1.  User needs assessment activities

• User needs studies (digital scholarship study and spaces studies) were synthesized and presented at an all-staff meeting in the fall.
• A group of staff participated in a Gamestorming workshop, using the ideas generated by the studies as well as techniques designed to facilitate innovative idea generation.
• UX took the 50+ ideas from the Gamestorming sessions, deduped and combined them, and developed a set of 8 "idea seeds," germs of ideas that any library unit might use to take action for improvements or new services while integrating the user experience. These were presented as part of the Library Council Retreat in February.
• Darcy, Stephanie and Nicole worked with the survey planning team to generate questions for the MIT Libraries 2011 survey that pursued questions raised in the user needs studies of the previous spring.
• Usability testing: UIG began "guerilla usability testing," which has served as an efficient new method for testing the usability of web pages in various locations across campus.  UIG ran two usability tests this year: new titles for the homepage search tabs and the AMPS Openeye classroom video capture system.  A small heuristic test of CogNet was also completed at the request of MIT Press.
• Tell Us! stats. (Tell Us! began in May of 2009).  FY09-10: 28 requests.  FY10-11: 60 requests, FY11-12: 50 requests.
• Informal feedback was gathered for 8th floor of Barker after the space had been opened for several months.  Improvements were made based on those comments. (wifi, artwork, temperature).

2. Virtual sites design and production

• Migrated Maihaugen web site to WordPress - improved the design and content structure.
• Migrated Rotch Exhibits site to MIT Libraries Exhibits page - improved layout, design and content structure. Created form for their proposal process.
• Started work on a large web redesign project to 1. redesign home pages for individual library spaces, 2. improve LibGuides design through CSS, 3. create Wordpress templates for 2nd and 3rd level web pages and 4. thematically/visually tie in our existing WordPress sites.
• Implemented LibCal as a class registration tool to replace the Wordpress event registration tool.
• Improved security of all web forms by adding Touchstone authentication, and also added auto-fill of personal information fields for MIT users.
• Worked with MIT Mobile team to expand libraries' mobile services on the MIT mobile web (m.mit.edu) and on apps for Android and iOS devices.  Users may now find, request, and renew items from their mobile devices.
• Implemented LibAnswers beta to replace Dewey Research Advisor, to be expanded later.
• Created a new site for Connick Stained Glass Collection: http://libraries.mit.edu/connick
• Created new page to help users to choose appropriate services for getting items at MIT and non-MIT libraries: http://libraries.mit.edu/about/getit.html
• Started migration of AMPS Teaching Excellence site to WordPress.
• Worked on new user interface design for DOME and DSpace.

3. Public space improvements/planning

• "Big Sign Group" recommendations were approved and implemented (mostly) - improving the external signage of our spaces.
• SWOT analysis was created using PSUX member's knowledge and data from 2011 Space Study.  This analysis and Space Study data helped inform the Shepley Bulfinch work.
• Stephanie participated in Institute-wide Teaching and Learning Committee.
• Successful experiment in forming the "small-scale improvements subgroup" (SSIS).  Group created four pages of improvements, fixes, recommendations and priorities for the public space in Rotch Library. With assistance from many - 80% of this list has been enacted upon and the physical space of Rotch looks better, hopefully works better for users, and addresses a number of comments compiled in the 2011 space study. 
• Stephanie worked with Cassandra Fox and Mike Smith - completed renovation of Barker 8th floor. 
• After user feedback (re: 8th floor space) was gathered - more improvements were made. Installation of additional wireless access points (on the 8th floor and other floors), artwork, and attempts at regulating temperature. 
• Worked to build a relationship with the Public Art Curator at the List Gallery.  The 8th floor of Barker has benefited thus far - and more art will be added to Barker and Hayden in the coming months. 
• Barker 5th floor work is underway.
• Put operational maintenance process in place for the Information Intersection - working with Mike Smith and his staff, and Joanne Samuelson. 
• Pitched beta idea for the Info Intersection - IRS took it up and tried it last spring. 

4. Marketing

Three UX members are on Marketing Team. They brought a focus on virtual marketing, web services and physical spaces.

•    Implemented form to make it easy for staff to request marketing support. It's being used frequently.
•    Continued to maintain the news blog and train our bloggers.
•    Continued the Libraries’ social media marketing and communications program, including:
  • Twitter feed, leading the feed to over 5000 followers
  • Facebook page for the Libraries
  • Foursquare locations with tips at each library location
  • Also explored using Pinterest for marketing
• Worked on new templates for local signage.
• Worked on new map/guide.

5. Betas

Continued to maintain the betas page for current, retired, and graduated experimental library services.  New betas included:

• MediaMobile at Lewis Music Library
• "Lunch & learn" instructional sessions in the Stata Center Information Intersection
• LibX 2.0 beta
• MIT library locations and tips on Foursquare check-in app
• Lending of Nook reading devices in Hayden 

6. Emerging technologies (including e-readers & ipads staff and public loans)

A. The emerging tech subgroup explored the following technologies:

• Peter Cohn - content curation tools 
• Jenn Morris - iPads as kiosks for wayfinding (soon to be a beta) 
• Daniel Sheehan - Google Fusion tables (data visualization & mapping)
• Elaine Mello - video-streaming on tablets (how different platforms work)
• Robert Sikkema - inter-device wifi streaming, with standards from DLNA

They presented their findings to a group of staff on May 31. 

B. UX worked with relevant IDLA staff to continue the project of loaning e-reading devices to the public (Kindles, Nooks). We also coordinated the loaning of a small pool of mobile devices to MIT Libraries staff (iPads, Nooks, Kindles). 

7. Workshops and classes we taught

• Apps for Academics - Nicole and Remlee, IAP
• "Managing Your References" classes for the citation management group. - Remlee

8. Staff development (training and workshops we've attended)

• Remlee: attended Usability Professionals Association (UPA) talks and events (including the Boston conference), MIT WebPub events about web design and social media, several Boston CHI (Computer Human Interaction) talks.  Also enrolled in 3 hands-on online classes: Code Year to learn JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, Stanford's 5-week online class for Human Computer Interaction, and HTML5 hands-on self-study class.
• Stephanie: NERCOMP -- Library Space Challenge: Spaces that Inspire; UPA Boston Annual Conference, CLIR Advanced Participatory Design workshop, various MIT & Harvard events regarding web design and social media. 
• Darcy: HTML5 hands-on online class, attended various Usability Professionals Association (UPA) talks and events (including the Boston conference), various MIT WebPub events about web design and social media, edUi (a conference for academic web professionals).
• Our own UX internal web group training: SlidshowPro Director, Firebug, HTML/CSS.

9. Challenges ahead 

•  Support of personal content management tools. Users need more help than with just citation management or data, and we can fill that need.  Peter Cohn and Remlee Green are working on developing a guide and class to support personal content management by IAP 2013.
• Not enough support for betas program.  In order for this service to be successful, it needs help from staff throughout the system, and many staff members are too busy to help.  We need to nurture the spirit of creativity and experimentation among all library staff in order to continue supporting the program.
• The organization has yet to review and clarify how space planning/strategy should happen below Steering Committee.  There are questions to be resolved surrounding the short and long-term care and feeding of our public spaces.
• We need to fill the long-standing gap of missing web technical support.

10. Web & social media stats

• See Darcy's spreadsheets for web stats

Social media continues to be a low-cost way to market library services and events.  Stephanie and Remlee have worked this year to create a consistent tone and focused message to gain followers and to foster user engagement.

Statistics:
Facebook followers: 1332 (had 985 in 2011 and 558 in 2010)
Twitter followers: 5065 (had 3239 in 2011 and 1671 in 2010)