas to address in the usability study:
01 NAVIGATION & FINDABILITY
Identify users’ entry points into the Library Catalog and Collections.
02 SEARCH & DISCOVER
Understanding how users find specific books or browse collections, and their use of filters.
03 PRIMARY CATALOG FUNCTIONS
Evaluating how users map items, place holds and renewals, and check item status.
04 USER GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
Assessing the accessibility and usefulness of help and support on the SVA Libraries’ page.
How did we approach the problem?
Paired eye-tracking insights with targeted surveys and candid interviews to expose hidden usability issues
To evaluate and improve the usability of SVA Libraries' online catalog and collections, we used a mixed-methods approach. After defining the project scope with the client, we conducted eye-tracking usability tests—primarily on desktop—with participants from SVA and Pratt to observe real-time user behaviors and friction points.
Surveys and interviews followed to gather qualitative and quantitative insights on expectations, pain points, and satisfaction. By combining this feedback with task performance data, we identified key issues (seen below) and prioritized them based on frequency, impact, and user frustration.
A key challenge during data collection was participant recruitment. Since eye-tracking required in-person sessions, it was especially difficult to recruit students during a busy point in the semester.
Task completion vs. usability
Success ≠ Satisfaction
We want to emphasize that task success does not always equate to user satisfaction. While users have a relatively high task completion rate of 74%, their satisfaction is low, with an average score of just 54.8 out of 100.
This indicates that while users are able to complete tasks, they find the process frustrating, inefficient, and unintuitive. High task success can mask these frustrations, highlighting the need for improvements in usability to enhance both the user experience and overall satisfaction.
The solution
Digging into why users find it difficult to navigate and complete tasks on the library catalog website
After research, we identified 26 usability issues, and prioritized usability issues based on severity and frequency. 5 key issues were selected for further examination. Our recommendations address multiple problems, providing clear guidance for SVALibraries to enhance their catalog website’s usability and user experience.
01
The catalog landing page suffers from poor visual hierarchy and inefficient use of space.
02
Users overlook key features like placing holds, item status, and Map It because they do not stand out enough or are labeled unclearly.
03
Users expected FAQs to appear more prominently; when found, users found the filtering labels confusing, which made the content hard to navigate.
04
The Ask a Librarian page lacks a clear path back to the catalog or main library homepage, leaving users stuck or unsure how to return.
05
On mobile, users frequently overlooked key navigation elements, like the hamburger menu and the search bar on Ask A Librarian page.
And here they are... our final recommendations! 📣
Meet the refined SVA Library Catalog and – your go-to research tool for seamless, stress-free academic discovery! 📚
01: Redesign the catalog landing page with bold headings, collapsible content, and interactive features to improve clarity and engagement.
The catalog landing page lacks visual hierarchy and makes inefficient use of space. Key content fails to stand out, causing users to skim past important elements. Large areas of underutilized space further contribute to a flat and disengaging experience.
67%
of users commented negatively on the layout of the catalog landing page
“The blank space on the page is a bit jarring, especially because there’s so much of it. I feel like the bottom box could have been scooted over.”
— SVA STUDENT
Participant's gaze replay showing how users skip through content on the catalog landing page.
To address the lack of visual hierarchy and improve engagement on the catalog landing page, we recommend using bolder headings and more prominent buttons to draw attention to key actions. Organizing content into collapsible sections or linking out to detailed information will reduce clutter and make the page easier to scan.
Finally, incorporating interactive elements—such as featured collections, recommendations, or visual highlights—can help create a more dynamic and inviting browsing experience. 3/3 SVA students expected more dynamic content on this page, enhancing their browsing experience.
Examples include:
FAQs and support information
Featured items from the collection
Book recommendations
A visual overview of key catalog functions
These elements can make the page more engaging, informative, and easier to navigate for users.
02: Increase function visibility by aligning language and layout with user expectations by relabeling Hold and Map It functions and increasing the size and visibility of item status
Users often overlook key features like placing holds, checking item status, and using the "Map It" function because these elements are either too subtle or not clearly labeled.
The lack of visual prominence and confusing labels make it difficult for users to quickly identify and access important functions, leading to a frustrating experience and increased likelihood of task abandonment.
“The word ‘Request’ — for me, it feels like the library doesn’t own it, like a request to buy it. I would think, ‘Hold’ — they already have it.”
— PRATT STUDENT
An SVA student trying to place a hold on a book.
“I didn’t think I needed to click on ‘Map It’ because the [location] info was already right there [under ‘Location Items’], so I just scrolled down.”
— PRATT STUDENT
“When it says map it, I thought it meant Google Maps! I thought it was going to give me directions to the library so I was hesitant to click on it”
— SVA STUDENT
Relabel the “Request” button to “Place Hold” and increase its size to better align with user expectations, making it more noticeable and accessible. Enhance the visual prominence of item status by making it larger and bolder, ensuring users can easily track the status of their items.
Additionally, update the wording of the “Map It” function to “Find it in the Library” to better communicate its purpose, helping users quickly identify and utilize the feature. These adjustments will improve clarity, visibility, and overall user experience.
03: We encouraged self-service by moving the FAQs to top of Ask a Librarian page grouping information by topic or user need.
Users expected FAQs to appear more prominently; when found, users found the filtering labels confusing, which made the content hard to navigate.
Move the FAQs to the top of the "Ask a Librarian" page to prioritize self-service, and group the information by topic or user need. This reorganization will make it easier for users to find answers to common questions, reducing the need for direct support and improving the overall efficiency of the page.
04: Add a breadcrumb trail on the Ask a Librarian page to allow easy return to the catalog or main library homepage
The Ask a Librarian page lacks a clear path back to the catalog or main library homepage, leaving users stuck or unsure how to return.
25%
of users could not find their way back or called out the lack of clear navigation.
Move the FAQs to the top of the "Ask a Librarian" page to prioritize self-service, and group the information by topic or user need. This reorganization will make it easier for users to find answers to common questions, reducing the need for direct support and improving the overall efficiency of the page.
05: Increase the visibility of the "Ask a Librarian" search bar by displaying it upfront, and redesign the menu icon with a clearer label to enhance recognition and improve navigation.
On mobile, users frequently overlooked key navigation elements, like the hamburger menu and the search bar on Ask A Librarian page
To improve user accessibility and navigation, display the "Ask a Librarian" search bar prominently at the top of the page to ensure it’s easy to find and use.
Additionally, redesign the menu icon with a clearer label, such as “Menu,” or an icon that better aligns with user expectations, to make it more intuitive and easily recognizable. These changes will reduce the effort needed to access key features, enhancing the overall user experience.
06: Standardize navigation across SVA Library systems interfaces to create a seamless, intuitive user experience
The SVA Libraries' digital services are spread across three distinct platforms: SVA’s main website, Syndetics Unbound, and Springshare. The inconsistent navigation between these interfaces disrupts the user experience and makes it difficult to move seamlessly between services.
The screenshots below highlight how disjointed and unintuitive the navigation is across these platforms, showing the challenges users face in finding and accessing information efficiently.
Unify the navigation design across all SVA Library systems interfaces to create a consistent and seamless user experience. Standardizing layout and navigation patterns will reduce confusion, help users move between platforms more easily, and make the overall system feel more intuitive and reliable.
While technical limitations may prevent identical navigation across systems, aligning structure and language will still improve usability and make the experience feel more cohesive and reliable. If not visually, even semantically aligning the navigation systems could help users create a mental model for the interface, and increase efficiency in working cross-functionally.
Client reaction and looking forward
We proposed new ideas and validated old ones for our client!
Our findings and recommendations received positive feedback from SVA Libraries. The clients were engaged, curious about our process, and excited to implement our proposed changes. Some suggestions were new to them, while others aligned with existing ideas that lacked supporting rationale.
Our study provided the statistical validation needed to move those ideas forward. SVA Libraries now plans to prioritize improvements—particularly in navigation—to create a more seamless and user-friendly digital experience.
The Digital Services Librarian @ SVA Libraries, Phoebe Stoneking, mentioned:
“I loved this group's idea to standardize the top menu bar across all of the systems we use, even if we continue to use the vendor's native environment. Just having the same links in the menu across our catalog, website and research guides will create a level of familiarity that's currently lacking.”
Reflecting on what I learned
Trust the process and dig deep to understand research results 🤝🏽
During our research, we uncovered unexpected findings, including the emergence of two distinct user groups. This project provided valuable insight into how users with different experience levels interact with an interface. I gained a deeper understanding of the System Usability Scale and learned to use it effectively to analyze and communicate key differences between Novice and Expert Users.
Working within the constraints of a CMS 📦
Working within the constraints of the Syndetics Unbound and Springshare-based CMS for SVA's different pages required a shift in mindset, as design changes were limited. However, these constraints pushed us to think more creatively in our research and recommendations. This experience deepened my understanding of designing within system limitations and reinforced the importance of adaptable, user-centered solutions for future projects.
Appendix
Project Presentation
At the end of our usability study, we presented our process and findings to SVA Libraries, and held an open session for brainstorming or answering any questions they had.
One-Page Visual
As part of the project, We created a short, one-page visual to summarize our findings.
Problem List + Analyses
While conducting analysis, we made sure to keep a running list of all the unique problems we encountered . This list can be found below.
Highlights Reel
As part of the project, we created a short highlight reel of showing relevant data for each recommendations.