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1 Introduction
This case study examines the best practices the authors developed as a web team to coordinate a library web site redesign project and engineer the web site for optimum usability. Like many other mid-sized public academic libraries, the Queens College Libraries (QCL) was resource-challenged in both human and physical resources. The goal was to engineer a web site which would make library information easier to find in a practical way. Web redesign consists of two interconnected parts, the web development process and web design. The authors established best practices in both areas and completed the redesign project by applying them, making the creation of a new improved web site a reality.
Academic libraries usually function best as a collaborative working environment. Web project results can be optimized by linking knowledge of web technology to cooperative colleagues through a well-coordinated venture. The authors based their best practices in web development on principles learned from years of experience with technology-driven projects. Similarly, they used principles of good web site design gleaned from years of experience with library and web users, and reflective of conventional web wisdom. The team applied the following best practices to the redesign project.
Best practices in web development
Leadership and teamwork were essential. A redesign project needs to be led by a librarian or coordinator on a regular basis. Fortunate libraries have at least one person as coordinator who is both a librarian and a technician, a web librarian of sorts. Less fortunate libraries need a librarian and a technician to work as a team. Those with a web librarian will invariably need that person to work closely with one or two others on the project, so teamwork applies to multiple scenarios.
Collaboration was needed among the library professionals who used the web site to instruct users and who participated in shared governance of the library.
Sound and sustainable decision making was facilitated by the coordinator. Deliberation with colleagues helped make decisions sound. The testing and review of implemented decisions helped make them sustainable. The team used a three-step process coordinating two working groups, one to make decisions, the other to provide feedback:
Step 1. Working group one for decisions:
- identify an issue;
- discuss solutions;
- decide tentatively on...