VIVA Web Revision

1
VIVA Web Revision

• Outreach Committee
• VIVA Users Group Meeting
• November 1, 2007

2
Rationale for Project

• Repair navigation problems
• Improve accessibility
• Comply with web standards

3
Accessibility

• Prototype works with screen reader
• No formatting hard-coded in HTML
• Presentation controlled by a cascading style
  sheet (CSS)
• One can disable CSS in browser for text version

4
Usability Test (GMU)

• Sample 10 6 librarians, 2 faculty, 2 others.
  Two were regular users of VIVA stats. The others
  had infrequently or never visited the current
  site.
• Method Subjects were asked what they liked about
  the web page and what they would ask to be
  improved.

5
Multiple Subjects Requested

• Add search function
• Move News and Announcements up.
• Remove rotating images from home page
• Replace Mission with VIVA description
• Add Help page

6
Comments Organization

• Make site less complicated
• Group items by subject (ILL stats with Usage
  stats)
• Standardize menus
• Replace Benefits of VIVA with About VIVA
• Create easy go-to place for basic information
  about VIVA.

7
Comments Aesthetics

• Reduce text density
• Enhance readability
• Add background color to reduce glare
• Adopt web standards

8
Goals of Current Revision

• Easier navigation
• Logical organization
• Member access to news and data
• Accessibility, WC3 standards
• Connecting with legislators and academic
  communities (a.k.a, Advocacy)

9
VIVA Reference Services

• Should the VIVA web include reference services
  overlapping those of member libraries?

10
Committee Consensus

• No, building extended reference features is an
  undue burden on VIVA central. Site should address
  core services
• VIVA Database List
• E-Journal Locator for VIVA-licensed titles
• Virginia Special Collections

11
VIVA Web Audience?

• Highest usage by librarians
• Promote VIVA to legislators and other potential
  supporters?
• Promote VIVA to the academic community beyond
  librarians?

12
Committee Consensus

• Yes, we should promote VIVA funding and
  participation through the website.
• How, then, do we connect with legislators and
  faculty while enhancing functionality for
  librarians?

13

• http//www.vivalib.org/viva_new/