IA PROCESS
LIBRARY DESIGN
Library Redesign Case Study
We recommend collapsing the current landing page links into a more information or expandable menu for ‘Patrons’ or repeat users. Almost equivalent to an internal site or repository for library staff and advanced users, possibly under a log in or associated with the patron’s library card, similar to the New York Public Library site. The simplicity is foregrounded, but the more complicated and deeper dive information is still accessible, in a log in and drop down. Additionally, adding the search as a tab. As well as adding staff recommendations or best sellers as a rotation option to select.
Site Map
Wireframes
Results of Participant Sessions
Assessing Labeling and Taxonomy
Data Analysis
The most interesting measurable outcome I got from the failures, indirect or complete, for task 1 and 3, was that databases was confusing for several users. Participants expected to find broader categories of information there than I had in mind when I organized all searchable and outside database resources. In organizing, I labelled and moved the searchable links to one section, as they seemed peripheral to me, but users thought they were more integrated. Maybe this is a labelling concern? For example, the family genealogy oriented task, 1 of the 4 participants went to Ohio Databases first click. As well for the high school social
event and exhibit a user’s first click was database.
Supporting Tasks with Content, Labeling & Taxonomy
Learning and Understanding Users and Context
Project Brief
The website is a holding place for mountains of information that needs to be better organized than it currently is both for the outside and internal user. The library is small and lacks funding, the maintenance of the site needs to be easy for training in house staff and the architecture needs to make sense to both the average library patron and trained librarians. The site serves dual users and multiple purposes. They recognize this and want to honor this principle in the design and information architecture choices on the site.
Labeling and navigation elements are key to address the ‘who’ and ‘why’ of the site’s users. A parent looking for story time schedule, as well as a book club member, as well as a high school student researching for their paper or a history buff researching family records all have very different needs when approaching the website for information. Making basic contact and hours information easily accessible and apparent while still supplying more specific and relevant information is necessary in deciding the information architecture.