5 recommendations for web development on my own recently created website site that I would have liked to have implemented and the rationale behind these inclusions are:
Simplify searching
Searching is a vital part of a website, it is the most common action that the majority of users will want to undertake on a website, so ensuring it is easy for them to find is very important (Piola, 2018). In my WordPress site I ensured I selected a template where is was able to locate my search bars for the website and the catalogue in a prominent position on the header for the home page. Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of the WordPress.com platform I could not change the size of the bar, making it more prominent. Piola (2018) also recommends a less cluttered, dual purpose, toggle search bar between the catalogue and website, similar to that on the Eastern Regional Libraries website at https://www.yourlibrary.com.au/ however again due to limitations this was not able to be implemented.
Turn PDFs into web pages
On my contact page I have include a link to a reference interview PDF, allowing students an opportunity to provide specific information so that library staff can provide the best assistance for their needs. While this form is a method of collecting content, it does not allow it to be competed online. Rather they would need to print, then complete and either physically hand to library staff or scan and return my email. While the PDFs was a simple content solution due to limited time to create a page, they’re a real drain on SEO as Google will think it’s an image, not text as well it is a dead end without site navigation (Piola, 2018).To optimise this, and make it more user friendly I should instead create a recognised web page with a form that is able to be completed online over the PDF.
Keep the carousel to a minimum
While I was not able to implement a carousel of the library’s latest books due to the WordPress limitations, my intention was to have one under the homepage header. While they are a controversial topic in web design and they hurt conversion rates, Picola (2018) also acknowledges that libraries often have so much to promote, including a carousel can ensure there is an easy avenue for promoting their services, resources, and events. For my website, including a single carousel in the prominent position under the header would encourage patrons to quickly and easily see the library’s new resources, upcoming events and important information, all within a smaller limited space, without the need to necessarily engage or convert the user to additional information.
Make the Website Accessible
The final 2 things I would have liked to have implemented relate to accessibility. As Gambrell (2015) explains, inaccessible websites are barriers to all users, and students with disabilities are often faced with frustration and helplessness when using technology that has not taken this into account. I was able to include HTML page titles, link text to content and alt-text to images. However, as the video content I used was sourced from an external website I was not able to include captioning or transcripts for the video. So unfortunately, patrons who experience issues affecting sight, hearing, cognitive ability or who use another language will not be able to get the benefit of all the information included in the resource.
The final change I would have liked to have made would be for the website to have the functionality to be navigated by using a keyboard only (Gambrell, 2015). I tried to find additional tutorials regarding implementing this functionality but unfortunately did not find very much information available. This would be beneficial for students with limited mobility but also is necessary for mainstream students, most have touch screen, often the screen can get ‘stuck’ in a mode where the screen and track ball are lost. Having the capability to use the website independent of other features would ensure a more constant availability for interaction with the site.
References:
Eastern regional Library. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.yourlibrary.com.au/
Gambrell, K. (2015). 7 Best Practices for Creating a User Friendly Library Website. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/blog/article/7-best-practices-for-creating-a-user-friendly-library-website
Piola. (2018). 8 tips to improve your library’s website design. Retrieved from https://meetpiola.com/8-tips-to-improve-your-librarys-website-design/
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