Usability Analysis of a Health Sciences Digital Library by Medical Residents: Cross-sectional Survey

Background: The usability of a digital library depends on a myriad of factors ranging from the end users' ability to website complexity. Although digital libraries provide instant access to online content, offering an efficient reference platform, their usability is highly variable.

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure users' perspectives and usability of the digital library of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS).

Methods: A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted using a validated System Usability Scale (SUS) containing 5 positive and 5 negative items on the usability of the digital library. The SUS standard cut-off score of 68 was considered for interpretation.

Results: The overall mean SUS score of digital library usability was 52.9 (SD 15.2) with a grade "D" categorization, indicating low usability. The perceived measures of attributes of the 10 SUS items of findability, complexity, consistency, and confidence obtained below average scores. Only item 1 relating to perceived willingness to use the digital library frequently obtained a score above the targeted benchmark score (mean score 3.6). Higher SUS scores were associated with training (P=.02). Men felt the digital library to be more complex (P=.04) and board-certified physicians perceived a greater need for training on digital library use (P=.05). Only the UpToDate database was widely used (72/90, 80%).

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the low usability of the extensive facilities offered by the SCFHS digital library. It is pivotal to improve awareness of the availability of the digital library and popularize the databases. There is also a need for improved user training to enhance the accessibility and usability of the multiple databases.