[Web4lib] Labeling on Websites (electronic resources)

Mon Jun 8 11:08:18 EDT 2009

I agree in concept and application, especially with the point that
this is the greatest challenge: communicating what the library website
IS in the first place, i.e. a gateway to resources found  elsewhere
online.  (At least until a fast, unified, and comprehensive search of
library database is possible.)

Perhaps, a site that put things in the most simple terms possible
"browse what we have online" - as compared to "search what's on the
shelf."

Or, we could use a metaphor.  This could get really cheesy if rigidly
applied to a web environment, but I use the analogy of a "grocery
store" or "shopping mall" when I do instruction sessions to give
students the idea that they are browsing a collection of various
items, each found on its own 'aisle' or in its own 'store.'

Maybe, some of these images or mental pictures could be used to
reinforce what the library is actually providing (and the inherent
limitations).

Of course, giving them a "quick search" starting point is also really
helpful, whether a single database, or a unified (locally indexed)
discovery interface.

Cause really that' all they really want anyway half the time!

-Jon

Jonathan Blackburn
Web Development Librarian
Florida State University Libraries
Phone: 850.645.6986
AIM/E-mail: jblackbu at fsu.edu

On Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 5:53 PM, Walker, David<dwalker at calstate.edu> wrote:
>> What do we call databases besides "databases"?
>
> I think the problem is not so much the label itself, but the fact that users _aren't_ looking for databases.  They aren't looking for 'guides' or 'resources' or any of the other terminology we tend to present user with either.
>
> What new users don't realize is that the library's website is really just a jumping off point to a dozen or a couple hundred different databases and systems.  They  assume -- as any of us would for any other website -- that they can just "search the library website."  The fact that they can't do this is the fundamental problem.
>
> Most users, I suspect, principally think in terms of the _topic_ they want to do research on.  That's how they would approach research in any other venue.  So if you can put on your homepage some high-level subjects (or, better, if you're an academic library the university's actual departments and majors), then I think you'll find that users will be drawn to those links.
>
> Most libraries, however, do it the opposite way.  They present top-level links to 'databases' (or 'articles'), and then on that second-level page break it down by subject.  Another link off the homepage perhaps goes to 'Guides', which are then broken down by the same topics.
>
> Flip it around.  Put the subjects on the homepage, and then from there have the databases and maybe some "guides" linked off on the right.  People worry about that taking up too much space on the homepage, but that's based on incorrect assumptions, I think.
>
> Subject terms, I'm certain, give off the best scent.
>
> --Dave
>
> ==================
> David Walker
> Library Web Services Manager
> California State University
> http://xerxes.calstate.edu
> ________________________________________
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Louise Alcorn [Louise.Alcorn at wdm-ia.com]
> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 8:53 AM
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Labeling on Websites (electronic resources)
>
> What do we call databases besides "databases"?  Do we name them by what they do (Address Finder, test prep finder) - but then how do we group them?  Under what heading??
>
> This is the area we most struggled with, I think.
>
> Louise E. Alcorn
> Reference Technology Librarian
> West Des Moines Public Library
> 4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
> West Des Moines IA 50265
> (515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
> http://www.wdmlibrary.org
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Campbell, James (jmc)
> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 10:33 AM
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Labeling on Websites (electronic resources)
>
> It's often been mentioned here, but maybe not for a while.  John Kupersmith's Library Terms That Users Understand - http://www.jkup.net/terms.html -  is a terrific resource for this type of discussion, though unfortunately but inevitably it's better at identifying terms they don't understand than at suggesting terms they do.
>
> One of its best uses is to provide some hard evidence for the colleagues who have always called them databases and don't really think there's any problem.
>
>      - Jim Campbell
>
>      Digital Access Librarian | Librarian for German
>      University of Virginia Library | Charlottesville, VA 22904-4112
>
>      513 Alderman | campbell at virginia.edu | 434-924-4985
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Sharon Foster
> Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:16 AM
> To: Louise Alcorn
> Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org; Cecily Walker
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Labeling on Websites (electronic resources)
>
> We struggled with this, too. We settled on "Research Your Topic," plus bumped it up to the second spot.
>
> http://www.cheshirelibrary.org
>
> Previously it was "Articles and Databases." I think the word "research" has to be a little more familiar to the average public library user than the word "databases." It might make an  interesting little survey to find out.
>
> http://web.archive.org/web/20071009045856/http://www.cheshirelibrary.org/
>
> I have no data to prove it, but my feeling is that moving it up increased its visibility and use more than changing the name. Likewise for changing "Books and Reading" to "Find a Good Book," and moving it to the first place.
>
> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
> Speaker-to-Computers
> http://www.vsa-software.com/mlsportfolio/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 5, 2009 at 10:49 AM, Louise Alcorn<Louise.Alcorn at wdm-ia.com> wrote:
>> Hi Cecily.
>> We've really struggled with this ourselves [
>> http://www.wdmlibrary.org/ ] We use "References/Tools" which I kinda
>> hate to describe our lists of subject-grouped reference links.  We
>> also avoided the word "research", but I'm not sure we've hit on
>> anything that works. We have mouse-over menus on our website, and all
>> the meaty stuff is under "Library Resources" which annoys me.
>> Unfortunately, since we were using a web design company (I hope to
>> take this back over in a couple of years), much of the menu-ing had to
>> be decided all at once, and cannot be changed at present.
>>
>> We did a lot of "Quick Links" to obvious stuff (catalog, calendar,
>> etc.) to improve navigation.  It helped a bit.  We also struggled with
>> how to group our downloadable audiobooks and video collections from
>> outside vendors, and put them under "Downloadable Media"...which almost works.
>> I think we were more successful with our "Using the Library" and
>> "About the Library" sets of linkages, as these were more straightforward.
>>
>> If someone has a really useful, effective term(s) for all those
>> wonderful pathfinders and links we all create, I'd love to hear it!
>>
>> Louise E. Alcorn
>> Reference Technology Librarian
>> West Des Moines Public Library
>> 4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
>> West Des Moines IA 50265
>> (515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com http://www.wdmlibrary.org
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
>> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Cecily Walker
>> Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2009 4:02 PM
>> To: web4lib at webjunction.org
>> Subject: [Web4lib] Labeling on Websites (electronic resources)
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> We've been having a bit of discussion on a a couple of the web teams I'm
>> on regarding labeling and terminology on library websites.
>> Previously, I spent all my work time in private enterprises, so coming
>> back to the library space has certainly been a learning experience.
>>
>> What we're dealing with now is how to label electronic resources and
>> research guides. We want the label to be as succinct as possible, and
>> ideally, it would give off enough of an information scent so that the
>> public would be able to tell what sorts of things they might find after
>> clicking that link.
>>
>> At present, our website navigation includes "Research Guides &
>> Suggestions By Topic", as well as "Newspapers, Articles, Encyclopedias &
>> More". There are obvious problems with any label that includes the word
>> "more" because it's a very vague term. Because we're a public library,
>> the word 'research' doesn't test all that well with our population
>> because they don't always consider what they're doing to be research. We
>> switched from "Electronic Resources" to the new terms because we found
>> our patrons just didn't really understand what electronic resources
>> were.
>>
>> So I'm curious - how do you label these items on your website? I know
>> that this is one of those things for which there is no perfect answer,
>> but curiosity has gotten the better of me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Cecily  Walker, MLIS
>> Web Services Librarian
>> Vancouver Public Library
>> cecily.walker at gmail.com (personal)
>> cecily.walker at vpl.ca (work)
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Web4lib mailing list
>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Web4lib mailing list
>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Web4lib mailing list
> Web4lib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>
>