We may love our websites, but chances are good that your patrons...well, not so much. Libraries are often guilty of common website problems that can annoy visitors. From design errors to usability issues, find out what may be driving your patrons crazy and why.

1. Why
PATRONS
HATE
your
library’s
WEBSITE
Laura Solomon
Library Services Manager
Ohio Public Library Information Network
(OPLIN)
laura@oplin.org
www.meanlaura.com

2. Not a happy patron 

3. Why?
•Can’t find things
•Ignoring of conventions
•Believing in myths

4. Library website
THE
HAYSTACK
aka

5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ckaiserca/434019427/

6. Where’s the CATALOG?

7. (I’m pretty sure this is copyrighted by Warner Brothers, but that’s not where
I found it. Thank you in advance for not suing me.)
“MINE!”

10. Where to START??

11. Libraries have a BIG problem with SEARCH

12. Shortchanged on space
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/09/24/10-useful-usability-findings-and-guidelines

13. • 18 characters:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
• 27 characters:
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

14. What’s wrong with this?
Search this site:
Search

16. Example Public Library
• examplelibrary.org
• www.examplelibrary.org

17. NOT

18. “Don’t you know that the people in “my”
library’s area are different? Don’t you
know they use the web an ENTIRELY
different way than anywhere else? That
I, and I alone, know how these folks
work?”
Bill Hardison, Technology Coordinator,
Northwest Regional Library System, Ohio
(Speaking tongue-in-cheek)

20. willusingtheprefixcybermakemelooklikeanidiot.com

22. Example Public LibraryLogo HERE.
Really.

23. WEBSITE
MYTHOLOGY

24. Stop opening things

26. The ”3-click rule” is utter
nonsense.
(Can we finally bury this one? Please??)

28. You are NOT like your users
(You)

29. Here’s a quarter.
You might need it.

30. More choices=happier patrons?

31. Stop stuffing the nav
Dropdown menus show "a
fundamental misunderstanding of
information architecture & how to
apply it to web projects"
Jamie Freeman, Director, Message
web design

33. It does NOT take a committee
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/3385208124/

34. What does this mean to me,
Laura?

35. Stay current

36. Look
outside
of
this

37. Twitter: @laurasolomon
Facebook: Facebook.com/laurasolomon
Blog: What Does This Mean to Me, Laura?
(http://www.meanlaura.com)
Email: laura@oplin.org
Contact me: