Web Design and Development Track – Internet Librarian 2007: Day 1

I spent most of my time in the development track today, but I did get a chance to move around more than I usually do. First impressions from my walk around the conference sessions:

• Search is still huge. Thirty search tips from Mary Ellen Bates had the largest attendance. I’m not sure what to make of that. Librarians like to search, everyone else likes to …
• Internet Librarian is just about the right size for me. Familiar faces from last year and participants in my workshops were easy to make contact with.

Some highlights from the “Web Design and Development Track”:

Session C101 — Planning & Implementing Library 2.0
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
David King, Digital Branch & Services Manager, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

David Lee King presented on strategies for implementing web 2.0 in the library. It was great to see David address the “if you build it, they will come” myth. He stressed the need to ask questions about: why a new service is needed, how a service will be supported, and how to promote and encourage use of the service. A nice, balanced presentation.

Session C102 — Putting Evidence-Based Practice to Work
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University
Amanda Hollister, Web Services Librarian, Memorial Library, SUNY Cortland

Frank Cervone and Amanda Hollister presented on moving towards a base of evidence for design and development decisions. Frank stressed that the research process was iterative. Ongoing and continual…. Amanda demoed a tracking user paths software application (built with ASP, XML, and Visual Basic). She was able to show anticipated paths and actual paths to content which was a nice measuring stick. It was a great session helping to frame exactly how to carry out research for development decisions and move away from the anecdotal.

Session C103 — New Rules of Web Design
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh

Jeff Wisniewski spoke about the new rules of web design. He took out the magnifying glass to really consider some of the pillars of web design. Among his findings: simplicity rules – we need to move away from religion of simplicity; content is king, but design matters; all content is created equally, but some content is more equal than other – eResources content is primary; design for 800×600? – 1024×768 is the new 800×600; RIP websafe palette – most devices are able to display a high range of colors; how often to redesign – constantly, iteratively; top of the page is prime real estate – nope, there is banner blindness. (Note to self: Jeff had a slide of at the end of all of his citations. I’ll have to get the link.)

Actual program descriptions are included below.

Session C101 — Planning & Implementing Library 2.0
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
David King, Digital Branch & Services Manager, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Has your library discussed creating a Flickr account? A MySpace teen site? Creating a blog? All these ideas are great, yet all have the potential to fail if not well-implemented. This session provides practical planning and implementation tips for dealing with emerging digital trends, focusing on setting up new Web 2.0 services such as MySpace, blogs, and Flickr to meet client needs.

Session C102 — Putting Evidence-Based Practice to Work
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University
Amanda Hollister, Web Services Librarian, Memorial Library, SUNY Cortland

Delivering services based on evidence, rather than anecdotes, is a growing trend within librarianship. Learn how two libraries have introduced evidence-based practice into the Web design process. The Northwestern case study explores the implementation of research into practice through an examination of the environment and the method of facilitation that led to evidence-based decision making for the library’s Web site. The Memorial Library Web site team collects and analyzes paths that users take through the site to discover what users are doing. Do students use the subject pages? How many links do they click before entering a database? Learn how the library has started to use the information about paths and user groups to create a personalized Web site.

Session C103 — New Rules of Web Design
1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh

Web design has evolved over the last decade: Do you know what the new rules are? Is less still more? Is scrolling bad? Is Flash still verboten? Learn about which design guidelines are still relevant, which no longer apply, and what you need to know to design a site that’s useful, usable, and attractive in the Web 2.0 world.