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Library Web Review Group

Notes for June 6, 2007 Meeting

LIB 428, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
DRAFT

Present: Christy Branston, Rachel Caldwell, Marian Davies (recorder), Sandra Keys, Esther Millar, Bill Oldfield (Chair), Dan Sich

Regrets: Helena Calogeridis

  1. Minutes of Meeting, May 23, 2007

    Accepted with minor corrections.

  2. Business Arising

    Item 7:     Dan is pursuing the possibility of doing usability testing with the Davis Pod Tour, although there may be other means of soliciting feedback.  One suggestion is to test library staff.  We will launch this in beta before testing.  Dan will talk to Systems about keeping stats on it.
    It was suggested that the Pod Tour be linked on the Tours and Workshops page.

    Item 9: Bill's action re: Feedback form. Action: Marian has volunteered to temporarily handle the questions that come through the Feedback form.  Action: Bill will document the types of questions that come in by having them copied into a temporary e-mail account.  This will give us a chance to determine whether the categories we've listed on the form are effective or not.
    The more important issue from this discussion is the need to address workload issues due to Marina's retirement. 

  3. Agenda Review

    None.

  4. Site Index Entries (Esther)

    Esther brought forward the request from Erin to add links to the Library's site index.  Two of the six will be added for they are UW Library related.  Links that are not related to the Library can be added to the 'How do I' page but not to the site index. Action: Esther will relay this information to Erin.

  5. Summer Schedule / Web Updates & Implementation (Esther)
    Esther reminded group members to record their vacation schedule to facilitate the need to address backup schedules for web maintenance.  Please see:
    http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/staff/libwebreview/
    private/vacations.html
    Timelines to rollout the changes to the web site are tentively set for the week of August 20th.  Action:  Esther will confirm Charles' availability.  Action:  Once the date is confirmed, and the changes are recorded, Sandra will send a notification e-mail to library staff.


  6. Images on Primary Navigation (Esther)

    Esther requested feedback on several test pages.  The group narrowed it down to test6.html and test10.html.  Action: Based on the feedback from the group Esther will create four options.  Action:  Christy and Marian will survey students regarding their preference.

  7. Quick Polls (Esther & Group) - design / questions / procedures

    Esther requested feedback from the group regarding the overall look of the Quick Poll.  The group decided on the shaded background.  As the look and placement of the Quick Poll is decided the group will move ahead with implementation.  Action:  Esther, Rachel and Sandra will report at the next meeting on procedures, guidelines and questions for the Quick Poll.  Action:  Once set-up is complete a notification e-mail from the group will go out to library staff.

  8. Current News Blog (Esther & Rachel)

    Esther reported on the status of the Library's blog.  It is very close to going live.  Should we keep the top page private and password protected? Action: Esther needs to contact Chris Gray on setting up a widget-friendly template, and the search engine needs a bit of work.  Once a few details are sorted out the page can go live.

  9. Staff Web Banner Images (Rachel & Esther)

    Rachel and Esther pointed to new images for the Library staff web site banner.  Action: Rachel will notify Mary of the change.  Action: Esther will mount the images and the images will rotate.

  10. New CSS (Marian & Esther)

    The changes to the left navbar have already been approved.  The changes to the right navbar still need work.  A proposal to ask liaison librarians to select one of two options for the right navbar on their discipline pages:  see test site - Subject guides, History, and Archives and Rare Books under Resources for Research to see the differences.  Action:  Esther and Marian will keep working on the right navbar before we send out the proposal.
    The Headings have been revamped <H1-H5> and have been approved.  Action:  Esther will add information about the headings on the web maintainers web page and inform staff of the change.

  11. Screencasts (publicity/presentation) (Dan)
    Dan reported that his RACER Viewlets are almost ready to go live and requested feedback from the group as to how to promote them.  Action: Once these are ready, Esther will link them under Help & Instruction - Online Tutorials, and under How Do I?..., on the RACER web page, on the Library Current News blog once it goes live.  PR will be handled at a later date.  Christy suggested promoting them in UWAce.

  12. Widgets (Dan)
    Dan requested feedback on a change to the Library's home page that would promote add ons/widgets. Action: Dan will move the add-ons to the live site.  Action: Include link to add-ons under Help & Instruction.  Action: Current News Item.  Action: Dan will craft a quick poll questions re. personalized homepages and send it to Rachel, Sandra and Esther. 

  13. Around the Table

    None.

June 20, 2007