Making Find Words Larger on ThreeCols.htm

The task was this:

Figure out how to make the words on left top cell bigger on ThreeCols.htm

• Possibly use a graphic instead of words (option 1)
  
• The problem links:
  
• Find Books, Course Reserves, Videos
• Find Services for Faculty & Students


• Could make the header FIND… with the links being (option 2)
  
• Books, Course Reserves, Video
• Articles and Research Info
• Information on the Internet
• Help and Tutorials
• Services for Faculty & Students
• Library Lending Policies

What I did:

• I opted not to use graphics which present a loading problem for those with modems.
• I decided to work with option 2. This is what I did:
• Changed the column header [css style id="search2"] wording to "Find ..."
• Did not need to change the style in stylesheet..
• Removed the word "find" from each of the links as above.
• Tried an inline style on the links to make the font larger but it didn't work as well as I liked.
  
• Added a new style to the stylesheet library.css :
• .announce2 {border-left: 1px solid #CCCCCC; font-size: .95em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; padding: 10px;}
  
• This seems to work O.K.
  

Design tasks to be added today 4/18/06

Leftover to finish from yesterday:

Suggestion:
Widen the center column.

Ideas re: above:

• The left navigation bar/menu needed to be narrowed (leftbox css width,paddings, and margins)
• The right help box needed no changes.
• The middle box/column needed to be widened (midbox css width, paddings, and margins)
• Problem: Something seems to be overriding the 760px width as evidenced by the header graphic appearing to be too short.
• Ideas:
  ---- Check all box/column widths, margins, padding (all seem OK)
  ---- Check all tables for cellspacing and cellpadding. Found a cellpadding of 5px and changed to 0px. (fixed)

Today:

Suggestion:
Remove w3 links from A-Z and All by Subject Lists

Ideas re: above:

• The links are currently used as they are on the A-Z list and on the Shortcut pages so I am reluctant to exclude them from the lists above where they would have more exposure.
• Might try intermixing them within the appropriate sections. (Mock up.)
• Result: It makes the list too long to interfile them in the A-Z list. Will have to test in the subject list.

Suggestion:
Revise this page:
From Home Page A at http://library.austincc.edu/acc2level/plain.htm I clicked on "Find Info on the Internet" and got to the "Search for Information on the Internet / Webpage" page at

http://library.austincc.edu/acc2level/internet.htm. (Jon Luckstead)

LS Web design tasks for today 4/17/06

Wait for responses from the Web Committee re: Eresources Pages

• Then ask what the eresources folder "index.htm" should be




• (Browse Eresources by General Subjects)


• http://library.austincc.edu/eresources/SubGen.htm


• Some new page with all the links maybe modeled off the three column student ACC page -- http://www.austincc.edu/current/


• Note: Probably should be the more graphic version of a text-based page

Figure out how to make the words on left top cell bigger on ThreeCols.htm

• Possibly use a graphic instead of words


• The problem links:




• Find Books, Course Reserves, Videos


• Find Services for Faculty & Students



• Could make the header FIND… with the links being




• Books, Course Reserves, Videos


• Articles and Research Info


• Information on the Internet


• Help and Tutorials


• Services for Faculty & Students


• Library Lending Policies

Other things to do:

1. Have all librarians look at two home page versions


2. Work on template for FAQs


3. Web Opac changes




• Change the black header nav bar on opac


• Instead of What's New >> Library Home


• Work with Eddie on Span Opac wording


• Make OpacGray the opacmenu.html

How I should have been using this blog

It occurred to me that I should have been inputting my To Do lists re: the revision of the library web site on this blog instead of just thoughtful ideas of mine or others about web sites, in general. As an aside, I think it just a matter of habit -- not used to having a public forum to record these things -- and an opinion that most bloggers are somewhat arrogant in thinking that others "really" want to know what they think.

I should be using this to document the evolution of a website redesign. I'll try to think about how I can do this so that the next time, we can avoid some of the tedious things we've tried. Since others, i.e., the Web Committee, can add to this website, they should feel free to do so. That they have not is either an indication that I was not clear about the purpose of this site in the beginning or they really don't have anything to add.

I'll try to figure out at way to include the nitty gritty of what transpire/s/d by linking to earlier documents and lists beginning now so that there is an archival record. If I can find time to think about how to do it...

Maximizing the research of library resources

We need to be looking ahead -- outside the box -- expanding our horizons.... I know we don't want to be the bleeding edge, but we also need to be more cognizant of the skills of our user base which range widely from rock and chisel to expert electronic multi-tasking. Is there a better way of providing both a learning and a research environment for our students? Can we provide... say multiple portals ... within the constraints of the ACC Web context? Will ACC Content Management be too long in development to provide us with the necessary tools to meet user wishes and needs?

Earlier in the blog article quoted below, she mentions the NCSU catalog we've mentioned before and the Primo product from Ex Libris. NCSU is an in-house product, the like of which would be possible for us with a CMS and some programmer dedicated to library resources. Can't see that happening anytime soon, can you?

From one of Lorcan Dempseys blogs...

We have been used to thinking about the catalog and the integrated library system as at the centre. But as more comes onto the network we are surrounded by many systems to help us do our research, learning and play. This is one reason why I think we have seen a gradual shift in focus over time from database to website to workflow.

And this means that it becomes more important to think about how library resource and functionality play well with the "real design center", the network, and the multiple other network systems that consume the attention of library users. This suggests that we need good ways of solving the many to many issue within the search engines (how do you connect users to resources that they are authorized to use without cluttering the user experience with resources they are not authorized to use), and we believe that the developing OpenWorldCat program is one way of doing this. And it suggests that we need to make library resources more 'service-able' in ways which facilitate their integration with user workflows and other applications.