Web Site Design Resources for the Librarian

ABSTRACT

A selective, annotated bibliography of books, journal articles, and electronic resources relating to Web site design aimed specifically at beginning library Web Managers.     

HealthLinks: A ColdFusion Web Application

SUMMARY

Libraries are beginning to use Web applications as they grapple with sites of increasing complexity, and the move of more user services to the Web. This article reviews the basic concepts of a Web application, and outlines some of the features of the HealthLinks Web application and site http://healthlinks.washington.edu at the University of Washington Health Science Libraries, and the transition from a Java-based application to ColdFusion.     

The Organizational Politics of the World Wide Web

Abstract

The internal conflicts within an organization may hinder the successful design and set-up of a World Wide Web site. This article looks at the three most common routes that an organization may take to get on the Web, and presents guidelines for how to overcome the organizational politics that get in the way.     

A Review of “Reference Sources for Small and Medium-sized Libraries”

SUMMARY

In the summer of 1999, the libraries at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) embarked on a Web redesign project. Essential to the new Web site were the development of a database of resources, Sage, and the creation of various in-house tools, which are used to enter and edit database resources. Tools were also created which assist in the creation and maintenance of various Web sites. With the completion of the project, UCSD students, faculty and staff can easily locate the resources and library information they need and library staff have more tools for Web site management.     

Usability Testing of Academic Library Web Sites

ABSTRACT

This is a selective annotated bibliography of books, journal articles, and electronic resources relating to the usability assessment or testing of the academic library Web site. It focuses on the library Web site specifics, thus answering a librarian's need for one source of information on the available publications. All journal articles have been written by or for academic librarians. This bibliography embraces the issues of usability testing as a process, its goals, objectives, tools, and methodology. The bibliography is grouped by the following topics: background information, tools and methodologies, case studies, dedicated Web sites, and samples of presentations.     

On the World Wide Web

ABSTRACT

An analysis of Web citations was performed to examine three aspects of scholarly and research communication: use of authoritative information, use of correct citation style, and availability of the cited sources for the purpose of verification. Results of the study indicate that a database or a repository of Web citations needs to be established.     

Guidelines for Creating Accessible Library Web Pages

ABSTRACT

Library Web developers can improve their Web pages and work towards accessibility by all user groups. This article describes some general accessibility guidelines to follow when creating Web pages. It discusses the recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), called the Web Accessibility Initiatives (WAI). This article focuses attention on the accessibility of Web pages to users with visual impairments, auditory impairments, and mobility impairments. Accessibility guidelines for these user groups are suggested. Another important aspect of creating accessible Web pages is to test the pages during and after development. Online products that test accessibility are discussed as well as additional test methods, such as user input.     

Navigating Netscape

Abstract

Presents a bibliography of books and articles about Netscape's premier Web browser, Netscape Navigator 2. One book is described in detail and recommended.     

Siteseeing: Selected Magazines on the Web

SUMMARY

This “Siteseeing” column provides reviews of selected sites on the topic of 15 of the author's favorite print magazines that have Web sites.     

Web Pages and Chalk

ABSTRACT

This is an introduction to a new column, “Web Pages and Chalk: The Web and Learning.”     

Bibliographic Citation Management Software for Web Applications

SUMMARY

The bibliographic citation management software librarians already use to support scholarly research can also be used to deliver databases to the Web. Scott Memorial Library at Thomas Jefferson University uses a combination of Reference Manager and Reference Web Poster to publish indexes to bibliographic literature, and searchable lists of electronic journals and frequently asked questions (FAQs). This approach to serving data is suitable for materials of a bibliographic nature and/or for low budgets. To get started, all that is required is a copy of a citation management program, such as Reference Manager, EndNote, ProCite or Biblioscape. Any of these will produce static pages coded in HTML. Optional additional packages (Reference Web Poster or BiblioWeb Server) provide interactive Web-based searching.     

Emphasis on the “R” in “IRSQ”

ABSTRACT

Approximately two years ago, the Pennsylvania State University Engineering Library created a Web site to advertise its Three Mile Island 2 (TMI-2) Decontamination and Recovery Collection. The main part of the collection consists of several thousand videotapes that document the various stages of the TMI-2 cleanup project along with technical reports describing these efforts and related research. The Web site was intended to alert the global nuclear community to its existence and encourage use of the collection. The actual users and use of the site were quite unexpected. This paper will explore the process of setting up the Web page, its use, and the benefits and drawbacks of using this medium to promote a small, specialized collection.     

Policy Aspects of Web Page Development

Abstract

Web page creation involves many decisions beyond Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) coding. Developers need to consider numerous factors such as identifying the person responsible for the project, maintaining content, and establishing criteria for the evaluation and selection of resources. Other areas of consideration include identifying the target audience for the project, establishing guidelines on confidentiality and copyright issues, and coordinating a backup/disaster recovery plan. These aspects and others of Web page development are discussed. Examples are included from libraries which have loaded policy statements online as part of institutional home pages. The Uniform Resource Locators (URL's) of the library policies are listed as is a selected bibliography of publications about Web page development.     

About the Web

ABSTRACT

This article reviews selected magazines and journals of interest to academic librarians that include information about the Web. Reviewed titles include library science titles, general educational titles, and popular titles found on newsstands. The titles reviewed are aimed towards two groups of librarians: those most involved with developing content (such as reference librarians and bibliographers), and those involved with Web design, development, and policy issues.     

Applying Learning Style Theory to Web Page Design

ABSTRACT

Library Web sites can be instructional tools, especially for those patrons who utilize library resources from their homes. Many libraries are developing online tutorials, but there is an opportunity for Web instruction on another level. The organization and design of a Web site can act as an instructional tool in itself. This paper is a call to library Web designers to assess their work in terms of learning style preferences. Learning style theory is based on how people process information and learn new material. Applying these ideas to Web page design can make library resources more accessible and improve the patron's comprehension of how the library works.     

Flexible Web services integration: a novel personalised social approach

Abstract

Dynamic composition or integration remains one of the key objectives of Web services technology. This paper aims to propose an innovative approach of dynamic Web services composition based on functional and non-functional attributes and individual preferences. In this approach, social networks of Web services are used to maintain interactions between Web services in order to select and compose Web services that are more tightly related to user’s preferences. We use the concept of Web services community in a social network of Web services to reduce considerably their search space. These communities are created by the direct involvement of Web services providers.     

The Art of the Accessibility Statement

ABSTRACT

Many libraries recognize the need to create Web sites accessible to users with disabilities, as legislated in U.S. Code Section 508, but Section 508 compliance defines a minimum legal level of accessibility. The same technology that can make a Web site available to users with disabilities can also make the site available to users with wireless devices, such as PDAs and cell phones, with Internet access. To bring about “maximum accessibility,” library Web designers need to implement Web standards. This article argues the place to begin implementing these standards is with an accessibility statement which serves as both a contract and a navigational aid.     

The Web Designer's Guide to Color Research

ABSTRACT

Color plays an integral role in the success or failure of a Web site. Unfortunately, many Web designers misuse this vital element by making color design decisions based solely on personal opinions, rather than on scientific evidence. This evidence shows that color affects the viewers' experiences of the Web site in terms of how the viewers learn information, how they perceive the site's readability and download speed, and how satisfied they are with the Web site overall. This article (1) discusses the basic elements of color: hue, saturation, and luminance, (2) investigates the physiological, psychological, and cultural research on color perception, and (3) provides recommendations for Web designers based on this research.     

An Examination of Library World Wide Web Sites at Medium-Sized Universities

ABSTRACT

This article presents the results of a study of World Wide Web (Web) Sites for 133 academic libraries serving medium-sized universities. Each library Web site was examined, and all of the features were recorded. The study identified 31 core components which were present in over 50 percent of the libraries surveyed. The study indicated that: the navigational and design aspects of library Web sites should be improved; materials should be placed on the sites only if they will be accessed and utilized by the user community; and libraries could profit by making greater use of online tutorials and virtual tours to supplement regular bibliographic instruction.