LibGuidance

About LibGuidance

In support of Library Online's development, LibGuidance has been created to assist users with content creation, explain LibGuides features, and offer tips for incorporating Sheffield Hallam branding.

Why use LibGuidance?

Designed with user-friendliness in mind, LibGuidance empowers both creators and viewers. It works seamlessly across devices and ensures content can be accessed by everyone, regardless of their tools.

By using LibGuidance you will be able to:

• Maintain Consistent Style: Stay current with new CSS styles without manually adjusting your content.
• Guarantee Accessibility: Guarantee your resources are accessible to everyone.
• Optimise for Mobile: Deliver a smooth experience for viewers on any device.
• User Experience: Consistent navigation that is easy for the user to follow.

Online Considerations

To engage users, we need to design content that prioritises clarity, accessibility, and findability. This focus on user experience extends from the way information is presented to how easily it can be found. By keeping these online considerations in mind, we can create content that is not only informative but also user-friendly.

Writing for web

Crafting content for the web requires a unique approach. Unlike traditional writing, web content needs to be clear, concise, and engaging to capture a user's attention amidst the vast online landscape.

Here are some key principles to remember:

• Clear and concise language: Write clear and concise content that is easy for users to understand. Avoid jargon and technical terms whenever possible.
• Proper headings and structure: Structure your content with clear headings and subheadings to help users navigate and understand the information.
• Scannability: Format your content for easy scanning. Use bullet points and white space to break up text and make it visually appealing.
• Alternative text for images: Provide alternative text descriptions for images to ensure users with visual impairments can understand the content.
• Consistency: Maintain a consistent brand voice and tone throughout your content to create a recognisable and trustworthy experience.

Mobile compatibility

Following LibGuidance ensures your guide is automatically mobile-friendly, without any limitations on your creativity as long as you stay within the recommended guidelines.

Mobile access is becoming increasingly crucial for libraries. User expectations are shifting, with a growing number seeking library resources on their mobile devices. Last year alone, a quarter of users accessed the library through mobile devices, and this trend is only accelerating.

HTML & CSS

It's important to note that while HTML can be used to add content to a LibGuide, it is always recommended to use LibGuide's built-in tools and widgets whenever possible. This ensures that your content is fully integrated with the LibGuide CSS and follows best practices for accessibility and usability.

Risk of using inline styles:

• Scattered styles: Inline styles make it difficult to find and modify styles throughout your code. Changes require editing each element individually, leading to tedious maintenance.
• Cluttered code: Inline styles mix presentation (styles) with content (HTML), making the code harder to read and understand.
• Limited reusability: Styles defined inline cannot be easily reused across different elements, reducing code efficiency.
• Dynamic stylesheets: Tools like screen readers rely on stylesheets to understand webpage structure. Inline styles can make it difficult for these tools to interpret the page correctly, hindering accessibility.
• Maintainability for future changes: Keeping styles separate allows for easier updates to cater to future accessibility standards.

Support

This guide aims to help you create resources on your own. However, if you are new to LibGuides or require advice, please seek support from your team's Library Online Development Group member:

• Learning and Teaching Support: Lizzie Seals
• Research Support: Dan Grace
• Resources: Steve Sharp
• Skills: Kirsty Hemsworth
• Systems Management: Tom Kistell
• Digital Technologies: Kerry Gregory

If you require something bespoke, or have feedback on the look & feel of this guide, please contact the Systems Team.