Subscribe for Free
View PDF
Send to a Friend
 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
User-Centered Information Services at the Digital Science Library of KAIST
Ho Nam Choi
In 1999 I first met Mr. Ho Nam Choi, Information Development Team Director of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), the pre-eminent institution of scientific learning in Korea. At that time they had just launched the development of the ambitious National Digital Science Library (NDSL). Today the system offers a wide variety of services including providing 40,000 academic journals, 25 million theses and other prominent information for the Korean national scientific and technological researcher through a single interface. What most impressed me at the initial stages of development was KAIST’s emphasis on “user-centered” development. Five years since that visit, the project is going strong with 50,000 registered researchers. Mr. Choi was gracious enough to share his reflections with Library Connect.
LC: Please tell us about the National Digital Science Library.
Ho Nam Choi: The first phase of the National Digital Science Library, known as NDSL, commenced six years ago in 1998. That first phase is now completed and it is now in its second phase of operation. The budget is fully funded by the Korean government and it is notable that this is part of the regular ongoing operating budget; that is to say, it is not just a short-term project-based budget.
LC: What are the goals of the project?
Ho Nam Choi: We wanted to expand the access of information around the country and enhance the usability of digital content. Before NDSL, Korean researchers had no systematic services for information, especially for foreign (non-Korean) science content.
LC: The project has a motto of "User-Centered Information Services." Can you tell us what this means?
Ho Nam Choi: NDSL targeted higher education users with the goal to maximize their usage. The system automatically recognizes users and serves them individually profiled content; it knows their entitlements, their catalogs, etc. Librarians working at member institutions continually update the material in the main database in order to provide a true user-centered experience.
LC: Yes, one of the features of the library that I was impressed with is its ability to inform the user of both the format and location of resources. Can you tell us why this feature is important?
Ho Nam Choi: Not every user in every location may be entitled to all digital content. When a user logs into NDSL and locates an article, the system tells them 1) whether the article is available electronically, 2) whether the user is entitled to that electronic content, and 3) if it is not available electronically, where the physical copy is located and ILL options. In this way, NDSL is able to fulfil any need. This is a true one-stop shop service. The user never has to leave NDSL.
LC: Were there any particular issues you came across in incorporating English and Korean language materials?
Ho Nam Choi: NDSL only houses foreign materials at this time, although they have plans to include Korean and other language materials in the future. We do employ both English and Korean in the interface. Targeting highly educated users who do speak English, we use the “best expression” to convey the intended meaning, be it in Korean or English.
LC: How important is usability testing?
Ho Nam Choi: Very important. When we initially developed the interface, we hired KAIST students to test all the functionality repeatedly. To develop for the future, we use the cumulative usage data and analyse statistics monthly to spot usage trends. We break down this data to determine the next stage of development and future functionality.
LC: That’s a very intense process. Is there an example of where you assumed users would want one thing, and in the testing you found a totally different response?
Ho Nam Choi: Oh, yes, let me tell you one example. In the original user requirements, we developed the functionality for searching “Journal title by publisher” but we recently removed that functionality after we found that there was very little use of this. We realized that probably only the librarians used that functionality!
LC: What kind of challenges do you come across in getting to know your users?
Ho Nam Choi: It is very challenging. User requirements are often contrary to each other. It’s hard to determine what functions to develop. We record functionality requests and it is only when we demonstrate that many users want the same functionality, that we develop it. And, as I said, the usage data helps us to notice new functionality requirements.
LC: KAIST not only has developed and managed the Digital Science Library, but has organized the consortium KESLI as well. How important to the development of NDSL is the consortium?
Ho Nam Choi: Yes, the KESLI Consortium is a “Big Hit” in Korea. It is the most important factor in the success of NDSL. It has allowed our library members to enhance resource-sharing activities and recently we’ve developed a new business partnership with a telecommunications company to enhance our services, by exploring mobile service potential. The consortium must be very tightly set up, operating actively on joint licenses. But in addition to this joint purchasing, we also provide education programs for the consortium membership. We are planning to sponsor an exchange program for librarians and give grants for librarians to travel abroad and further their studies. Last year we had a program with the University of Pittsburgh on a trial basis and we intend to expand very vigorously in this area. In many ways, the consortium is more important than the NDSL service itself.
LC: Looking to the future, what technology or trends come into play in understanding your users?
Ho Nam Choi: In the future we are seriously considering employing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) functionality and integrating this into the NDSL service. Personalization is not enough and we think CRM will allow us to develop new added-value services. We are also trying to build a national digital archive center. We will store all the content we have previously acquired and if publishers agree, we may be able to provide local article-by-article sales. Utilizing DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology we intend to ensure that distribution is controlled. Article-by-article sales would then provide a revenue stream for the publishers and a source for our operating costs.
LC: Mr. Choi, this is such an impressive project. Thank you for sharing this with our readers.
Ho Nam Choi: You are very welcome. 
