2017 MLA Annual Conference

Libraries exist to empower people with knowledge and to connect them with resources. Yet with poorly designed websites, confusing databases, and inaccessible tools, we often fail our end-users at the entry points to our services. We may even create barriers for the very people who need our services the most! Through practicing empathy, centering on the act of listening to our patrons, and by setting aside our "expert hat," we can create libraries that are better able to deliver on our professional values. In this session, librarians at Hennepin County Library and Metropolitan State University will discuss practical steps and strategies for conducting UX work, such as focus groups, surveys, and usability tests, which help us better understand our patrons. We will also discuss how our work with accessibility and web usability is informed by feminist theory and social justice practices, and how we consciously build these into our UX practices.