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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Centralizing Information About Library Services and Resources

SUMMARY

The School of Information Resources and Library Science at the University of Arizona (UA) has a mix of local and distance students in its program. The librarian at the UA Library who works with this program developed a Web site that centralizes information about several library services and resources that benefit distance learners: online orientation and research guides, chat reference, document delivery, and more. Bringing together this information with a focus on distance learners provides a platform for delivering the library to all users, whatever their distance from the library.     

The S.A.G.E. Project

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the process and creation of a library resources and services Web page within WebCT, a course authoring program that is being used to deliver complete course content over the Internet in a distance education program at The Ohio State University. A librarian at the Prior Health Sciences Library was asked to join a faculty team to teach and provide library services for a series of three courses. The students are working health professionals who cannot attend regularly scheduled classes. Illustrations are included of the WebCT course page and the library resources and services page. The initial process and planning are described, and recommendations for future research are identified.     

A Comprehensive Website Meets the Serials Librarian's Back Issue Needs

Abstract

The author describes USBE's Website, which meets virtually every back issue need of the serials librarian. An online catalog of over 17,000 scholarly journal title holdings, order page, membership application, and a fee-free out-of-print book search service are some of the features of the USBE site. The USBE Web pages also include instructions on how to donate surplus periodicals to the nonprofit organization, as well as special offers and other news pertinent to serials librarians. Includes interview comments by USBE President, John Zubal and USBE Operations Manager, Jean Marie Zubal.     

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.     

Does Anyone Need Help Out There?

SUMMARY

In order to provide online help for distance students, as well as the increasing number of on-campus students who regularly access library resources, a team of librarians from the Marshall University Libraries created an online library assistance site (HELP). This site brings together traditional print handouts, FAQs, online subject guides, course-specific guides, learning modules, and instructional videos in one central location where users can get assistance with library-related questions at their point of need. This article discusses the rationale for developing the site, the process of creating it and incorporating user input, ongoing content development, the impact upon the Libraries' Web site, and future development plans.     

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.     

The Two Instructional Faces of the Web

Abstract

The World Wide Web represents the final step in the evolution of the Internet as a tool worthy for practical applications in instruction. Two particular applications for the Web are discussed in light of projects which have been undertaken in the Helen Topping Architecture and Fine Arts Library at the University of Southern California. First, the World Wide Web may be used as a resource in the library. The Web is a source of content which, like all library resources, must be taught. It should be presented to users along with the same information literacy skills which must accompany any resource. Second, the Web may be used as a publishing tool where the content is created according to the particular instructional need or situation. This usage involves the technology of the Web rather than the content of the Web; this technology is the interface and access capabilities, either local or on a server, provided by the Web browser.     

How May I Help Thee? Let Me Count the 2.0 Ways…

ABSTRACT

Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and Librarian 2.0 are terms that have been in the vernacular now for some time. There is an ever-increasing number of 2.0 applications that can be utilized as tools for information and reference service in the academic library. Using examples from experience, four such applications are discussed in the context of providing Internet reference service to undergraduate engineering students. It is impossible to incorporate all appropriate 2.0 technologies in Internet reference so it is recommended that the librarian choose a small number at first and determine which ones works best before trying other applications.     

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.     

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.     

Authenticating Users Inside and Outside the Library

ABSTRACT

Libraries supporting digital resources must provide access to proprietary databases for off-campus users. It is also often important to restrict access to given databases or to classes of users from within the library. Vendors usually control access through some combination of Internet Protocol (IP) address and user ID and password. The process of authenticating and authorizing users creates an access management system. One of the most effective means for implementing an access management system today is through a Web proxy server. The technique for setting up the Netscape Proxy Server is described, along with the proxy server's advantages and disadvantages.     

Databases to the Web: From Static to Dynamic on the Express

SUMMARY

The need to deliver current data on periodical holdings and electronic resources led the staff at Kennesaw State University's Sturgis Library to develop database-driven dynamic Web pages. The project's success was based on the incorporation of skills, technologies and hardware that were already in place in the library with Allaire's ColdFusion Express, a free, feature-limited version of ColdFusion Web application server.     

The World Wide Web

Abstract

The World Wide Web is increasingly being used by libraries as a way to extend traditional services to patrons. The Web can also be used as a tool to facilitate communications between library professionals and to deliver presentations, organize exhibits, and develop demonstration projects. The allocation of personal Web work space on a library server provides librarians with a means to experiment with using the medium and a place to publish information of interest to the library profession. This paper explores the uses of the Web to enhance communications between library professionals and addresses some of the issues associated with such uses.     

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.