Incorporating Usability into the Database Review Process: New Lessons and Possibilities

In summer 2013, Purdue Libraries introduced a modified standard usability concept (heuristic evaluation, or expert review) into an existing yearly electronic resource evaluation process. Introducing more user experience parameters into the process allows librarians to record usability errors to be communicated back to database vendors or to be considered for database renewal and selection in the future at the Libraries. In total, 37 databases were reviewed by eight librarians. This proceeding will review the reported impact the internal process made on librarians’ database decisions.