Exploring the usability of digital libraries targeting young children: Insights from user reviews of the Children's Digital Library from Türkiye

• In Event: Education and the impact of digital interventions on children: digital libraries, cultural identity, and future trends

Proposal

Reading picture books is a pivotal cultural practice in early childhood, significantly contributing to vocabulary acquisition, cognitive development, and reduced mental health issues in adolescents. With the rise of technology, reading has transformed in the digital age, making books accessible anytime and anywhere. Digital libraries, in particular, have the potential to be powerful tools for promoting reading and expanding access to books both at home and in schools. Many digital libraries are now available for young children worldwide, offering many resources to enhance early childhood literacy (e.g., Epic! BookR, ReadingIQ). These digital library apps can serve as valuable complements to physical libraries, enhancing children's reading experiences with interactive elements such as animations, background music, games, hotspots, etc. In many developing regions, including Türkiye, access to children's books remains limited, often restricted to families of higher socio-economic status. Additionally, many existing digital libraries are not freely accessible or available in languages other than English, which limits their reach and impact in non-English-speaking regions.
To address this gap, Türkiye's National Broadcasting Channel (Türkiye Radyo Televizyon Kurumu: TRT) has taken a significant step toward promoting early literacy in Türkiye for Turkish children. In 2021, they launched the TRT Children's Digital Library, a digital platform offering over 250 picture books for children aged 3-8, free of charge and ad-free, to enhance accessibility for families unable to afford physical books. Since its launch, the TRT Children's Digital Library has reached millions of parents in Türkiye, with over 20 million books read digitally. Despite this success, limited research exists on how parents and children interact with the platform and the effectiveness of the resources it provides.
Given the significant impact of the TRT Children's Digital Library, it is crucial to conduct research on its usability. This study undertakes a content analysis of 400 user reviews since its launch from the Apple Store (305 reviews) and Google Play Store (95 reviews), totaling 6.973 words (with an average of 17.43 words per review). Our research is designed to provide insights into how the app meets user needs, identify key challenges, and propose design implications for improving the user experience.
Our findings reveal that a significant 51.5% of users provide positive feedback, while 14.5% express negative sentiments. Additionally, 34% of users highlighted various challenges related to the app's functionality. The analysis identifies key aspects of the user experience, including how the app meets user needs, the usability of interactive elements, and areas requiring improvement. We will present these insights and recommendations for mainly app developers to enhance the design and functionality of digital libraries, ensuring they effectively support children's learning from the books. This research contributes to the broader discourse on leveraging technology to bridge educational divides and promote equitable access to learning resources.

Authors

• Burcu Sari Ugurlu, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University

• Bora Ugurlu, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University