Transforming LibGuides: A Case Study

In this webinar, the presenters will explore the technical and political processes of overhauling and streamlining their LibGuides and A-Z database list. Through case studies, they will describe how they built on existing relationships, created new workflows, and secured buy-in for a total overhaul of the ways Georgia Tech Library employees share their expertise with an online audience. In addition to developing a template, rubric, and style guide for content creators, they created a team to redefine database links, update descriptions, remove extraneous icons, ensure title consistency, and conduct thorough subject association reviews. They will provide insights into the strategic decisions and collaborative efforts that drove this transformation, including cognitive load principles, accessibility standards to optimize the user experience, and emphasizing the use of plain language. In an age of information deluge, this approach demonstrates that less is indeed more, and buy-in from all parts of the library organization is essential.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Define best practices for presenting library resources to online users;
• Identify areas for improvement in their library’s subject guides and database lists;
• Imagine workflows that successfully function across different units and position types; and
• Discuss the technical and political processes involved in changing fundamental parts of their library’s website.

Who Should Attend: Library employees who assist users or work on library systems, anyone who supervises employees who do these things, or library leaders and administrators who want to improve their user experience.

Presenters:

Marlee Givens (she/her) is Team Lead for Instruction and Scholarly Research at the Georgia Tech Library. She supports teaching, learning and scholarship for faculty and students, and develops and delivers library skills instruction. She served as project manager on the library’s LibGuides Evaluation and Development project and currently leads projects to make library instruction materials more accessible and to streamline the planning, scheduling, and tracking of library workshops. A library professional since 1994, Marlee has an MLS from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in French from the University of Georgia, and a B.A. in French from Washington University in St. Louis. She completed two certificates in learning design from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Liz Holdsworth (they/them) is the Head of Academic Engagement at the Georgia Tech Library. They earned an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina, Asheville. They provide leadership for all aspects of instruction- related policies, procedures, and practices that support student learning and assess programs in relation to student success. They engage as a thought-leader with faculty and colleagues in developing and enhancing strategies for an inclusive library culture.

Heather Jeffcoat (she/her) manages the web and discovery aspects of the Georgia Tech Library. With a Master's degree in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University and a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of South Carolina, she has been overseeing the Library's web presence since 1998 and representing technology in the Library's Portfolio since 2017. As the Web and Discovery Management Librarian, Heather is in charge of developing strategies, designing, and maintaining all Library websites, including the Library’s discovery system, Primo.