A User Experience (UX) Evaluation of Adopted Higher Education Institution Library Portals in Zambia

This study aimed to evaluate the user experience of adopted library portals in Zambian universities. This encompassed the adoption and usability of the library portals. The research objectives were threefold: first, to determine the extent of adoption of library portals in Zambian universities; second, to assess the integration of key library portal features with existing library portals; and third, to examine users' perceived usability of these portals. A survey design was employed in the study. A mixed-method approach was then used which involved the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data., this involved the distribution of 62 questionnaires to universities registered under the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to collect their URLs. A heuristic evaluation was conducted to assess portal characteristics, involving 12 expert librarians as participants. Additionally, a System Usability Scale (SUS) was utilized to gauge the perceptions of lecturers and students towards the portals, with a sample of 60 lecturers and 324 students. This study was worth carrying out because it aimed at providing answers to the effectiveness of the information design of Zambian university academic library portals as information communication channels and also to show if there was a need to change and improve the current portals. It was also important because it can also be used as a guideline in the creation of a policy that can help librarians as they set up their library portals
The findings revealed that only three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Zambia had adopted library portals: ZCAS University, Mulungushi University and the University of Zambia (UNZA). The study indicated that participants generally rated the usability of these portals as average. Specifically, the average SUS scores for UNZA (n=132, SD=53.685), ZCAS University (n=68, SD=60.28) and Mulungushi University (n=124, SD=51.865) were all above the 50 SUS score threshold. Despite being categorized as 'Ok' according to the SUS scores, the study revealed that this rating falls within the marginal acceptability range. The results underscored the limited presence of library portals in Zambian HEIs and the need for universities to prioritize the redesigning of their existing portals to enhance information provision and overcome distance barriers. Furthermore, the study recommended that the three universities with library portals focus on improving their platforms to encompass all essential characteristics of effective library portals.