libguides @ your library

LibGuides @ Your Library

Creating Web Content Without Tears

Marguerite Miller, Omaha Public Library

Martha Grenzeback, Omaha Public Library

NLA/NEMA Conference, Oct. 7, 2011, Lincoln

How do you say it?

“Libe” as in “library”?

“Lib” as in “liberate yourself from HTML”?

What is a LibGuide?

Definition:

A “content management” subscription service offered by Springshare that allows libraries of all kinds to create and maintain online web pages without any knowledge of computer programming.

About

A private company based in New York that designs practical web 2.0 applications specifically for libraries and educational institutions. Founded by a library webmaster!

LibGuidesCampusGuidesCommunityGuides

LibAnswersLibAnalyticsLibCal

Who uses it?

Currently, 35,721 librarians at 2,473 public, academic, special, and school libraries worldwide, who between them have created 189,353 guides! More on the way…

What for? Subject guideshttp://guides.omahalibrary.org/gardening

http://suffolktopicguides.org/content.php?pid=109916

What for? Guides to resourceshttp://guides.omahalibrary.org/genealogy

http://brass.libguides.com/SmallBusinessCore

What for? Coursework

http://unl.libguides.com/bios103lab

What for? Book clubs and reader’s advisory

http://guides.omahalibrary.org/bookclubs

http://guides.rcls.org/tapreadersadvisory

What for? Highlighting special events

http://libguides.library.umkc.edu/hispanic_heritage_month

http://guides.lib.usf.edu/gulf-oil-spill

What for? Entire websites

Even NATO uses LibGuides!

http://natolibguides.info/welcome

Subscription service

Cost based on # cardholders or FTE students. Free trial available.

Fully hosted platform, based on templates

How do LibGuides work?

Two user roles/access levels

Administrator: full access to all pages and all functions; decides system-wide design settings (colors, fonts, branding elements, contacts, etc.)

Librarians: edit the pages that are owned by or assigned to them; decide content, layout, box types, and images that best support their subject.

Basic design

A guide consists of pages, each page represented by a tab or subtab.

One, two, or three columns with content boxes in each.

Select from boxes with predefined kinds of library content

Different content boxes

Images, embedded media, & more

Why use LibGuides?

Fully hosted

Easy to delete!

Easy to create: borrow a template from another user, reuse content, or be creative

And especially….

A simple list of resources….

…or fancy shmancy

Why ELSE use LibGuides?

Visible (comes up in web searches)

Interactive Web 2.0 features: webchat, integration with social media (Facebook, Twitter), social bookmarking (Delicious, Digg, etc.), comments, polls, tagging, more…

And besides…

Automatically delivers mobile-friendly versions

Easy linking to OPAC and databases

Automatic link updating; link checker

Handy reports

Support

And more support

And a little more support….

Free webinars, scheduled and on demand.

Blog

Examples

LibGuides @ Omaha Public Library 65 guides Created by 22 different staff members

Private

Staff information

Public

Pathfinders, subject guides, resource pages

Questions?

Marguerite Millermmiller@omahalibrary.org

Martha Grenzebackmgrenzeback@omahalibrary.org