Usability For Memory Institutions: Experience of CALIMERA Project

Author: Zinaida Manzhukh,  Vilnius University, Lithuania

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Abstract

Libraries, museums and archives offer a growing number of ICT-based services to a wide spectrum of citizens with diverse abilities, knowledge and needs. Social mission, information policy oriented to provide maximum benefits for users of electronic services, new requirements for quality management encourage memory institutions to involve usability concerns into their daily activities. Increasing significance of usability is also related to the new roles of cultural heritage institutions either as customers of digital products to support their own services or as members of design teams developing new ICT-based systems. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of current achievements in the field of usability and delineate the emergent challenges and perspectives for the future research to adopt these principles in memory institutions. This article summarizes the experience gained participating in CALIMERA (Cultural Applications: Local Institutions Mediating Electronic Resource Access, http://www.calimera.org ) project funded under the European Commission Information Society Technology Programme and is based on the findings of research report "Usability of ICT-based systems: state-of-the-art review" and observations made during CALIMERA usability events – Usability Workshop in Vilnius (Lithuania) and Usability Testing Forum in Szentendre (Hungary).

About the author

Zinaida Manzhukh

Assisant and doctoral student in Institute of Library and Information Sciences, Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University Information and Communication MA, Vilnius University Communication Faculty (2003)

Professional experience:

• 2004 - and currently regional correspondent of Digicult.info Newsletter
• 2003 - involved in activities of Training Centre for Library and Information Specialist activities as a trainer in the field of digitization of cultural heritage
• 2002 - and currently participates in European projects