From Mess To CMS: the transformation of a library website
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Documents how a public library service revitalised and updated their website, using the open source content management system Drupal.
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From Mess To CMS: the transformation of a library website
- 1. From Mess to CMS: the transformation of a library website Michelle McLean Information Librarian Linda Burridge
- 3. User Feedback “ Clean up the homepage” “ Easier to find link to the online catalogue” “ GET RID OF DROPDOWN” “ Make easier to find link to my details” “ Link to view library locations/hours” “ Website that fills more of the screen” “ More interest and interactivity”
- 4. User Feedback “ Please do not delete any features. Everything is so easy to locate” “ Keep all of the current features... more databases, blogs, features etc” “ Leave it much the same as it is, why have change for the sake of change” “ Please do not do this. Your website is fine. It works – if it isn't broken, then why fix it.”
- 5. Website options Content Management System Custom built, out of box, build our own Drupal or Joomla
- 6. Design Considerations On screen real estate Functionality in banner Catalogue login and search Labels and language Colour and images
- 7. What Drupal gave us Template flexibility Flat structure Blocks Multiple contributors Login and edit Web 2.0 incorporation
- 8. What Drupal gave us Slideshow Upcoming events Catalogue interface Webforms Clean URLs Goes without saying
- 9. User Responses “ I think it looks great-so easy to navigate and find a particular item of interest ” “ Much cleaner interface and easier navigation, and much easier to log in” “ Very clean and smooth look. Love it. ” “ It is easy to read and understand. The layout makes it user friendly. ” “ I'm pleased that you have included account signon on the home page. ”
- 10. What’s new Spam filtering E-Newsletters Re-using content Expanding web team
- 11. What’s next T ext sizes and theme Translations Newsletters & Web 2.0 Workflow management Drupal 7 Catalogue integration
Editor's Notes
- Michelle McLean – Information Librarian Linda Burridge – formerly Information Services Librarian CCLC – now on sabbatical
- 3 rd generation of this design Custom built Changes/fixes/additions not quick or straightforward Intricate workarounds – update by experienced staff only NEEDED NEW WEBSITE
- Survey – online only Confirmed what we thought about our user behaviour Reinforced plan to maintain basic content organisation
- Positives Postiive about way site was structured and generally found things OK Comments about not changing though to come from less confident users
- Wanted cms because 1. more contributors, 2 more control, 3. better organisation Out of box not attractive, custom built bad experience, so build our own drupal/joomla: drupal big US library community, faster to load, wider choice of modules, greater flexibility but harder to learn
- 3 column layout, centre=dynamic eg feeds, L/R fixed content/functions, whitespace vs everything you want to feature, image/text ratio, Not – easily changed, tabs not in banner Access points – labelling tabs, multiple links (lack of hierarchy) Colour/images breaks up the text
- Ability to change look and feel on the fly, not set and forget, including minor tweaks Got rid of hierarchy – any apparent levels are artificial and minimal (multiple links/access) Drupal uses a “block” structure – like building blocks for additional and movable content User management feature lots of levels, ease of use (wysiwyg), remote access Minimal ftp (not page content) login,edit and save Web2 – google calendar and maps, blogs and rss, widgets (news and weather)
- Slideshow – 1.featured promotions (events, services) 2.book covers Upcoming events – next five adult events extracted from google calendar. Highlighted and managed Catalogue links – search box, login box plus multiple access points Easily configured webforms Pages named for humans eg www.cclc.vic.gov.au/narrewarren Site search, printer friendly pages, comments, send to friend
- These responses came in via email and through a beta test of the new website. Knew about it when Account Login feature broke
- Spam filtering – introduced Captcha to filter out spam coming through webforms E-Newsletters – Drupal as creator, publisher and emailer of e-newsletter content – initially our library newsletter - future? Blog posts being reposted as links in appropriate area of website (ie. Catalogue help) Beginning staff training – bringing more staff on as web editors (already contributing content through blogs)
- Still in thinking/investigating – Drupal has modules to help Adding feature to allow users to adjust the text size on screen – common Translations – Druapl module to enable tranlsation of website content (still investigating) Move more of our newsletter content to Drupal and away from third party providers and Microsoft Publisher – potentially expanding library as publisher role As more staff are brought in to help with content, adjust workflows process to manage this Watch for the Drupal 7 release and determine best time and way to implement it for our website (module updates etc) MORE – dependent on library needs and how the availability of Drupal modules inspires us
- This is our MESS