Innovative spaces for browsing library collections. Transmedia Library Shelf Experience pre-prototype in the Comicteca of the Biblioteca Regional de Murcia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3145/infonomy.26.024Keywords:
Shelf browsing, User experience, Transmedia, Usability, Library shelf, Serendipity, Promotion collection, Graphic medicine, Comics, Public librariesAbstract
This paper presents an experimental application of the Transmedia Library Shelf Experience, a project designed to promote physical and digital library collections through a novel hybrid shelf interface. The prototype was temporarily deployed at the Biblioteca Regional de Murcia, allowing users to interact with, browse, and borrow from the collection. This activity is part of a collaboration between the research group and the library’s Comicteca, focusing on the theme of graphic medicine. A mixed-methods analysis was adopted, combining non-participatory and non-invasive observation with usability testing, which utilized an adapted version of the WAMMI questionnaire to evaluate the digital components. The results highlight the impact of the prototype’s physical features, particularly the faced-out display of books, which successfully stimulated spontaneous browsing and a substantial increase in loans. Furthermore, the interactive map connecting the library’s resources through a transmedia approach was highly rated by users, who perceived it as both attractive and efficient.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Roberto Testa, Vicente Funes
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