Design Suggestions for vokal

Please list below the URLs of sites, OPACs, catalogs, etc that you admire, as well as why.

I too like the Ann Arbor District Library site. It is simple and the search box for the catalog is the focus, yet it has room for links. In the high school I like having a one stop shopping page that has links to class projects and databases in addition to the catalog and this design has the space to include all of that information without it feeling overwhelming.

Jessica

Just a suggestion - it might be a good idea to look closely at other library OPAC's to get a feel for what you want (or don't want) in regards to feel and design. Check out the drop-down menus, book covers or no bookcovers, library and Internet links, etc... Obviously, you won't be able to log in as a patron, but at least you can navigate around, look at the links, search for books, and decide what looks or feels good and what doesn't. In case anyone has lost or forgotten the link - here it is:

http://koha.org/showcase/opacs.html

Stephanie:

I like the simplicty of the Ann Arbor District Library site: http://www.aadl.org/catalog; I especially like the options on the menu to search or browse the catalog, see a list of new books, and access blogs. The browse categories are really nice -- while I thought of a subject browse, this catalog gives you what patrons are really looking for: new items, hot items, by media type. Icons for material types are snazzy too.

The front page looks great until you realize you missed everything below--it's six keystrokes long! If the first (top of the ) screen was the catalog's front page, great! The middle is simple, but you can easily find ways of refining or exploring around the edges without being overwhelmed.  Within a search hitlist--The font is hard to read.  It is way too fine, it seems to fade into the page. I like how you can limit it to only available items.  Within a record--Again it's too long, the record should fit within one screen, not two. --Marti

I like the overall design of Ann Arbor too.  Good left navigation bar on each page.  Simple overall look. Lynne

I love the look of the New Zealand catalog -- http://www.library.org.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-main.pl, and the "book basket" label.

I look at the catalog page and see too many options (all those empty boxes and who searches by ISBN!), better to offer advace searching as a link. I like the round wave of buttons to link to other portions of their website, it feels like the catalog is really integrated. I also like the search hints. --Marti

I like the curve design with buttons on New Zealand, but not much beyond that. Lynne

Multnomah County: http://catalog.multcolib.org/  love the simple radio buttons, single search box, and the great images on the bottom (especially recommendations).

Jessamyn, which library was it that redesigned their web site and put on the pictures of patrons with quotes on them? I liked the look of that one, and I am so positive I read about it on librarian.net.

I think most of the US versions from the Koha showcase are too plain! Are they using the Nelsonville stylesheet?

I agree about the simple radio buttons, single search box, and the great images on the bottom.  I also like that you can do a more refined search easily on the right but it in a font that doesn't compete with the simple version. Nice RSS feed. Within a search hitlist--I like the pull down menus to change search options, sort (likes of variety for sorting) and search history. --Marti

Stowe-Munroe Falls Public Library

This is a pretty much the basic design Koha defaults with, but I like the simplicity of it. It's uncluttered and easy to read and navigate. I think the color scheme could probably be different so that it does not look like every other Koha OPAC template. The template in the middle of the page is nice with popular book categories and book cover images - I would probably do away with putting the login and password info in the table - along with the New Materials info. I like having the Account login at the outer right-hand side of the page because it is unobtrusive, but still obvious. The Catalog Help is a good link on the left-hand side and I like the Public Catalog links as well (ILL, Daily Book List, Suggest an Item...). Overall, the basic design is pretty good and I think it will be easy to use for even the most un-savvy of computer users.

Pretty good. It's simple, clean and well organized. I like how you can get to other sections of their webpage from the catalog.  It really makes it part of the website and advertises what they have to offer (book clubs, new books as well as programs, etc). I like the ILL request form, reserve a copy and cancel a reserve request built into the OPAC.  The new materials and on order links are great for the patron but will take some work for the librarians unless there is a way of mass importing by status or acquisition dates. I would keep the log in and pass word on the front page, I like it to the side where you can find it easily but it doesn't interfer or deter patrons.  Within a search hitlist- I like how the book cover shows to the left and you can place a reserve to the right.  Within the record--I like that you can place reserve, print the record or put it in your cart all on the left.  I don't like how they have option to other databases listing of the record.  --Marti

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

Not a library web-site at all, but I really like the redesign on this site, especially the tabs across the top.

I like the tabs too, but find the page too cluttered and too colorful--it makes it overwhelming. It is also too long, it take four "page up" strokes to view the page. --Marti

 http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design

This is a great listing of some of designated "top" library websites. I like the Arlington Heights catalog search because you can narrow down a search to media types, etc.  - Kim