Schlowlibrary.orgLIS 2635 Information Architecture

Project 1

Maria K. Burchill

Why this Website?

• I chose Schlow Centre Region Library’s website because I am a member of the Library’s web authors committee and I am also on the planning committee for the site’s redesign.

• This project offers an opportunity to review the existing site’s shortcomings—a process that I hope will help the Library plan for the new one.

Our first look at Schlowlibrary.org’s homepage

Context

• Schlow Centre Region Library serves a fluctuating population: between 40K to 80K people. In the heart of farm country, the Library is located in State College, PA, only a few blocks from The Pennsylvania State University.

• The population is extremely diverse and the Library’s website is intended to serve them equally.

Bird’s-eye view of State College

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmd41280/2975460863/

Users

• Schlowlibrary.org’s users are middle-aged adults, young adults, retired adults, children, and both undergraduate and graduate students from around the world.

• This presents the primary difficulty when relating to this site, because there is no single “type” of user. So tailoring the user’s experience is challenging.

The website provides access to heterogeneous content

• To multiple online databases

• To personal Library accounts

• To the Library catalog

• To Library events

• To announcements

• To news by department

Organization scheme

• The site is built on a customized Drupal theme.

• It is organized ambiguously by audience and topic with content that could fit into multiple categories.

Organization Structure

• The site is organized as a top-down, shallow hierarchy with 4 global tabs, and many hypertext links in the sidebar to supplement connectivity between pages, as well as external databases.

Home Page

About AdultChildren’

s

Online Library

DonateArt

GalleryAccount

Link

Link

Link

Page Page Page PagePage Page Page Page

Page Page

Young adult

Link Link

Page Page

Organization Structure

• Unfortunately, links and dropdowns on the sidebar are grouped haphazardly.

• It is unclear if the purpose of these subdivisions is to associate the links below to the headings above.

Organization Structure

• 3 to 4 static boxes appear on the right of each page.

• The content and number of boxes change from page to page.

• In general, these include links to feature topics or stories, social tags, event calendars, and/or links to external blog posts.

Organization Structure

• A centralized, cross-listed feature box contains navigational aids and links to important announcements.

Organization Structure

• This cross-listed feature takes up valuable real estate and does not always differ from page to page. For example: the Young Adults page and the Adult’s page.

Organization Structure

• While this feature could be a valuable communication tool, it has the potential to confuse users who, navigating from page to page using department tabs, may not recognize any difference.

Labeling System

• Labels as links are consistently the same color, font, and size.

• Capitalization is haphazard.

• Language is user-friendly.

• Heading terminology and location may be confusing to users, e.g. the use of “Schlow.” What would the user expect to find here?

• Some labels may be redundant, e.g. “Online Library” and “eBooks and downloads.

Labeling System

• Another instance of redundancy occurs with the label “How do I…?”

Labeling System

• A “Connect & Follow,” label includes “Feeds,” which allows access to indexed tags. These tags are inconsistently labeled, e.g.. search, search website, resource, resources, Workshop, and workshops.

Navigation System

• A global navigation bar is consistent from page to page. It should be noted that the stories located under these tabs may be found under others.

Navigation System

• Drop-downs under “My Account” and links beneath “Schlow” are also global.

Navigation System

• Local navigation may be found in the side bar. The heading for each changes from page to page to reflect the department tab on which the user clicked.

• Unfortunately, this heading is located toward the bottom of the screen, and users must scroll to find it.

Navigation System

• A sitemap is available, but is nearly invisible to users as it’s located under “Connect & Follow.” A tag cloud also supplements navigation.

Navigation System

• Finally, a search box allows users to seek information within the site or to access the Library’s catalog directly. It completes the supplemental navigation of this site. However, analytics show that the search feature is almost never used for the site itself.

Recommendations

• Drastically reduce the number of “stories” on the homepage. Relegate most to department pages.

Recommendations

• Reduce the number of boxes on the right of the page. Most users will never see them below the large “Features” box.

Recommendations

• Organize sidebar headings under cohesive topics, e.g. “Contact Us” and “FAQs.”

• Using Google Analytics as a guide to user behavior, remove or relocate labels that are not used, e.g. “Art Gallery” and “Blogs.”

Recommendations

Finally and most importantly:

• Make better use of Google Analytics to discover user behavior and adjust navigation and organization accordingly.

Follow up

Schlow Library is in the process of redesigning this site.

• Users and staff have been surveyed. The results will be reviewed for further recommendations.

• The redesign team is looking at similar library’s to discover a company that has experience in designing other non-profit or library sites. Influx appears to be a possibility.

• Once a company has been identified, the Library expects much of the site’s upkeep will be taken over by them, which should allow staff to focus on content.

Sources

• Dawson, Jon (Photographer). (2008). State College, PA [Digital photograph]. Retrieved October 13, 2012, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmd41280/2975460863/

• Morville, Peter, & Louis Rosenfeld. (2007) Information Architecture for the World Wide Web. Beijing: O’Reilly.

• Schlow Centre Region Library. (2012) Schlowlibrary.org [website].