ProQuest eBook Central
Understanding how university students navigate and use eBook Central's ereaders
UX Research · Jan-April 2024 (12 weeks) · SI Team One · Winter 2024 · University of Michigan (Client: Clarivate)
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Who uses it?
ProQuest eBook Central is a digital platform used by universities and libraries to provide students, faculty, and researchers access to academic eBooks.
What is eBook Central?
Problem
The client initially observed low ePub usage despite accessibility advantages.
However, after early user interviews revealed that only 8% of students accessed eBook Central via its homepage (compared to 47% through LMS platforms and 37% via book details/search results), the project scope shifted. The client asked us to focus on the overall usability and accessibility of the eReader experience, across both formats, to support upcoming feature and design improvements.
Goal
Assess the current eReader experience across PDF and ePub formats. Identify friction points in discovery, navigation, and accessibility. Understand usage differences between coursework and research. Recommend improvements to support inclusive, consistent, and efficient academic reading.
Where do users access it from?
Users typically access it through their institution’s library or LMS.
What can they do with it?
Users can discover and find books for research. They can also read, highlight, and annotate, cite books that are in PDF or ePub formats.