Library Briefings

Web site redesign

New Library site for the 21st century

Northwestern University Library launched the new academic year with a redesigned web site aimed at improving access to the Library’s vast collections. Introduced in late June, the site reflects the latest thinking in web design and incorporates important feedback from years of research and testing. The site also introduces a new graphic identity that helps bring visual consistency to all Library communications.

“It has been almost 10 years since the first Library web page was made available to the public,” says Frank Cervone, assistant University librarian for information technology. “During this time the world of scholarly information has changed dramatically and the Library has been researching, developing, and testing in order to keep pace.”

The Library’s first web site contained only the most basic information -- directions, hours, lists of print materials, and so forth. Students and faculty could not search the Library catalog through the web, nor did they have access to the multitude of electronic resources available today. With the addition of thousands of full-text online journals and hundreds of other electronic resources, the Library has had to find new ways to organize and deliver information.

This challenge was met by a team within the Library called the Web Advisory Group. Over the past three years this group has worked to make Library information and resources more accessible through the web site. The Web Advisory Group began its task with focus groups, surveys, and other informal research to find out what users liked or found problematic about the Library's site. Results showed that users wanted a cleaner, less cluttered page; better organized links; and terminology that makes sense to the average user. The home page redesign is based on this research as well as many conversations with librarians and Library staff.

To create the new site, the Web Advisory Group worked collaboratively with the Web Communications division of University Relations. Together these groups tackled usability issues, evaluated various designs, and recruited students and faculty to test the prototype. The result is a professionally designed page that meets the specific research needs of students and faculty.

In addition to exploring ways to improve access and site organization, the Library chose to apply a new set of graphic elements. The Publications division at University Relations was asked to develop a graphic identity program for the Library and to redesign the Library's publications based on the program. The approved elements are clean, modern, and communicate that the Library is progressive and moving forward.

“Our goal in creating a graphic identity for the Library was to bring visual consistency to web-based and print communications,” says Patti Strait, director of public relations. “It’s important that the Library project a strong identity through its communications. We want Library identity to be immediately apparent in every communication the Library produces.”

The new Library identity, now incorporated into both web-based and print communications, is projected in the following ways:

• A color palette that combines dark brown with bright colors such as green, red, purple, and blue. The brown is necessary for quality reproduction of photographs and illustrations, which are featured prominently in the Library's communications.

• Use of a layered design to reflect the depth and multidimensionality of the Library and its collections.

• Creation of a new “NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY” logotype. Words appear on one line and “LIBRARY” is boldface. This is the secondary typeface in the Northwestern University identity program.

• Title of each communication appears in a color block and is all lower case. The typeface is consistent across communications.

• The University logo plays a secondary or tertiary role, allowing us to create an identity that is clearly distinct, yet closely related to that of the University.

To access the new site, go to http://www.library.northwestern.edu/.