Graphic Design
Topline Review:
FAIL
The Graphic Design of the site is very outdated and hinders rather than helps the usability and functionality of the site.
Website as accessed:
April 1 - 16, 2011
http://www.clarke.public.lib.ga.us/index.html
Reviewed By:
Joanna June
For the purposes of this review, “graphic design” covers the visual elements that build the look and feel of the site. The site is lacking two main things in its graphic design: cohesion and focus. There are small issues that could be fixed piecemeal (like the logo being a JPEG instead of a more correct format choice of a GIF) but overall the site could use a good graphic design overhaul.
Multicolored Clutter
Digging into the code a little the site seems to use one main Cascading Style Sheet to govern most pages (the Kids Page and Spanish Page are exceptions - and those exceptions are much better stylistically). It would be a fairly simple fix to update the CSS to present the current information in a cleaner and more stylistically elegant manner. Simply cutting down on the number of different colors (most rules of thumb advocate for 2 or 3) or having the colors used be more complementary and in the same tonal range, would be a great step in the right direction.
While a CSS change might give the site a little facelift, it would not address the main problem in that: the form of the ARLS Website lacks clear delineation and prioritization of information. Things that are related in actuality (calendar and scheduling items for instance) are not related graphically or located in proximity to each other on the site as they should be. The New York Public Library’s website is a good example to be emulated for corrections (or overhaul) in that even with a lot of information to be related (and with still a fair amount of the color spectrum used) the site has a clear and cohesive look. By being easier on the eye and using stylistic cues to advantage, the site could be more easily navigated and used.
As noted in the Main Summary, the Facebook and Twitter buttons are a good social media additions to the ARLS site, as is the use of an external blogspot page to track the status of the main building’s renovation (which is also a much cleaner site from a design perspective). Because the rest of the site feels so outdated, however, these items are more conspicuous to the point of seeming out of place. Use of more social media be a goal but as well as more intentional and seamless integration of these applications (like including the twitter feed as a plugin on the main page as it is updated a few times a day and makes the website more current and topical). User generated content such as pictures of patrons engaging in some of the activities highlighted or posting their own book reviews would make the site -- and hence the library system -- feel much more dynamic, social and relevant.
