Roger Zender's Blog

Entries in the Category "Redesign"

What Questions Do You Have?

Today I will be leading a discussion at our All-Staff Meeting to elicit what our most Frequently Asked Questions are, as well as what services we want to be highlighting on our front page (as one of several rotating graphics). Determining a good set of FAQ's will only help our website to better service patrons, and will hopefully alleviate answer some of the same questions that our staff answers on a daily basis.

This also seems to be the ideal time to post the question to the greater audience (you)... What questions do you have of the library?

Here are some general areas that can help provide a framework:

• Reference
  
• Collections
  
• Research
  
• CaseLearns
  
• Technical
  
• Administrative
  
• Customer Service
  
• Alumni Services
  
• etc. etc.
  

Post any questions YOU have in the comments.

Also, if you know of any other well-done FAQ implementations, I'd love to see them...

Library Website Redesign Focus Group Summary

Here are some preliminary results from the 4 focus groups we hosted to help us determine the direction of our website redesign. These were very enlightening meetings and I'd like to thank all who participated. I would encourage any of you to contribute to this list in the comments.

Primary Purpose of the Website: Find Books / Journals / Articles

Other Core Services:

• Course Reserves
  
• OhioLink / Inter-library Loan
  
• Reference Services
  
• Alumni Services
  

Suggested "Quick Links:"

• Catalog
  
• Electronic Journals
  
• Course Reserves
  
• Ohio Link
  
• ILLiad
  
• Freedman Center
  
• Access to My Account
  
• How do I find my Pin?
  

Requests of new site:

• Prominent Federated Search box on front page (make it clear what the user is searching). Results grouped by format.
  
• All information shown in screen, without scrolling
  
• Show status if user is logged in or not (if not, suggest how to do so)
  
• Access to Blackboard, and possibly other services to make the Library website home to "all things information-related"
  
• Advertising of Library Services
  
  • Example: University of Notre Dame Libraries
  
  
• Incorporate some type of "bread crumb" trail, showing your current location in reference to the main page and should be clickable.
  
• Updates to what materials have been acquired (Faculty)
  
• Less library "jargon" and more casual terminology (i.e. "Find Articles" vs. "Search Database")
  
  • Example: MIT Libraries
  
  
• Menu choices should contain a summary of what they lead to
  
  • Example: Cal State San Marcos
  
  
• Keep choices to a minimum
  
• Better representation of Freedman Center services
  
• More details on the facilities (specs of scanners & other tech)
  
• Map of Library (preferably interactive)
  
• More detail on Reference staff. Photos and areas of expertise
  
• Prominent display of RefWorks Service
  

Items of contention:

• Organized site by type of user
  
  • Pro: Helps to streamline information based on the type of user
    
  • Con: Not everyone fits into those scenarios
    
  • Suggestion: Create a "beginner" and "advanced" user instead of Student, Faculty, etc...
    
  • Suggestion: Have area specific for people teaching a class.
    
  • Example: University of Minnesota Libraries
    

• Organized by Subject
  
  • Pro: Quick access for subject-specific resources
    
  • Con: Many subjects are interdisciplinary, could bee seen as exclusive
    
  • Example: Cal State San Marcos Library
    

• Widgets
  
  • Pro: Provides access to our catalog to where our patrons are (Firefox Toolbar, Google Homepage, etc)
    
  • Con: Additional work, disconnects people from the rest of our services (?)
    
  • Example: Harold B. Lee Library (BYU)
    

• Google Scholar
  
  • Pro: Additional information resource provided
    
  • Con: Want them to understand and use what the library has to offer first
    
  • Example: University of Texas Libraries
    

• Pictures on website
  
  • Pro: Can be graphically pleasing, picture of building could serve as a point of reference for visitors or people new on campus
    
  • Con: Bad images can be distracting, should not be cheesy
    
  • Example: Harvard Business School Library
    

• Icons for representation
  
  • Pro: Alternative visual reference
    
  • Con: Can be unappealing and distracting
    
  • Example: Kent State University Libraries
    

• Incorporation of current Social Web technologies
  
  • Pro: Go where the students are (MySpace)
    
  • Con: Is the effort worth it?
    
  • Example: Ball State University Libraries
    

• Expandable "Drop Down" Menus
  
  • Pro: Puts more choices on the mail page
    
  • Con: Not all choices are apparent when glancing the screen
    
  • Example: UCLA Library
    

• Multiple Languages (Yale / http://www.library.yale.edu/)
  
  • Pro: Promotes diversity
    
  • Con: Entire site can not be translated into another language
    
  • Example: Yale University Library
    

• Handheld Access
  
  • Pro: Increased Access
    
  • Con: Balance of effort vs. actual use (only 1 person said they surf the web on their mobile device)
    
  
  

Pie in the Sky / Not Directly Related:

• Link directly to KSL from the "Libraries" link on Case.edu
  
• Anticipate the users needs & suggest them
  
• Personalized KSL homepage (similar to MyCase). Would like to only see Journals they specifically chose to see.
  
• Better email correspondence.. what book is in? Offer direct links in emails.
  
• Create a system-led sequence for finding materials (our catalog -> OhioLink -> ILL, etc...)
  
• Create a self-led training for use of the Libraries services
  
• Incorporate access to professional reviews in catalog (more important than general ones)
  

Spots Still Available for Faculty Focus Group

We still have some openings for our website redesign faculty focus group!

Need a couple reasons?

• You get to provide direction and input on the new KSL Website
  
• Lunch is included!
  

What else could you ask for??

More details here.
(RSVP by Noon tomorrow)

Other Academic Library Websites

One of the obvious things to do when redesigning any website is to go and see what else is out there. Here is a list of websites that we're looking at in this process, particularly in our Focus Groups. Most of them were pulled from the LibSuccess Library Website Hall of Fame wiki site. Being a wiki, my guess is there was no oversight on what was added. So I removed a couple from their list and added some of my own.

• Augustana College Tredway Library
• BYU Harold B. Lee Library
• California State University San Marcos
• Carnegie Mellon University Library
• College of Saint Benedict/ Saint John's University
• Cornell University Library
• Georgia State University Library
• Harvard Business School Baker Library
• Indiana University Library
• Ithaca College Library
• Kent State University Library
• MIT Libraries
• North Carolina State University Libraries
• Rutgers University Library
• UCLA Library
• University of Minnesota Libraries
• University of Notre Dame Libraries
• University of Southern California
• University of Texas libraries
• Williams College Library
• Yale University

I'm interested to see if anyone can suggest other good University Library website to look at?

KSL Website Redesign Kicks-Off!

The Kelvin Smith Library is now beginning the process of redesigning its website. This is an exciting process and one in which we are looking to get feedback from the University community.

The first step of this process will be a series of Focus Groups hosted by Optiem, our consultants for this project. Keep an eye on Case Daily and the KSL News Blog for more information... space is very limited.

If you can't make it to these groups, don't worry. This redesign begins the process of continued re-evaluation of the site and the services it provides. If you would like to still give some feedback, please feel free to contact me. Now is the time when your thoughts/comments/ideas/rants can make the most difference!

I will continue to use this blog to post updates, possibly seeking additional feedback for specific ideas... Any and all thoughts are appreciated.

KSL Website Redesign Kicks-Off!

The Kelvin Smith Library is now beginning the process of redesigning its website. This is an exciting process and one in which we are looking to get feedback from the University community.

The first step of this process will be a series of Focus Groups hosted by Optiem, our consultants for this project. Keep an eye on Case Daily and the KSL News Blog for more information... space is very limited.

If you can't make it to these groups, don't worry. This redesign begins the process of continued re-evaluation of the site and the services it provides. If you would like to still give some feedback, please feel free to contact me. Now is the time when your thoughts/comments/ideas/rants can make the most difference!

I will continue to use this blog to post updates, possibly seeking additional feedback for specific ideas... Any and all thoughts are appreciated.