Introducing the new library Web site

We have a new design for the library website, created by the ND Web Group, and are now converting the current site into the new design. Note that this is a work in progress.  Not all pages have been converted, some of the links are broken, and others take you to the current site.  A number of pages will change prior to the actual roll out of the site.

Some changes in the redesign:

• Search is much more prominent. We’ve provided search access to most library content. In addition to the search box on the main page, there’s a search box in the header of all secondary pages. We’re using the Google search engine that powers the University search for the website’s Site search.

• A cleaner, less cluttered look

• Use of a tabbed interface to provide easy access to related pages. One example is the subject pages. See a partial mockup of a subject page at http://webtest.library.nd.edu/test/psychology.shtml

• A new Database Finder function that lets you easily find databases by keywords in the title or description.

The temporary URL for the new library website is http://webtest.library.nd.edu/. Take a look and tell us what you think. Roll out date: Monday, Jan. 5, 2009.

We need your input: Goals for the redesign of the Libraries’ website

The Libraries’ website redesign group, WPIT, has been gathering data on the current Libraries’ website. We’ve:

• Done usability testing on the Libraries’ website
• Studied use of the Libraries’ website through log analysis
• Conducted a survey of perceived value of the links on the home page of the Libraries’ website
• Carried out a competitive analysis of 30 comparable university library websites
• Observed and recorded student research behavior
• Solicited student visions of the ideal library website

Two significant findings of our data gathering:

• The current website supports experienced researchers fairly effectively, but meets the needs of novice researchers less well.
• Many consider the current Libraries’ website too crowded and the font too small

We have set the following as two of the main goals for the redesign of the Libraries’ website:

• Creation of a more powerful tool for searching library content. Northwestern and Duke are two examples of the kind of search tool we have in mind.
• Creation of a simpler, cleaner design laid out the way people read — top to bottom, left to right — and grouping resource links into more prominent, discrete sections.

We need your input. Do you agree or disagree? What would you change or add to our analysis and goals?

Thanks!
The Libraries website redesign team

We Need Your Input

What suggestions do you have for the new library Web site? What do you like or dislike about the current library Web site? What should we keep, get rid of, change or add? Tell us here

The Who and How of the Library Web Site Redesign

A library committee, the Web Presence Improvement Team (WPIT), is responsible for the library Web site. WPIT focuses on making the Web site more usable, doing lots of usability testing. WPIT makes changes to the Web site when it has data showing that the proposed change makes the Web site easier to use for its users.

You can read about our redesign plan here.

Why is a Redesign Needed?

We’ve been testing the library Web site and listening to users for two years. Here are some of the things we’ve learned about the Web site that we plan to fix in the redesign:

• The main page is too crowded
• The font is too small
• It’s hard to find what you are looking for

Tell us what you’d like to see us address in the redesign.

Effective Library Web Sites

Some of the library Web sites we like are:

• Arizona
• Duke
• Michigan
• Northwestern
• Washington

Tell us which library Web sites you like and why.