POPULATING AND ORGANIZING YOUR

WEBSITE

Chapter 8

What makes a good library website? Features contain in the website Extreme design; functional, flamboyant,

static and or plain Combination of stylish design and top

quality content

Usability issues Screen resolution, streaming, Flash and

PDF dilemma. High resolution 640x480 screen resolution.

Visibility. Basic requirement for streaming media

(audio or video) – Real Player Downloading Flash reader PDF – disable alteration to the document. Inaccessible to vision-impaired user.

Usability and vision-impaired users Many sites offer poor usability to the

visual-impaired user. Text-reading software Frame - that are not compatible to text-

reading software International guidelines for vision-

impaired user - (W3C)Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standard for UK government. Belgium, France, USA..etc.

Organizing your website

Easy navigation – all pages are logically linked Indexing Link from any point of your website to the main

page. Link remain consistent as the site is updated.

The top 10 features of library website

1. Bookmarks

selection of useful link from other website

Need updating to unsure they remain current

introducing new things to the target page or audience

BOOKMARK

2. Practical Information

Useful information such as Maps or direction to visitors or users.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

3.Training guidesLinks to pages offer advice on training opportunities or structured training materials

TRAINING GUIDES

4. Search the site

Search engine to register your site. So it

can be search through the web. E.g.

Atomz (searching and search result)

SEARCH THE SITE

5. Online publications

Electronic journals produce in-house

Economically practical to sell online of printed. Web publishing

ONLINE PUBLICATION

6. Catalog

Library catalog (OPAC)

7. Library Friends

Direct communication with the Friends of the organization.

8. Ask a librarian

Offer user to ask questions thru e-mail or online forms; based on these conditions:

i) Do not make the space for the question too small.

ii) Make it clear what level of service the user can expect.

iii)Your reply may need make reference from materials available in the library

iv)Make it clear what kinds of enquiries you will not handle.

ASK A LIBRARIAN

9. Subject folders and subject portals

provide subject folders for list of document that will be used.

10. Library publications

provide list of all books or materials published by the library or the organization. Available for ordering.