AbstractDigital libraries (DLs) have been evaluated implicitly by analyzing the query behavior extracted from the log files (LFs), and explicitly by conducting user studies and usability tests. Unfortunately, such approaches do not fully assess the quality of the user experience (UX). Recently, UX is gaining momentum as a critical success factor across all sectors and became the ultimate criterion to guide user‐centered design. This is why we describe how the Mahlke's interaction UX framework can be adapted to the DL. We conducted a laboratory user study with 65 undergraduate students. Three data collection tools were considered: questionnaires, screen recording, and pick‐a‐mode scale. The findings of the study indicate that considering the UX when evaluating the DL provides useful insights of different aspects of the user interactions, perceptions and affective variables. The need to improve the DL system and simplify its interface still persists. Revisiting interfaces by implementing visualizing techniques is a possible solution.