Say Yes to the Media Center!

Much like the dresses on the show “Say Yes to the Dress,” school library media center websites come in a variety of sizes, designs, and styles. However, much like my taste in wedding dresses, I have found that simple is better. Here are some of the pet peeves I developed while researching websites. (In an effort to stay professional, I won’t use links here!)

      1. Too Much Text

No one wants to feel overwhelmed by the amount of text on a home page. When in doubt, keep it short! Always keep the wording to a minimum. As David Warlick says, “People do not come to the Internet to read. If they want to read, they curl up with a good book.” So... keep information in manageable chunks.

      2. Too Many Links

      Links to other pages or other sights are great, but they can quickly take over a page. Really think about the links you are adding to your page. Does your audience really need them? If so, organize them according to use and/or topic so that they are not guessing how to use them.

      3. Not Enough Graphics

Lots of blank white space just looks bad. Adding graphics to a page can make the page a lot more interesting. However, be wary of using clip art. You want your page to be your own…not a page with someone’s pictures. Use “real life” pictures to capture the audience’s attention.

      4. Disproportionate Icons

Some websites use icons, which are great for navigation, but they are often too big or too tiny for the actual page design. Make sure the icons are proportionate to the page itself. Your content should be the focus… not the icons (especially social networking icons!).

      5. Link Errors

What is more frustrating than finding a great link only to be greeted with an Error 3123.0211 message?? Always double check links to make sure they are current and accurate. Update frequently and monitor closely.

While these are extremely frustrating, I did also develop some great “Aaaaahhhhs” for good website design. These suggestions do come with links so as to highlight good design features!

      1. Keep the Scrolling to a Minimum - http://www.newtrier.k12.il.us/page.aspx?id=7108

Use links to other pages rather than making your page go on and on forever. Constantly having to scroll down a page can get tiring and often cause a user to search for a new resource.

      2. Use “Real” Graphics - http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Reed_MS/Library/index.html

Highlight your own media center…not someone else’s! You want to show off your environment or new collection materials. Make sure to use good quality pictures and that they are proportionate to the page.

      3. Put All Links on One Side - https://sites.google.com/site/theunquietlibrary/

Posting links all over the page can “junk up” a website. While the website example above leaves a lot to the imagination in other areas, it does have all the links on one side so that they are easy to use.

      4. Use Clear Navigation Techniques - http://wp.lps.org/mediabelmont/

You know what they say about good first impressions. You want your audience to be immediately drawn to your website and be quite clear on how to use it. Warlick suggests using larger fonts to highlight instructions and bolding certain ideas that you want to draw readers into.

      5. Use Other Technology - http://north-lmc.nes.noblesville.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml?gid=1613599&sessionid=8bb2783ab722bf08edb7708e97e00049&t=

Adding other technology such as embedded presentations or even You Tube videos can bring people back to your page. Like Warlick says, the goal is for people to actually use your page and return to reuse them.

After perusing many, many library media center websites, I have found that some are good and some are not so good. (Hello Captain Obvious?!) By checking out other sites and using your own likes and dislikes, you can design a school library media center website that is a high-traffic, quality site. Remember... Your goal is to create a site that makes readers say “Yes to the Media Center!”

What are your website pet peeves? Feel free to share in a comment!