This study did not conclusively provide evidence that supported our hypothesis, novice users who solely utilized Browse seem to have performed marginally better than those using Search or both. Moreover, even though navigational access to the required information via Search and Browse proved to be adequate for most task domains, there were still task domains where navigation access was not enough. For example, Browse by itself, was not a superior information retrieval tool when the goal was to locate specific documents but it did reign superior for locating collections of documents. Search though was a good tool for retrieving specific documents but not as favorable for locating occurrences of events. This study may then suggest that the utilization of Browse coupled with Search may be the most effective design for accessing information in digital libraries.
Training, specifically guided training, also appeared to be useful for participants, particularly those using Browse perhaps because it provided a foundation for users to develop suitable mental models to effectively use the American Memory homepage. Designers of Search/Browse engines can further facilitate the training and retrieval process by either providing access to on-line help that highlights key features or design engines with more user-friendly interfaces that will reduce the cognitive load required to use them. Then users can place more attention on completing the task at hand.
Moreover, it appears that Information-seeking strategies played an active role in user performance. A majority of the users were able to retrieve the required information, but yet there were some that had trouble applying even the simplest browse strategies or string searches as presented during the training. This could be explained by the different experiences and skill levels of users. They must develop an adequate mental model of the task at hand in order to extract information from large hierarchical libraries. However, the system should be responsive to each user’s individual needs and preferences regardless of their previous experience.
In conclusion, “how to find relevant and timely information, in an efficient and rapid way” will continue to be a challenge for researchers and designers today. They must address not only issues of look-and-feel, but also effective interaction of systems. However, much still remains to be learned about browsing, searching and information-seeking strategies. This research has provided the Library of Congress with feedback and recommendations on these issues which may have a direct impact on future modifications of the American Memory homepage.