Remove the total number of results
It would be useful if the total number of results are hidden by default from the search results page, but patrons have the option in their user account settings to enable the total number of results.
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Stacey van Groll commented
This sounds like treating the symptom rather than the problem.
We help our patrons with the number of results by having expanded search and search in full text toggled off by default, and the individual can chose to enable them.
I also submitted to NERS a submission last year which is aiming for delivery in the August 2024 release: Prevent search results expansion by use of exact phrase (VE/BO) #8210For Browse Search, our usage is miniscule at less than half a percent of search activity, so I don't expect any comments on it because they're simply not using it. it's unfortunate though that Ex Libris choses such a strategy of hiding features to improve poor performance.
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Tobe Amadi commented
Thank you, Stacey, I have taken on board your comments, and I will share them with colleagues.
To provide more context, the OU noticed during our UX study that our patrons liked the number of results shown, but 35% of the patrons felt overwhelmed when there were a vast number of results.
Stacey – I am aware that in the August 2023 Primo VE Release Notes, there is a feature where the total number of results does not appear in the Browse Search List. Do you know if patrons have shown their concern about there being no indication of the number of results?
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Stacey van Groll commented
Interesting.
Every now and then we may have a comment, but our general impression is that it's treated like google in that nobody really cares about the number at the top particularly when doing a broad topic search, so long as relevance ranking is good. And data shows very few people go beyond the first page or two.
In contrast, the number of results is very necessary for context and framing when targeting into more narrow topic or known item type searches where there may only be a smaller number of results and faceting may be used to target further.
I would think patrons would be concerned to have no indication at all as to the number of results, with also limitation of 1-5 pages at the bottom of the screen (if set to 10 or 25) and 1-3 pages (if set to 50). -
Tobe Amadi commented
Hello there, Stacey. The Open University (OU), England, recently conducted user interviews and usability testing with patrons. Our findings show that patrons were overwhelmed by the vast amount of results generated in Primo VE. Because of this, the OU suggests it would be useful if the total number of results were hidden by default.
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Stacey van Groll commented
Could you advise why this would be useful?