UC Librarians in Print – UC Library Homepages

“Academic library Web sites are complex mixes of information gateways and links to resources and services. Hours, staff directories, research guides, room reservation systems, catalogs, databases, and donor information are just a handful of the many things users look for when they visit library sites. Keeping homepages simple, uncluttered, and easy to navigate is a challenge for library Web masters, and the costs to create and maintain Web sites are significant. “

“To this end, the University of California (UC) Libraries Heads of Public Services (HOPS) recently charged a taskforce to establish a set of shared best practices for library homepage nomenclature, content, and layout. Libraries in the ten-campus UC system currently share a number of resources and services: electronic collections, consortial borrowing, and 24/7 digital reference to name a few. Yet each of the ten libraries hosts and maintains its own Web page, each as unique as the campus it serves.”

The work of this taskforce, comprised of UC librarians Susan Mikkelsen (UCM),  Kristine Ferry (UCI), Rachael Hu (CDL), Brian Mathews (UCSB) and Deborah A. Murphy (UCSC), is described in an article in the June 2011 issue of C&RL News, entitled, “Come together; a common vocabulary for University of California library homepages. “ Kudos, colleagues!