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LibGuide Best Practices

Standards

Widgets

"A visual object such as a button that appears in Web pages or in the interfaces to other programs."
A Dictionary of the Internet (Ince, 2013).

What can widgets do for my LibGuides?

  • Push up-to-date information to users in a feed-style format
  • Allow for database-specific searches
  • Embed audio, video, or interactive content within a webpage
  • Easily create lists or tabbed boxes without the need for coding

How can I use widgets in my guides?

  • Present RSS feed from a website or publication
  • Add search box corresponding with the subject of the guide
  • Share videos from Kanopy, Youtube, and more
  • Create list of LibGuides based on search terms

Why should I use widgets?

  • Users want rich content
  • Users want up to the minute information
  • Avoid the “wall-of-text” pitfall
  • Reduce the number of clicks needed complete a task

References

Ince, D. (2013). Widget. In A Dictionary of the Internet, Retrieved January 31, 2017, from

http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191744150.001.0001/acref-9780191744150-e-3540

Library Search Boxes

Embedded search boxes allow you to put the most relevant databases at the fingertips of users.

Types of search boxes include database, reference, LibGuide, and web-resources

Search boxes created by MU's librarians may be found here.

To use a search box in your guide,

  • Click the "+Add Box" icon
  • Click "Reuse existing box" tab
  • Select the sub-page
  • Then select the search box
  • Name your box if desired
  • Save and close to see your results!

To add a Google search box to your guide,

  • Click the "Add/Reorder icon
  • Select "Google Search"
  • Set your search to Web, Scholar, Books, or Patents.
  • If desired, set a default query
  • Save and close to see your results!

Google Web Search

Video

Since most video posted on the web include an embed code, it is easy to present video on your guides.

Good resources (library and open)

Embedding video

Having found the video you want to share,

  • Find the "embed" code--usually located below or to the right of the video. Occasionally under a tab labeled "share".
  • Copy the entire code.
  • On your LibGuides page, click Add/Reorder.
  • Select Widget
  • Paste the code in the Widget box
  • Save and close to see your results! 

Why Use a Tabbed Box?

  • Tabbed boxes present content in a modular fashion
  • Each tab is designed to be self-contained, so users can get what they need without trudging through lots of text
  • With LibGuides, it is easy to create!

Creating a Tabbed Box (with no coding)

  • Click + Add Box where you want your resource
  • Under box type, select Tabbed
  • Enter the categories (don't worry, you can always edit or add more)
  • To enter content on each tab, click the desired tab.
  • Use Add / Reorder to add content as on any other LibGuide
  • Click Update and Save Positions to retain changes

Why Use a Gallery Box?

  • Present several pictures to users in one frame
  • Avoids using proprietary widgets
  • No coding required

Creating a Gallery Box (with no coding)

  • Click + Add Box where you want your resource
  • Under box type, select Gallery

Gallery Box Best Practices

  • Image sizes for gallery boxes
    • Side Navigation: maximum width: 845px
    • Top Navigation: maximum width: 1145px
  • Dimensions for gallery boxes
    • For best display, all images should have identical height and width values
    • Otherwise, it will cause other content to jump

You will taken to this screen to add and edit photos.

 

LibGuides Widget Tool

The LibGuides widget tool allows you to create widgets that consist of lists of guides, topics, and various other useful tools. To locate LibGuides widgets, click on the Tools menu at the top of the screen, then click Widgets.

Thanks to Springshare, LibGuides tools display as "what you see is what you get" so the changes you make will be reflected to the right of the edit menus. The best way to familiarize yourself with these tools is to look around curiously.

Example: List of Databases by Subject

History Databases
 

Example: Guide Search Box

When you have finished creating the resource, to embed a LibGuides Widget,

  • Click the embed code box once to select all the code.
  • Copy this code
  • On your LibGuides page, click Add/Reorder where you want the widget displayed.
  • Select Widget
  • Paste the code in the Widget box
  • Save and close to see your results!

To create or reuse LibAnswers Widget

  • Click Add/Reorder
  • Choose LibAnswers Widget
  • Create a new LibAnswers Widget from a system template
  • Or reuse an existing widget.

Example:

Reusing LibWizard Items

If you want to embed a form, tutorial, survey, or quiz,

  • Click Add/Reorder
  • Select LibWizard Items
  • Click the drop-down menu and choose the resource you want use.
  • Click save and close to see your results

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating LibWizard Items (admin)

Need a form, survey, quiz, or tutorial?  Don't want to spend hours coding to accomplish this? LibWizard offers all of the above. With this service, it is easy to create custom modules and easily embed them in your guides.

Once you have logged into LibWizard and created your form, survey, quiz, or tutorial, embedding the widget is an easy process.

To embed a LibWizard resource,

  • Find and click the green Share/URL box in the edit screen of your resource
  • Copy the Widget code
  • On your LibGuides page, click Add/Reorder where you want the widget displayed.
  • Select Widget
  • Paste the code in the Widget box
  • Save and close to see your results!

RSS

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are a continuously updated ticker of the content of a webpage. Often used by news and blog webpages, these feeds automate the sharing of content.

How to embed a feed

RSS feeds were designed to be read by programs; however, LibGuides has a feature allowing you to easily add RSS feeds into your guide.

  • Copy the URL of feed you want to display.
  • On your LibGuides page, click Add/Reorder where you want the widget displayed.
  • Select Widget
  • Paste the URL into the "Feed URL" form.
  • Save and close to see your results!

Example:

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