兒童圖書館機器人尋書服務之介面可使用性評估

Abstract

兒童為公共圖書館與學校圖書館的主要讀者，然而由於其空間能力尚在發展階段，且對於圖書館組織資源方式，如：分類系統、索書號以及排架方式並不熟悉，因而往往在尋書上遭遇挫折，容易迷失於書架之間。近年來，為提供讀者更整合、即時的尋書服務，同時降低館員的工作負荷，圖書館著力發展自動化的機器人服務，期能提供讀者更具效率、更滿意的尋書經驗。然而，現有的機器人尋書服務多以成人讀者為對象，較少探討針對兒童特殊的空間導覽需求和認知能力設計相對應的服務方式。因此，此研究主要由兒童對於不同空間導覽方式及書目輔助資訊形式之行為表現及主觀感受，探討機器人尋書服務的設計。 本研究共招募40位台北市國小三年級學童，將其平均分配至各組別使用不同導覽介面，與兒童圖書館機器人一對一執行尋書任務，並透過可使用性的各項指標測量兒童使用各介面的效能、效率及滿意度。根據研究結果，使用動態空間導覽的受測者在尋書的效率和效能表現上優於使用定點空間導覽之受測者，且受測者對於動態空間導覽的滿意度較高。此外，針對書目資訊呈現形式，使用圖像書目資訊介面的受測者在尋書的效率和效能上表現亦較佳，且對於介面上所提供之資訊的滿意度也優於使用文字書目資訊介面之受測者。進一步透過問卷蒐集受測者對於介面資訊有用程度的看法則可呼應前述結果：多數受測者認為圖像資訊，如：封面、書脊和書架地圖對於其尋書活動最有幫助。 綜合前述，此研究結果支持以動態之空間導覽，較符合兒童讀者之需求，而提供介面則以圖像之書目資訊介面較文字能輔助兒童讀者更有效、迅速的找到書籍，且受到兒童讀者的喜愛。本研究深入場域，針對機器人與圖書館兒童讀者服務進行完整探索，研究結果亦希望能對圖書資訊服務之研究與實務有所貢獻。

Children are crucial patrons in public and school libraries. Due to limited spatial skills and unfamiliarity with information organization systems in library, children are prone to stray between bookshelves. In recent years, robotic service has been developed as an integrated solution to guide patrons to locate books in library. However, robotic services in library are often applied in academic libraries for adult patrons instead of child patrons. Corresponding to children’s spatial and cognitive skills, guidance methods of book locating services should be refined. Therefore, this study investigates children’s perception and behaviors toward two spatial guidance methods and presentation types of bibliographic information. To evaluate different guidance methods and presentation types, usability experiment was conducted to examine the robotic interface. 40 elementary students of their third grade were recruited and assigned the task to locate a book with library robot. Usability of interface was measured by both objective and subjective indicators including effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. The result showed that children performed well when supported with step by step mobile guidance. Children in mobile guidance groups averagely spent less time to successfully locate the book and made less errors compared to those received at-the-spot fixed guidance. Children not only performed well by mobile guidance, they also perceived the robot with mobile guidance a more effective, efficient and easy-to use agent. In addition to spatial guidance, bibliographic information served as facilitating role in book locating activity. Within two presentation types of bibliographic interface, graphical interface supported children well on book locating task compared to textual one. Children assigned with graphical interface tended to locate the book successfully within shorter time and they perceived graphical information as more effective, efficient and satisfied information to locate the book. Furthermore, children perceived the graphical information such as book cover and book spine the most useful resources among all bibliographic information .This result further supported the advantage of graphical interface. In conclusion, when designing the robotic service for children to facilitate them in locating books, step by step mobile guidance would be a better solution. To assist children in recognizing the book on the shelf, graphical information such as book cover and book spine is recommended to be present.