APLA 2019

While there are many perks to working in a small university library, having complete
control over the library webpage is rarely one of them. Often, library webpages are a
product of a centralized IT department that affords library workers limited editing access
via a content management system (CMS). Yet our webpages and our users have unique
needs in comparison to the needs of the greater university. Our library webpages are a
virtual extension of our physical space; they are access portals for our constantly growing
collections of digital resources, they are spaces for users to reach out for help via live chats
or appointment bookings, and they provide our library workers with valuable statistics
about usage and resource needs.
This presentation will describe the Mount Saint Vincent University Library’s transition
from a university-wide CMS to a webpage designed entirely by library workers using
LibGuides. LibGuides is a CMS designed specifically for libraries that allows for the
publication of research guides, blogs, and interactive content, while also providing secure
access to licensed resources such as databases and eBooks. Using a number of different
User Experience methods, our team embarked on an ambitious project to take control of
our webpage in order to better meet the needs of our library users and staff.
We strive to share our process, our methods, and the mistakes we made along the way in
order to provide inspiration to other libraries wishing for more control over their webpage.