This study examines three search tools using six usability scales. Ease of use and usefulness had the strongest correlation of all variable pairs, suggesting the relationship is critical to search usability. Ease of use and usefulness were also related to degree of control, involvement, and interface aesthetic qualities. Mean differences between tools showed some were more usable on certain dimensions than others. Users found the search engine required less effort than the database or library catalog. However, participants rated the database the most useful, suggesting context and content availability are factors in usability perceptions as well.
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