NCompass Live - November 15, 2023
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/ncompasslive/
Developing a website that meets branding guidelines, prioritizes student-focused user needs, and caters to library professional user quirks can be tricky and, at times, downright impossible. This session explores redesigning a library homepage, including planning, building, implementing, and assessing a new library website. A robust resource list is provided to help start the redesign process, along with guidance on developing a unique website schema and layout. Conflict between university branding guidelines and EDU platforms is discussed. Attendees with zero coding experience, those with little to low budget for web redesign, and those from small libraries are all encouraged to attend.
Presenter: Virginia Cononie, Associate Librarian, Coordinator of Research Services, University of South Carolina Upstate.
2. 3 goals...
Discuss historical web redesigns
Demonstrate process, planning and implementing
Demonstrate technology resources (free)
Who is this for? Attendees who are low skill and high enthusiasm.
3. Technology Skills &
Experience
• Angelfire.com
• MLIS with focus on
Reference and Technology.
• Hired as reference librarian
and social
media coordinator (2013).
4. Library EDU
• Where's the library?
• So many clicks
• Disorganized
• Confusing
• Not mobile friendly
• Abundance of duplicate
information
Library Homepage
• Separate from EDU site
• Hard to find
• Disorganized
• No hierarchy/ no real
structure
• Prioritized library staff
preferences
Project Reasoning
5. Before Jumping in...
Terminology
•Library EDU - Main Site:
Hosted by University/ Institution
example: www.uscupstate.edu/library
•Library Homepage:
Hosted by Library, typically Library Guides
example: https://uscupstate.libguides.com/library
17. 2020
Sept
Library EDU – Main site Library Guides - Homepage
Status of
sites during
re-design
process
18. Pre- Project
Process
Lobby Lobby for Library redirect link or button
on EDU
Set Set a Project Timeline & Process
Check Check Current Website Analytics
Survey Survey Top 10 Subpages
22. Technology Insights
• Find a library to imitate, preferably one
that uses the same web hosting
platform as your library.
• Use the inspect tool and look at their
code.
• Reach out to others.
• Find the branding style sheet for your
university.
24. Building New (private) Library
Homepage
• Begin: Using schema and mockup, begin building
homepage in Libguides "Groups."
• Codepen:
build code outside of library guides style sheet.
• ProblemSolving:
• Google problems
• Libguides Training
• Spring Share Lounge
• W3schools documentation
• Make personal cheat sheet for your repetitive questions/code needs
26. Pause Project Process for...
Conversations with University Communcations
• F2F Meeting with Communications & Marketing Dept.
• Consider sharing your work or giving a brief presentation
• Provide proposed timeline
• Consider your Asks
• Will you ask for a direct link to your library homepage?
• If you can't get that, where will the link be?
• Do they have feedback on the branding incorporation?
• What are their concerns with the re-designs?
32. University Website Future Plans
• New Site Launch (11/9)
• NotableDesign
Differences:
• Library nestled under
Academics>Academic
Services and Support
• New Logo
• TransparentHalf Nav
• No hover
• Spartanhub
• Return to previous design
33. Future Plans • Fall 2023 - Website
Audit
• Incorporatemore
accessibility features
• Pick up another
w3schools class
• Continue to lobby for
redirect, when
appropriate
• CSS/BootstrapWeb
development
34. DEMO
• Inspect Tool
• Make Changes to existing website
• Codepen
• Place code, analyze and format
• Lighthouse Extension
• W3 schools -
https://www.w3schools.com/