Organizing
Your Home PageOrganizing
Your Home Page
Storyboards
When first organizing your web page, you might want to consider a Storyboarding
technique using 3x5 cards. This allows you to visualize your page with its
links. Each card represents a web page. Use one card to represent the index
page and then arrange the other cards in the order that you want them linked on your
page. This method allows you to change the cards around and rearrange them before
you actually create your home page.
Keep in mind that the index page of your media center's home page serves the same function as the table of contents of a book. It tells your users what is available on your home page. Your links should include the library's name and e-mail address, the date the pate was posted, a list of resources and a link to your school's home page. All the other pages provide the information and are linked to the index page.
Links
Your links can be organized in many ways including subject headings, classes,
categories and image maps. Be aware that people with disabilities will be using your
home page; therefore, follow ADA requirements and provide a text equivalent to any
information your present with graphics.
The following are examples of organizations structures used by media specialists on their home pages:
Dewey Numbers
Mt. Laurel's Hartford School
Image Maps
Springfield High School Virtual
Library
Archbishop Ryan High School
Classes
Carusi Middle School Virtual Library
Categories
Haddon Heights High School Library Media
Center
Categories and Subject Headings
Chico High School Library
Design Considerations
Make sure that your sites link to specific information and not to links of links
Links should be arranged by a category, subject heading or classes and linked to the index page of your home page
Annotate all links so the users will know the purpose of each site
Use standard colors for hyperlinks
Navigational links let the users know your site's organization and where they are within the site.
These links should be on every page and should link to your main page
Be consistent in the design of your navigation tools; use the same navigation icon or wording
For internal links within a page, always include a back to the top or back to main menu
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