Web Design & GuidelinesBackgrounds/Colors Graphics/Images Links/Navigation
Text/Page LengthExamples of Library Sites

Web design Sites

The visual design and the organization of information on your site will depend upon your intended audience and the purpose of the site. Your content will often dictate the arrangement of your site. The following sites are concise guides to what to do and what not to do in designing a web site.

  • Web Design http://www.wpdfd.com/wpdhome.htm

  • Roger Black's Web sites that work Hints from a graphic designer. Includes very helpful 10 things not to do on the Web http://websitesthatwork.iab.com/roger.htm

  • Web Site Builder ResourcesEverything from basic HTML to Javascript. http://robynma.simplenet.com/theroad/

  • Web Pages that Suck Web gurus point out design no-no's http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com

  • DO-IT Designing accessible web pages.Many Internet surfers are unable to view graphics and photos, or cannot hear audio because of disabilities. DO-IT's philosophy in designing its pages is to concentrate on content rather than flashy graphics and audio. http://weber.u.washington.edu/~doit/Resources/design.html

    Guidelines for Web Design

    The following sites are design guidelines adopted by universities or libraries for developers of official web pages.

  • Indiana University Web Site Design Guidelines http://www.indiana.edu/~iuinfo/guides/

  • IUPUI Web Page Development Guidelines http://www.iupui.edu/home/web-guidelines.html

  • University of Wisonsin Guidelines for Web Page Creation.http://www.uwsa.edu/uwsaguid.htm

  • Yale Style Manual Excellent resource for anyone interested in designing web pages. http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/contents.html

    Practical
    Design
    Issues    		 (from Building the Service Based Library Web Site)
    • Check your page on different browsers.
    • Be careful that your background does not detract from the content.
    • View your page on a text-only browser to make sure that you do not over use photos and images.
    • Don't use too much text blocked together.
    • Provide comments about linked sites.
    • Make sure that all links work.
    • Check spelling and grammar.
    • Make contact info easy to find--name, address, last updated.
    • Put the URL on your page.
    • Identify each page
    • Make sure the page is easy to use with appropriate navigation links.

    Purpose of this site to to provide some basic information on Web Page Design for librarians attending the August, 1998 TennShare Workshop at Middle Tennessee State University. Questions or comments, contact vvesper@ulibnet.mtsu.edu