本研究探討學術圖書館之電子書平台之可用性 (Usability)，以淡江大學覺生紀念圖書館為例，期望藉由研究結果來探究學術電子書平台應如何滿足學術使用者的需求，以提供更適切的閱讀介面。本研究以淡江大學研究生為對象，並藉由文獻研究之熱門程度及本校之使用頻率為平台選擇依據；選擇EBSCOhost eBook Collection和SpringerLink E-Books兩學術電子書平台作為研究標的。可用性之評估標準則是取自文獻探討中所歸納之10項指標功能及Whitney Quesenbery (2003) 所提出之5Es作為基礎。透過分析深入訪談與可用性測試結果來歸納受測者使用偏好，再以網路問卷調查佐證，進而探討兩學術電子書平台之可用性以及使用者對於該類型平台之使用需求。研究最後，本文提出一套實際可行之學術電子書平台設計建議，其層面包括功能、圖示與介面設計，期望未來可供圖書館與供應商作為開發或採購之參考。

This research examines usability issues of e-book platforms in an academic library. Chueh-Sheng Memorial Library of Tamkang University is chosen as a testing environment of the study. By exploring and examining the usability of academic e-books platform from the user’s point of view, this study aims to provide an interface that suits the user’s liking based on the results of the study. In this research, representative graduate students with varied academic backgrounds are chosen as the testing participants; EBSCOhost eBook Collection and SpringerLink E-Books are selected based on the analysis of most-used platform in the school and the most-studied platform in the literature review. The criteria of usability evaluation are ten features summarized from the e-book related literature as well as and “5Es” that Whitney Quesenbery (2003) proposed. The researcher investigates user preferences through the usability testing and in-depth interviews; also an online survey is carried out as a method of triangulation. The results of the study reveal usability issues and user’ demands on academic e-book platform. At last, this study proposes a practical recommendation for academic e-book platform. Also, suggestions for improvements, including icons designs, layout of an interface, and a complete template of simulated platform, are provided, which the researcher hopes can be used as a reference for e-book platform designers and for library practitioners when making purchasing decisions.

Outline
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. LITERATURE REVIEW 6
2.1. E-BOOK RELATED RESEARCH 6
2.1.1. Perceptions of the E-book 8
2.1.2. Use of the E-book 10
2.1.3. Pros and Cons of E-book/Platforms 12
2.2. HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION 15
2.2.1. Usability 19
2.2.2. Similar Research Studies 25
3. METHODOLOGY 28
3.1. PARTICIPANTS 28
3.2. PLATFORMS 30
3.3. DATA COLLECTION 32
4. RESEARCH RESULTS 37
4.1. THE ASSESSMENT OF TEN FEATURES 38
4.1.1. Necessary Features 40
4.1.2. Secondary Features 50
4.1.3. Unnecessary Feature 56
4.2. OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE TWO PLATFORMS 59
4.2.1. Overall Responses to the Survey 59
4.2.2. Five Es Assessment 62
4.3. DISCUSSION 67
5. CONCLUSION 74
REFERENCE 79
Appendix 1 – Content of Questionnaires 83
Appendix 2 – The Actual Screen of Online Questionnaires 85
Appendix 3 – Consent Form 90
Appendix 4 – Success Rate and Spent Time of 10 Features 91

List of Table
Table 1 Overview of E-book Related Research 6
Table 2 Respondents Use of E-books 11
Table 3 Pros and Cons for E-book 13
Table 4 Components of E-book Platforms 15
Table 5 Content of HCI 17
Table 6 Websites and Used in Usability Testing 26
Table 7 Number of Students and Participants Decided 29
Table 8 E-book Platforms in the Literatures 31
Table 9 Usage Statistics of E-book Platforms at TKU 32
Table 10 Participants’ Demographical Information 37
Table 11 Classification and Definition of 10 Features by Importance 38
Table 12 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Page turn” 41
Table 13 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Window Resize” 43
Table 14 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Search” 45
Table 15 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Copy and Paste” 49
Table 16 Number of Participants Who Need the Secondary Features 50
Table 17 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Notes” 51
Table 18 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Translatioin” 53
Table 19 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Print” 55
Table 20 Time Spent and Success Rate on “Share” 57
Table 21 Overview Result of Usability Testing 58
Table 22 Demographics of Survey Respondents: Gender 59
Table 23 Demographics of Survey Respondents: Education Background 60
Table 24 Demographics of Survey Respondents: Field of Study 60
Table 25 Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Statistics 61
Table 26 Descriptive Statistics 61
Table 27 Overall Usability Scores with Weighted Mean 66
Table 28 Ten Features of User’s Preference on Academic E-book Platforms 75
 
List of Figures
Figure 1. Trends in e-book circulation at DCL 1
Figure 2. Average amount of e-books of the college library collections in Taiwan. 2
Figure 3. Reading areas versus features areas on academic e-book platforms 5
Figure 4. Two pixels dead border with red marks 16
Figure 5. Human-Computer Interaction 18
Figure 6. The TMI-2 control panel of Three Mile Island nuclear generating station 20
Figure 7. In this case, the 5Es are evenly balanced 24
Figure 8. Two websites applied with weighted 5Es 24
Figure 9. Five Es diagram for an example 25
Figure 10. Method of online respondents classification 30
Figure 11. Data collection of methods 33
Figure 12. Testing environment 35
Figure 13. Two methods to obtain the 5Es’ performance of two platforms 36
Figure 14. Feature comparisons on EB 39
Figure 15. Feature comparisons on SP 40
Figure 16. “Page turn” on EB & SP 42
Figure 17. “Window resize” on EB & SP 43
Figure 18. SP’s buttons disappeared from the screen when rolling down 44
Figure 19. The duplicated icons on both the platform and the embedded PDF screen 45
Figure 20. “Search” on EB & SP 46
Figure 21. Tooltip language switching of “search” feature on EB 46
Figure 22. Black border of reading panel with the red arrow point out 47
Figure 23. Changes in the scope of search range by different page 48
Figure 24. “Notes” on EB 52
Figure 25. “Translate” on EB 54
Figure 26. “Print” on EB & SP 55
Figure 27. “Share” on EB & SP 57
Figure 28. Percentage of users category 60
Figure 29. Mean questionnaire responses by expert user 62
Figure 30. Mean questionnaire responses by intermediate user 64
Figure 31. Mean questionnaire responses by novice user 65
Figure 32. “Page thumbnails” on other interfaces 65
Figure 33. The 5Es dimension of “e-book platforms” 66
Figure 34. An example of “icon/text pairing label” form jetBlue.com 69
Figure 35. The “icon/text integrated label” 70
Figure 36. The UI layout model of academic e-book platforms 71
Figure 37. A proposed UI template of an academic e-book platform 72
Figure 38. The new interface of SP 73

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