[Web4lib] website redesign

[Jonathan Bloy]

Raumin "Ray" Dehghan wrote:
>...having discussions with my manager and IT professional about the
>design of the site and am considering making suggestions to
>redesign our website.
>
>Some examples of improvements we have discussed are making the
>database access and account logins more prominent, and just making
>it less busy in general.  After reflecting on these discussions,
>I'm really wondering whether a redesign is actually what is needed.
>
>   Our website URL is http://www.westchicago.lib.il.us/.


My advice would be to get some feedback from your patrons about the
website.  How do they feel about it?  What do they like about it?  What
don't they like?  What do they wish it had?  What would they change
about it?  Etc.

Posting a survey prominently on the website would be one way to solicit
some feedback with minimal effort.  That would go a long way in helping
you decide if a redesign is needed, and what you might want to change
about the design.  A user study (although much more time consuming)
would also give you some good information.

--
Jonathan Bloy
Web Services Librarian
Edgewood College
Madison, Wisconsin
http://library.edgewood.edu/