From Mess To CMS: the transformation of a library website
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The document discusses the transformation of a library website, highlighting user feedback that calls for improved homepage functionality while maintaining existing features. It explores various content management system options, particularly emphasizing the benefits of Drupal for enhancing design flexibility and user experience. The responses indicate overall positive reception of the new interface, with requests for additional features like text size adjustments and theme translations.
From Mess To CMS: the transformation of a library website
- 1. From Mess to CMS: the transformation of a library website Michelle McLean Information Librarian Linda Burridge
- 3. User Feedback “ Clean up the homepage” “ Easier to find link to the online catalogue” “ GET RID OF DROPDOWN” “ Make easier to find link to my details” “ Link to view library locations/hours” “ Website that fills more of the screen” “ More interest and interactivity”
- 4. User Feedback “ Please do not delete any features. Everything is so easy to locate” “ Keep all of the current features... more databases, blogs, features etc” “ Leave it much the same as it is, why have change for the sake of change” “ Please do not do this. Your website is fine. It works – if it isn't broken, then why fix it.”
- 5. Website options Content Management System Custom built, out of box, build our own Drupal or Joomla
- 6. Design Considerations On screen real estate Functionality in banner Catalogue login and search Labels and language Colour and images
- 7. What Drupal gave us Template flexibility Flat structure Blocks Multiple contributors Login and edit Web 2.0 incorporation
- 8. What Drupal gave us Slideshow Upcoming events Catalogue interface Webforms Clean URLs Goes without saying
- 9. User Responses “ I think it looks great-so easy to navigate and find a particular item of interest ” “ Much cleaner interface and easier navigation, and much easier to log in” “ Very clean and smooth look. Love it. ” “ It is easy to read and understand. The layout makes it user friendly. ” “ I'm pleased that you have included account signon on the home page. ”
- 10. What’s new Spam filtering E-Newsletters Re-using content Expanding web team
- 11. What’s next T ext sizes and theme Translations Newsletters & Web 2.0 Workflow management Drupal 7 Catalogue integration
Editor's Notes
- #2: Michelle McLean – Information Librarian Linda Burridge – formerly Information Services Librarian CCLC – now on sabbatical
- #3: 3 rd generation of this design Custom built Changes/fixes/additions not quick or straightforward Intricate workarounds – update by experienced staff only NEEDED NEW WEBSITE
- #4: Survey – online only Confirmed what we thought about our user behaviour Reinforced plan to maintain basic content organisation
- #5: Positives Postiive about way site was structured and generally found things OK Comments about not changing though to come from less confident users
- #6: Wanted cms because 1. more contributors, 2 more control, 3. better organisation Out of box not attractive, custom built bad experience, so build our own drupal/joomla: drupal big US library community, faster to load, wider choice of modules, greater flexibility but harder to learn
- #7: 3 column layout, centre=dynamic eg feeds, L/R fixed content/functions, whitespace vs everything you want to feature, image/text ratio, Not – easily changed, tabs not in banner Access points – labelling tabs, multiple links (lack of hierarchy) Colour/images breaks up the text
- #8: Ability to change look and feel on the fly, not set and forget, including minor tweaks Got rid of hierarchy – any apparent levels are artificial and minimal (multiple links/access) Drupal uses a “block” structure – like building blocks for additional and movable content User management feature lots of levels, ease of use (wysiwyg), remote access Minimal ftp (not page content) login,edit and save Web2 – google calendar and maps, blogs and rss, widgets (news and weather)
- #9: Slideshow – 1.featured promotions (events, services) 2.book covers Upcoming events – next five adult events extracted from google calendar. Highlighted and managed Catalogue links – search box, login box plus multiple access points Easily configured webforms Pages named for humans eg www.cclc.vic.gov.au/narrewarren Site search, printer friendly pages, comments, send to friend
- #10: These responses came in via email and through a beta test of the new website. Knew about it when Account Login feature broke
- #11: Spam filtering – introduced Captcha to filter out spam coming through webforms E-Newsletters – Drupal as creator, publisher and emailer of e-newsletter content – initially our library newsletter - future? Blog posts being reposted as links in appropriate area of website (ie. Catalogue help) Beginning staff training – bringing more staff on as web editors (already contributing content through blogs)
- #12: Still in thinking/investigating – Drupal has modules to help Adding feature to allow users to adjust the text size on screen – common Translations – Druapl module to enable tranlsation of website content (still investigating) Move more of our newsletter content to Drupal and away from third party providers and Microsoft Publisher – potentially expanding library as publisher role As more staff are brought in to help with content, adjust workflows process to manage this Watch for the Drupal 7 release and determine best time and way to implement it for our website (module updates etc) MORE – dependent on library needs and how the availability of Drupal modules inspires us
- #13: This is our MESS