Page History

General:

Follow existing web guidelines whenever possible, including use of color and recommended fonts.

Keep consistent with rest of Libraries' pages.

Make font in box titles bigger and bolder.  (Darcy's working on.)

Set apart the title from the rest of box content.

Use "friendly" URLs (shortcut URLs) for all pages.

Easier for users to remember, cleaner looking on page

You can use LibGuides to create any sort of research guide: publication types, subject pages, databases cheatsheets, course pages, etc.

Publication type, subject page, course page, database cheatsheet

Setting up your profile:

Contact information should always display in top right.  People shouldn't be required to use the designated profile box.

To make the location of contact info consistent.  Different guides/groups have different needs, and default profile box is limiting.

http://libguides.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/aecontent.php?pid=9490^{Image Removed}

Label the profile box (and all boxes!) wisely:

• Keep default "My Profile"
• Ask Us
• Subject Specialist
• Dewey Library (or other library name)
• Questions?

Use your Kerberos ID for your profile shortcut.

Only include your name in the "Display Name" field Make content of box obvious to users.

Staff photo use guidelines should be followed, but people should hide the photo box if they don't use itif you choose to use a photo.  No avatars! 
Some people are adamantly opposed to posting their picture, but some like putting a face to the library.  Avatars are distracting, and could vary wildlyHide the photo box on each guide, if you don't use a picture.   

Use "friendly" URLs (shortcut URLs) for all pages.

http://libguides.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/usability^{Image Removed}oceanography

Adding chat contact info is optional.  People are welcome to embed Meebo boxes, but color should match with our color scheme (black, meebo, mac, meebome).

http://libguides.
mit.edu/mites^{Image Added}

Contact information should always display in top right.  You can delete the default profile box, as long as you add a new box with contact info.  Not everyone likes chat!  Meebo offers some gaudy color schemes, so some guidelines would help.

http://libguides.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/

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materials^{Image Added}

Page layout:

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No set limit to number of boxes allowed on page, but if it looks cluttered or if scrolling is excessive, creator should consider reorganizing or using Dreamweaver

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2 and 3 column layouts are both usable.

Set a maximum of one row of tabs ( 5 or 6 , max)tabs per page.  Subtabs may be used, but should be kept as simple as possible and labelled labeled wisely.
To make navigation easy, and to reduce clutter.    Don't link tabs to non-LibGuides URLs.

http://

libguides.mit.edu/humgeneral

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When given an option, people should have links open in a new tab/window.

To make navigating back to the page easier.

No limits on comments feature, besides being set to "moderated."

Some people may find this useful, but others might not want comments on their page.

No set limit to number of boxes allowed on page, but if it looks cluttered or if scrolling is excessive, creator should consider reorganizing or using Dreamweaver

Allow freedom of choice and allow content to govern design

Creators should choose to " Choose to "link to" or "copy" wisely.  Any time the content should be maintained by one person, use link to (ex., search box on template page)
People won't have to maintain content unnecessarily. . 

http://libguides.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/tools^{Image Removed}

Other features:

You can turn comments off, or leave them on.  Comments are centrally set to be "moderated" by the page editors. 

Don't use tags feature for now.

Looks cluttered, could get unwieldy quickly.  If some people use tags more than others, it could seem as if certain topics are underrepresented. 

http://libguides.dartmouth.edu^{Image Removed}

2 and 3 column layouts are both usable.

Lets the content inform design.

Members of the task force (& Nicole & Darcy?) will offer 4 or 5 hour-long sessions in July to teach procedures & policies for using LibGuides.  Training will be aimed at people making pages for public use, but anyone is welcome.

Learning is fun!  Focusing on training people to make public pages is manageable.

Images can be hosted on the Libraries server for now; there may be a better alternative in the future.

Making pages live:

Make sure to add a "friendly" shortcut URL for each page.  If you're making a test page, end the URL with "-test"

Add one or more subject categories per page.

Keep pages public or private.  Don't bother with unpublished.

No need to get approval to post pages.  Ask Marion if you need to add a link to your guide.