Library subdomain names

Tue Aug 6 21:47:42 EDT 2013

Just for search engine optimization, college.edu/library will have better
Page rank than library.college.edu , because college.edu and
library.college.edu get treated as different domains for search
algorithms.  So, the big campus site carries more heft.  I think this
doesn't matter so much when you are on a .edu

One the other hand, you can get better third party analysis and
analytics about a subdomain (ie. website.informer.com and others will treat
the subdomain as separate and give your library site a personal report).

-Wilhelmina Randtke

On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 12:07 PM, <your name> Michael Yunkin <
michael.yunkin at unlv.edu> wrote:

> I agree that intuitive URLs should be the norm, but this brings up an
> interesting question: Does any user on earth still try to find a website by
> guessing at the URL, or do they just search for it? The pattern I see in
> usability tests (where the first question is invariably "Go to the
> library's home page") is that they put the institution's name in the
> address bar and navigate to the library, or they search for "UNLV library".
> I've never seen a user (outside of library employees) enter the library URL.
>
> It would be interesting to research whether human-readable URLs are as
> important as they once were. I know they are FOR ME, but I have no idea if
> they are for our users.
>
>    -Michael Yunkin
>    Web Content Manager/Usability Specialist
>    UNLV Libraries
>    Las Vegas, NV
>
>
> [image: Inactive hide details for Michael Schofield ---08/05/2013 09:35:56
> AM---Definitely, My point is that if possible you should set]Michael
> Schofield ---08/05/2013 09:35:56 AM---Definitely, My point is that if
> possible you should settle on the most intuitive URL. A user looking
>
> From: Michael Schofield <mschofield at NOVA.EDU>
> To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Date: 08/05/2013 09:35 AM
>
> Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Library subdomain names
> Sent by: Web technologies in libraries <WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Definitely,
>
> My point is that if possible you should settle on the most intuitive URL.
> A user looking for  the College Library website without having the link
> could drum-in library.college.edu or college.edu/library with the
> expectation that it will resolve, but he or she will *never* think to try
> *mc*library.college.edu – unless you expect all users to know the name of
> the library (and what a misplaced expectation that would be).
>
> Michael // ns4lib.com
>
>
>
> *From:* Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU<WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>]
> *On Behalf Of *Richard Wiggins*
> Sent:* Monday, August 05, 2013 11:52 AM*
> To:* WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU*
> Subject:* Re: [WEB4LIB] Library subdomain names
>
> Well, belaboring the obvious, but just to be clear: the word "Manhattan"
>  obviously conveys class.  The word "mclibrary" invites the eye to see
> McLibrary, which could convey another image.
>
> Best of luck to the original poster.  I hope she will report back with the
> end choice.
>
> /rich
>
> On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 9:37 AM, Michael Schofield <*mschofield at nova.edu*<mschofield at nova.edu>>
> wrote:
> I agree. The *simplest *URL is the answer, whatever you determine that
> might be. I prefer *library.domain.edu* <http://library.domain.edu/> if
> only because the *domain.edu/library/* <http://domain.edu/library/> can
> get pretty harry with directories (i.e., we are
> .edu/library/main/whateverelse ), but opt for what’s available. You might
> find that *lib* works, but I would avoid a domain that includes your
> library’s name – you suggested *mclibrary*. Users remember big brands,
> and yet I’ve never known a user to remember the name  of the library.
>
> Additionally, if you can take further advantage then try to grab-up the
> domains that a user might enter without navigating through the university
> site or Googling. If you go for *lib.whatever.edu*<http://lib.whatever.edu/>,
> be sure to take *whatever.edu/library* <http://whatever.edu/library> and
> redirect it.
>
> Now you have 4 cents : ).
>
> Michael // *ns4lib.com* <http://ns4lib.com/>
>
> *From:* Web technologies in libraries [mailto:*WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU*<WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>]
> *On Behalf Of *Richard Wiggins*
> Sent:* Sunday, August 04, 2013 4:21 PM*
> To:* *WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU* <WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>*
> Subject:* Re: [WEB4LIB] Library subdomain names
>
> This is something that institutions of all sizes wrestle with, as they
> have ever since the Web era began.  When do you use subdomains?  When do
> you use a "folder" - virtual or real - anchored off the main site?  When do
> you create a new domain?  Disney screwed this up with their "go"
> subdomains.  CBS uses *cbsnews.com* <http://cbsnews.com/> instead of *
> news.cbs.com* <http://news.cbs.com/>.
>
> But you folks appear to have it simple.  From a glance it appears that the
> major entry points at *manhattan.edu* <http://manhattan.edu/> are *
> manhattan.edu/topic* <http://manhattan.edu/topic> - About, Admissions,
> Academics.  What's wrong with *manhattan.edu/library*<http://manhattan.edu/library> ?
>  Seems clean and simple.
>
> I do believe in generous redirects based on log analysis.  I just tried *
> http://www.cbs.com/news* <http://www.cbs.com/news> and it failed to give
> the obvious redirect.
>
> Frankly, making your main link mclibrary.*manhattan.edu*<http://manhattan.edu/> because
> of a previous choice of a proxy server strikes me as an unfortunate choice,
> though understandable based on history.  But is your library branded in any
> way as "mclibrary" ?  Not a good brand.
>
> I'd worry more about why a search from the *manhattan.edu*<http://manhattan.edu/> home
> page doesn't bring up your library at the top of the hit list, and why the
> library is not more prominently featured on the home page.
>
> Just 2 cents' worth from far away.  Good luck!
>
> /rich
>
> On Sun, Aug 4, 2013 at 10:20 AM, Stacy Pober <*stacy.pober at manhattan.edu*<stacy.pober at manhattan.edu>>
> wrote:
> As part of our web redesign, we are being given the opportunity to have
> our own subdomain in the college's website.
>
> The most logical name would be "library" but that one is already being
> used for our EZproxy server, and it would be most onerous to change over
> 100,000 EZproxy links in our catalog, libguides, etc.
>
> We've thought about some alternative subdomain names such as lib or
> mclibrary.  Anyone have some library subdomain naming wisdom they'd like to
> share?
>
> --
> Stacy Pober
> Information Alchemist
> Manhattan College Library
> Riverdale, NY 10471*
> **stacy.pober at manhattan.edu* <stacy.pober at manhattan.edu>
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2013-08-06
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