WebBlog

Accessibility

The main problem using Webnode is that I am unable to get all six categories on the homepage to fit above the ‘fold’ – making it necessary to scroll a bit to see the page in its entirety.

Webnode prevents users from switching the language of the interface, and this is critical for my bilingual audience. I would also like to see a range of options to enlarge/decrease the size and font of the text. Upon the library's current website there is a downloadable application called "Browsealoud". This program reads aloud the text upon a website so that users with poor sight can access the contents - I would like to retain these kinds of accessibility tools with Webnode.

Viewing Content

To increase accessibility it is important to ensure that embedded images are low-resolution or appear as thumbnails, and that they, and all links are tagged with descriptions of the following content. This is so that users with slower computers or Internet connections can comprehend the nature of the target before taking the time and the bandwidth to download.

All content uploaded to the site by staff and users will need to be described using consistent terms to retain findability. The administrative staff would be given a list of preferred terms. I think that Webnode's cloud tags are a useful way for users to see and access content but unfortunately clicking on a tag takes the user to a list of the resources' URLs; I would change this to improve usability.

Further Development

I would have liked to include a login facility for library members allowing them to save resources of interest, keep track of their activity and access their membership details. The catalogue does enable member logins, but I feel it would be useful if website users could save and share content on the library site.

I would also like to include a booking facility whereby users can view and reserve available computers online.

Logo Home Button

In order to develop awareness of the website and promote its launch I plan to arrange a competition for library users to design a logo for the website. The logo will be visible upon each page, where Libraries Ceredigion currently is, and become the button to return browsers to the homepage.

Hopefully the logo and the increased options for interactivity will encourage more users of the library online services and generate more feedback and content. The ultimate aim is for the website to become a rewarding and interesting place where the library community can interact.

All in all

I believe that the overall look and proposed functionality of the site is a massive improvement upon the previous effort. Although it is a long way from an ideal solution, especially with such limited accessibility features, it is much more modern-looking, feels more friendly and is easier to navigate. 

I imagine the site would become more information rich and more complex as local history and information sources are added which might complicate navigatation. I would hope that the site's improved methods of search and the more logical layout would expedite browsing despite this.