The One Page

A Web Design Guide for Kentucky's Public Libraries

The Best of 2005: Rating Kentucky's Public Library Websites

Now that 2005 has gone and the thought of a new year inspires goals and achievements, it seemed a good idea to feature those libraries doing good things with their websites, especially those that are improving. For this edition of "The One Page," all 86 of Kentucky's public library websites were reviewed¹ by the editor, then by a panel made up of one technology specialist, one public relations specialist, one reference librarian, and one web user. You might be surprised at the results.

No matter the type of library reviewed, small or medium-sized, as well as the "web powerhouses" of Louisville Free Public, Lexington Public, and Bowling Green Public libraries, there were and are some really good things being done with regards to website design and communicating online during 2005 and 2006. The following sites are recognized by "The One Page's" editor for their improvements, innovations, and creativity over the past year. KDLA thanks all those libraries - featured not only in this article but with websites in general - for the great work they do in Serving Kentucky's Need to Know.

Note: Due to high traffic on the Internet Archives (Wayback Machine) site, links to previous versions of the websites may not be functional.

Staff-Managed

Paris-Bourbon County Public Library

Overall, the Paris-Bourbon County Public Library's website is probably one of the best, if not the best, of Kentucky's public library websites. Simple in design, the homepage displays not only library-specific news, but also contains the essentials: the library's name, address, contact information, and hours, as well as a photo of the library right next to the name. The design, recently updated, is professional, clean and organized - 100% better than the one from the previous year. The calendar is well-done, containing closing dates and activities; one unexpected feature is the integration of the daily weather forecast for the current week. The site also contains a user-friendly site map which is arranged into helpful categories, rather than an alphabetical list. Great job!

Comments from the panel:

"...I also like the Paris-Bourbon County Spanish translation service... very interesting." - Web User

"... professional feel; great links in the reference, genealogy, and local interest sections..." - Public Relations Specialist

"... excellent continuity... no email for individuals -- could go to a generic account with different subject lines." - Reference Librarian

How it can be improved:

• The items displayed within the flashing news sequence on the homepage should last long enough to allow the patron to read then click. (Also, rather than having the numbers "3" and "4" flanking the news section, arrows would be more user-friendly.)
• A customized scrollbar (viewable in Internet Explorer) is considered unprofessional in many web design circles.
• The headings and accompanying graphics on the internal pages are quite large, causing the patron to scroll to read the majority of the content. These could be simplified and/or reduced in size to allow more content to appear on the initial screen.

 

Madison County Public Library

Madison County Public Library's website has undergone a major redesign over the past year, and the result is site that is worthy of joining those considered the best public library sites in Kentucky. (View the "before" version.) The site, implemented completely with Cascading Stylesheets, integrates well the different marketing efforts of the library, from the colors to the usage of the library's motto in the banner. With only six coding errors to fix before the site becomes completely ADA/508 accessible, Madison County's website is a great example of one that caters to a diverse community of patrons.

Comments from the panel:

"...homepage dense with copy... services/categories not easily definable or delineated." - Public Relations Specialist

"...[staff/contact info.] BRAVO! They're ALL there!... dedicated ILL form should have legal disclaimer... [organization] is clear -- simplistic...." - Reference Librarian

How it can be improved:

• The usage of bolding should only extend to text that needs to be emphasized; all bold text is very difficult on the eyes.
• Always check to make sure that text is styled consistently throughout the website. Mixture of font faces, in this case serif and sans-serif in the content, creates a non-professional look.
• When updating a design, avoid having some pages in the new design, and others in the "old" design or hosted by a separate service. The mixture of styles can cause the patron to think that they've left the site.

 

Daviess County Public Library

Updated and redesigned in 2005, Daviess County Public Library's website has undergone major changes, making it one of the most professional sites around. (View the "before.") The clean design corresponds well with that of the Owensboro-Daviess County Tourist Commission and the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Included on the front page are the name, address, and contact information for the library, as well as news about the great many events that the library has to offer. In addition to the services expected on the website, the opportunity to suggest purchases via an online form is possible. The website also features "Reader's Advisory" lists such as "ChickLit," "Cold Case Files," and "Tearjerkers."

Comments from the panel:

"[I] like the colors and layout theme... drop downs help the tabs -- like the breadcrumbs!" - Reference Librarian

"...good use of color and organization, simplicity of design." - Public Relations Specialist

How it can be improved:

• Although the site has a very professional appearance, it lacks "local charm." Usage of photos of actual library events and patrons not only provides local charm, but creates a private investment in the website by those who are featured in it.
• The color scheme is quite masculine and serious. To appeal to kids and teens, the addition (or substitution) of one bright color would make the pages more exciting.
• The "Hours of Operation" could be more prominent. The light gray heading for the list and the placement within the regular content area cause the listing to be lost within the page.

 

Harlan County Public Library

One of the least pretentious and simple of those reviewed, the Harlan County Public Library website is an excellent example of maximizing a design as a means of communicating with patrons. Photos of the libraries, and the names, addresses, contact information, hours, email addresses of each library are displayed clearly on the homepage. In addition, a link to the catalog is prominently placed under the banner, and at the bottom of the page, an email address for comments and corrections is available. Within the site, information about schedules, events, and programs is easily found. Lists of books by local authors, such as Rebecca Caudill, are a great way to connect the library to the community and its interests. A job very well done.

How it can be improved:

• Low contrast color schemes, such as this one using black text on a gray-blue background, cause problems for low-vision patrons and senior citizens. When selecting a color scheme, opt for dark text on a light or medium background.
• When naming files, avoid using spaces within the name. Spaces create problems for search engine indexing and bookmarking. The browser will insert "20%" for each space. (Example: http://www.harlancountylibraries.org/harlan%20county%20reference.htm) Also, when the library plans to market its online services, you want a clear and concise address that is easily remembered and typed.
• When creating each page's layout, make sure to keep it consistent. Don't add content to a navigation area, as seen on the "Reference" page.

 

Managed by The Library Company (TLC)

Grant County Public Library

Although operating under the restrictions of TLC's format, Grant County Public Library's website uses well the white space by integrating Library News and Events in every free nook and cranny. The design also deviates from the generic TLC color scheme by incorporating shades of blue, used in the library's other marketing publications. Having the catalog and "Live Homework Help" links "front and center" are good ways to make this page user-friendly. The website also has a great calendar, filled with events, photos, and clip art.

Comments from the panel:

"...the color scheme seems rather harsh to my eyes...." - Public Relations Specialist

"...color OK. TOO MUCH TEXT." - Reference Librarian

"It wasn't quite as attractive and was a little too text heavy." - Technology Specialist

How it can be improved:

• Bright colors can often be a distraction, rather than an enhancement to a webpage's design. Always try to have one bright color, one soft color and one neutral color as components of your color scheme. Use an online color schemer to help in the selection.
• ALL CAPS are quite difficult to read, especially when formatted in a bright color. Usually, ALL CAPS are used when bolding isn't an option, or when bolding isn't enough. Overuse of ALL CAPS can convey the impression of shouting or talking down to the reader.
• Unless a webpage contains a narrative, keep headline content down to about half of the screen space. An enormous amount of text can be overwhelming for the patron, and they are likely not to read it at all.

 

Fleming County Public Library

Also operating under the restrictions of TLC's layout, Fleming County Public Library does well to put its patron-specific information front and center. As soon as the page loads, the patron is able to view a photo of the library, and the library's hours, address and contact information. The site, in general, has a very friendly and welcoming demeanor; in addition, the teasers on the front page invite the patrons to become interested in the library's services and collections. Also helpful are the clear and concise instructions on the front page, showing even a novice patron how to search the catalog. A nice site!

Comments from the panel:

"...it doesn't show the personality and initiatives of the library like the locally-managed sites; it's all emptier, somehow, not as helpfully detailed, contains less information about the library, compared to the locally-managed sites." - Public Relations Specialist

"They're not supposed to place the [EBSCO] ID/password on [the] homepage!" - Reference Librarian

"I liked the Fleming County site... attractive with lots of useful info." - Technology Specialist

How it can be improved:

• When the Calendar page contains no useful information, it implies that the library has no events or programs. If using TLC's Calendar option, always make sure to fill it with pertinent information; if not, drop the page from the website and include closure information on the homepage.
• When possible, use a text-based banner. Instead of having your library's name placed in a photo or clip art in an image editing program, have your library's name typed on the webpage and a background placed behind the text. The library's name as text reference is better for search engine indexing.

 

Whitley County Public Library

Whitley County Public Library's website is an interesting study of the way a generic TLC template can be modified into a colorful and visually interesting website. The banner, containing photos of the bookmobile and library and contact information, is a great way of customizing the template to meet the library's need to provide information to the patron without effecting the content area's design. Also helpful, the front page contains events and library and bookmobile news.

Comments from the panel:

"[The library website of] Whitley County is attractive enough and has lots of info, I think the MSNBC news section is a little much though." - Technology Specialist

"Should the MSNBC section really occupy such a large part of the homepage?" - Public Relations Specialist

"Not current -- Christmas closing still there... [as of date of review: 1/10/06] " - Reference Librarian

How it can be improved:

• A website should have a clear purpose, namely the mission of the library. When selecting content, make sure it fits in with the needs of the patrons.
• When implementing a TLC site, make sure the template is filled out; that pages are not lacking text -- in this case, the "About Us" page. If the library doesn't not plan to use that feature, pull it from the website. Do not leave empty pages up for patrons and trustees to see.

 

Content Management Systems

Kenton County Public Library

During 2005, Kenton County Public Library's website not only changed designs, but also technology. The website is now using a Content Management System (CMS), a system that allows staff to directly enter content into a pre-made template without effecting the coding. The design is colorful and includes various aspects of the libraries marketing initiatives. The front page contains the library's logo, its motto, and the contact information for each library in the system, and still has room to feature the many events occuring at the library. Another wonderful facet of this site is the "New Acquisitions" section, which provides daily updates as to what materials have been added to various collections; in addition, patrons are able to subscribe to certain topic areas to receive email alerts when items are available. This site is good example of how to use the web as a means of constant (and exciting) communication with patrons.

Comments from the panel:

"Images are the strength [of this site].... a good professional site." - Reference Librarian

"...great use of pictures and logo in upper left of pages." - Public Relations Specialist

How it can be improved:

• One thing that the each page lacks is a clear idea of the library's name. The logo in the upper left is very attractive and contains the name of the library, but for low vision patrons or children, the name is hard to locate on the page. Instead, usage of a text-based banner would be better. Also, as mentioned in Whitley County's comments, a text-based banner facilitates easier search engine indexing.
• The site is a good example of how to organize many pages into a clean design. Something that would help, though, would be a consistent layout for navigation elements. The homepage has three styles of navigation: the blue bar, straight text, and images. To have a solid design, one style would be more appopriate.
• Important information should always be available "above the fold," i.e., appearing upon the initial screen without requiring scrolling. The homepage's "Today at the Library" listing is at the bottom of the page and is only seen by those looking specifically for it. Instead, moving the feature article down (or eliminating the photo) and placing the patron-specific information at the top would be more user-friendly.

 

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Notes

All technical information provided in this article is based on my observations and opinions derived from the coding, not factual data submitted by the libraries. This was, by no means, a scientific process.

For those interested, here are some statistics acquired during the writing of this article.

• 86 counties have public library websites
• 17 are managed by The Library Company (TLC)
• 69 are managed in the library, or through contracts with private web providers

If your library would like help constructing or redesigning its website, feel free to contact me.

 

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¹ Websites were reviewed during the period of 12/27/05 - 01/11/06. Any changes in the websites' appearances or organization since that period are not reflected by this write-up. (Back to article)