Updating PDF Generator Discussion

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This page is intended to serve as a discussion board for generating and improving BHL user tutorials.
Committee: Erin Thomas, Becky Morin, Connie Rinaldo, Grace Duke, Bianca Lipscomb

Discussion for PDF Generation Process:

Problem: Process Reorganization

Several librarians and staff have brought to our attention the fact that many users tell her that, when selecting pages to download, by the time the user gets to the screen where they are supposed to enter their email address and the title/author/subject information for the item they are downloading, they have already either forgotten the name of the article they are downloading or they are tired with the process and do not want to take the time to fill it out. This librarian said that users suggested to her that the fill-in for title and other information should come at the beginning of the form, and that it should be made more apparent why we are asking them to fill out this information. If they are aware that it is going into citebank and will thus be findable as an article if they enter this information, they might be more willing to do so. Therefore, our question to is two-part. First, would it be possible to add some language to the section where users fill in title and additional information that lets them know why it is important for them to fill this out? Secondly, would it be possible to either move the location of the box where users enter this information to the beginning of the process, or at least have some language at the beginning of the process letting users know that they are going to need that information at the end of the process?

Discussion:

- dukeg1 Feb 23, 2010
Personally, I think keeping it as short as we can has been indicated as what users want most (indicated from our discussion with our librarian here and by what Becky said on our last call). Thus, I think keeping it to two pages will probably make users happiest. How do you all feel about simply changing the order? Have the page that is now the second page in the process be the first, so that users first fill out the article information and their email first, and then select the pages to download.

- rmorin
I agree-- push the article information to the first page, and make it clear that AFTER you do that, you select pages to download

- dukeg1 Mar 2, 2010 So maybe at the top of the first page of the process, it says something like,

"Please enter contact and PDF information below. You will then be asked to select the pages you wish to download" ???

How do you all feel about this?

Problem: Language for User-Supplied Information

- dukeg1 Feb 23, 2010It has also come to our attention that it would be beneficial to users to know why they should enter title/author/etc. information. Thus, we need to come up with language to include in this portion of the PDF generation process. To get us started, I have drafted possible language that we could use. Please edit and discuss as you see fit. The beginning portion of this language comes from the language that already exists on this page in the process. It is located above the text fields for entering title/author/subject information. This is probably the best location to keep this language, unless someone has another suggestion.

- ConnieR Mar 1, 2010 Still awkward but shorter, at least: "Are you generating a PDF containing the text of a single journal article or book chapter? If so, please provide title and author information. BHL stores generated PDFs and author and title data will allow these PDFs to be indexed, searched and retrieved by other users. If you download an article but do not provide title or author information, these articles will be lost."

- dukeg1 Mar 2, 2010I totally agree with Connie's recommendation for the language. It will now read:

"Are you generating a PDF containing the text of a single journal article or book chapter? If so, please provide title and author information. BHL stores generated PDFs and author and title data will allow these PDFs to be indexed, searched and retrieved by other users. If you download an article but do not provide title or author information, these articles will be lost."

Problem: Language for PDF emails

There has already been discussion about the language used in the emails sent to users regarding their PDFs. Bianca asked that we include this discussion in our discussion here, and she has volunteered to join our committee, particularly to discuss this issue. There is already an existing wiki page regarding this discussion. They are linked below. Please review this page and offer comments and suggestions as well.

PDF Generator

Problem: Notifying Users of Coming Change

It was mentioned by Mike that we might want to give our users some notice that we are going to be changing the interface for the PDF generation. He suggested putting a notice at the top page of the PDF generation process. Below is a suggestion of the language for the notice. Please offer suggestions and make revisions as you see fit.

“To our users, effective <insert time frame, i.e. late March>, we will be implementing changes to the PDF generation interface to better serve you. We will be updating all tutorial information regarding PDF generation to reflect these changes. To access tutorials, click here <link to tutorials page>. To offer feedback or ask questions please contact us at <link to feedback page>.”


Second problem: Should we directly notify regular users (via email or survey) of the PDF generator that we are going to be making changes to the process? Please indicate below your preference and, if "yes," whether you want email or survey.

Name	Yes/No	Survey/Email
Bianca Lipscomb
Erin Thomas	no
Becky Morin	yes	SURVEY
Connie Rinaldo	no
Grace Duke	no

- rmorin
I would like to reiterate that the idea of sending UNSOLICITED email to anyone freaks me out. Post a survey link on the PDF generation page, on the portal, whatever. But I really think we will upset people if we send unsolicited email.

- dukeg1 Mar 2, 2010I agree with Becky here, and I also wonder what exactly we hope to learn from questioning these user directly. If we write a survey, what would we do with the information we get? What questions would we even ask? I think the language we will be putting in the generation process to let users know that a change will be coming will be enough