Our library system had Steve Krug, author of “Don’t Make Me Think” (about Web usability) come do a workshop with our libraries a few months ago. He really did a lot of the same sort of analysis that you have done here. It was interesting to see how many of the workshop participants just hadn’t thought of those things before. Like navigation, and the use of “library jargon.”

And he really focused on usability testing… a concept that had never really occurred to a lot of the folks at the session. What? Ask your users to give it a try and tell you what works and what doesn’t???? Try things out and don’t be afraid to make little changes to make it more user friendly???? Design your site for your patrons instead of trying to train your patrons to use your interface???? Unheard of!

Great job addressing some of the underlying assumptions that tend to affect online commercial sites and thinking of practical ways to address Web site problems. You’ve really hit the nail on the head with some of these suggestions, I think.