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On the other hand, I'm looking for best practices that I call point librarians to. And for that, having support from ALA/LITA is pretty much essential. I can quote Jared Spool or Jakob Nielsen till I'm blue in the face and no one will listen, but if I can say "these guidelines come from ALA" more people at my place of work will actually listen. Bennett - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bennett Claire Ponsford | Digital Services Librarian > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Joshua Welker > Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 2:57 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: LibGuides v2 > - Templates and Nav) > > Code4Lib is certainly respected among techy librarians, but I would bet that > 90% of my coworkers have never heard of it and would not care especially > much about a document they publish. Not to disparage the group. > I think it's great. I just think that official, institutionalized channels are going > to be most effective in this case. > > I will be gone several days but will start throwing some things together soon. > > Josh Welker > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Sean Hannan > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 2:30 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: LibGuides v2 > - Templates and Nav) > > I'm just going to jump in here and question the need for it to be ALA or LITA > affiliated. Plenty of stuff has been accomplished and respected (like, oh, hey, > code4lib) without an attachment of ALA or LITA. > > Annnnd...discuss. > > -Sean > ________________________________________ > From: Code for Libraries [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Joshua > Welker [[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 3:19 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: LibGuides v2 > - Templates and Nav) > > Bohyun, > > That sounds like it could be a great fit. > > There would be two final products for what I have in mind: > > 1. A wiki site (ideally attached to an ALA-affiliated domain name) where we > can collaborate and break all this down at the topic level. This is the source > that would be used by the boots-on-the-ground librarians who are actually > doing UX work and need practical information. It would be continually > updated. The content would be curated, and there would be a very basic > approval process for creating new editor accounts. > > 2. An annually-revised document (again, attached to an ALA-affiliated > domain > name) that compiles everything from the wiki together in a format that can > easily be presented to other librarians and administrators. In my experience, > a bureaucratically approved document carries a lot more weight in libraries > than a website, at least in academic libraries. > > Topics that would be addressed: > > 1. Accessibility > 2. Layout patterns > 3. Typography and readability > 4. Best practices for specific library web platforms 5. Recommendations for > how libraries should implement the guidelines at a management level > (non-technical) > > Josh Welker > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Kim, Bohyun > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 1:42 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: LibGuides v2 > - Templates and Nav) > > Jumping into this discussion late. Just wanted to let everyone know that LITA > UX IG would be more than happy to provide a venue for this type of > discussion since it would fit the interest of UX IG perfectly. (I am chairing the > IG this year; ping me if that sounds interesting and if there is anything LITA > UX IG can help.) LITA IGs are super flexible. > > Cheers, > Bohyun > > > -- > Bohyun Kim, MA, MSLIS > Associate Director for Library Applications and Knowledge Systems University > of Maryland, Baltimore Health Sciences and Human Services Library > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Megan O'Neill Kudzia > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 1:24 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: LibGuides v2 > - Templates and Nav) > > I've been following with interest, and I think some really important points are > coming out here. > > John, what you said about Tomcat vs. Jetty really resonated with me - maybe > this is *yet another* place where we could split this thread, but I think for > those of us straddling the gap between web design and web development, > something like a reference guide for what the questions to ask even are, > would be extremely helpful. > > As you said, the answer to many many questions is, "it depends," and > knowledge of those topics comes with experience. However, maybe (and I > volunteer to help with this project, inasmuch as I can) a sort of expansion of > the Guide for the Perplexed would be really useful for those of us who are > no longer total beginners, but are sort of struggling to level up? > > That is, those of us with some experience of various projects could > contribute anything public-share-able from our post mortem project > conversations, relevant to each type of project? It's something I've been > thinking about for some time, and I'm still not sure what an optimal structure > would be, but I keep thinking it would be a really worthwhile project. > > I will also say that everything I've found on alistapart and libux has been > incredibly useful! > > On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 11:05 AM, Joshua Welker <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > How many folks following this discussion are LITA members? Would > > anyone be willing to join LITA to be a part of an interest group on > > this subject? I will renew my membership in LITA if that is the best > > route to take. > > > > Josh Welker > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > > Of Cindi Blyberg > > Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:46 AM > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: > > LibGuides v2 > > - > > Templates and Nav) > > > > Oh, and if UX doesn't fit, y'all can establish the LITA Web Standards > > IG, or the LITA Code4Lib Web Best Practices IG, or whatever you want > > to call it. > > You need 10 LITA Member signatures: > > > > > > http://www.ala.org/lita/sites/ala.org.lita/files/content/about/manual/ > > forms/e5-igformation.pdf > > > > > > http://www.ala.org/lita/about/igs > > > > On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 10:44 AM, Cindi Blyberg <[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > > > > > *puts on LITA hat* > > > > > > There are several ways that LITA/ALA could play a role here. > > > > > > Publications: > > > There is a series of books called LITA Guides. Great way to get the > > > word out widely, but a static format. > > > http://www.alastore.ala.org/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=lita > > > > > > There are also Library Technology Reports - a periodical. Still > > > static, but published more regularly: > > > http://alatechsource.org/ltr/index > > > > > > There is also the LITA UX Interest Group. IGs are fluid, > > > volunteer-run (not appointed), and can pretty much do what they want. > > > Publish and update something? Sure! Establish and run a virtual > > > conference? Definitely! Have meetings and programs at conferences? > Yes! > > > Caveat: must be a LITA member. > > > > > > Happy to provide more info if needed. > > > > > > -Cindi > > > of the many hats > > > > > > On Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 10:34 AM, Joshua Welker <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > > > > >> I definitely agree that we should adhere to larger web standards > > >> and that we should actively discourage conventions that libraries > > >> have adopted over the years that have nothing to do with wider > > >> standards and best practices (e.g. > > >> tabbed search boxes, content in sidebar regions). In fact, much of > > >> our work would just be bringing together information from several > > >> standards into a common location and putting a "librarian" stamp of > > >> approval on it. > > >> > > >> Some topics I had in mind: > > >> > > >> -Accessibility standards: screen readers, color blindness, keyboard > > >> navigation, alt tags, etc. > > >> -Text: readable fonts, colors, text alignment -Page layout: > > >> navigation location, sidebars, headings and subheadings, search box > > >> designs, database pages, mobile friendliness -Best practices for > > >> specific library platforms: LibGuides, DSpace, etc. > > >> > > >> Some official name would be required, of course. I also think it > > >> would be great if we could write a draft, bring it to an official > > >> ALA group like LITA, and get them to adopt it after making their > > >> own tweaks. > > >> > > >> Josh Welker > > >> > > >> > > >> -----Original Message----- > > >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > > >> Behalf Of Michael Schofield > > >> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:01 AM > > >> To: [log in to unmask] > > >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: > > >> LibGuides > > >> v2 - > > >> Templates and Nav) > > >> > > >> I am interested but I am a little hazy about what kind of standards > > >> you all are suggesting. I would warn against creating standards > > >> that conflict with any actual web standards, because I--and, I > > >> think, many others--would honestly recommend that the #libweb > > >> should aspire to and adhere more firmly to larger web standards and > > >> best practices that conflict with something that's more, ah, > > >> librarylike. Although that might not be what you folks have in mind > > >> at all : ). > > >> > > >> Michael S. > > >> > > >> -----Original Message----- > > >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > > >> Behalf Of Brad Coffield > > >> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:30 AM > > >> To: [log in to unmask] > > >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Library community web standards (was: > > >> LibGuides > > >> v2 - > > >> Templates and Nav) > > >> > > >> Josh, thanks for separating this topic out and starting this new > > >> thread. I don't know of any such library standards that exist on > > >> the web. I agree that this sounds like a great idea. As for this > > >> group or not... why not! > > >> It's 2014 and they don't exist yet and they would be incredibly > > >> useful for many libraries, if not all. Now all we need is a cool > > 'working > > >> group' > > >> title > > >> for ourselves and we're halfway done! Right??? > > >> > > >> But seriously, I'd love to help. > > >> > > >> Brad > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Brad Coffield, MLIS > > >> Assistant Information and Web Services Librarian Saint Francis > > >> University > > >> 814-472-3315 > > >> [log in to unmask] > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > Megan (O'Neill) Kudzia > Web Services & Emerging Technologies Librarian Stockwell-Mudd Library > Albion College > 602 E. Cass St. > Albion, MI 49224