Purpose & Goals

In fall 2023, University Libraries at the University of South Carolina (USC) launched a project to update its website (https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/university_libraries/index.php). At USC, all campus units are using a standardized template for their websites, and this project was initiated in preparation for the university’s plan to start the process of rolling out a new website template. Although we have limited control over our website structure and design, we do have many choices about content. We therefore believe that the project offers the opportunity to make meaningful improvements to our site. We are looking to conduct comprehensive updates of our website through examining its content and structure, analyzing available website-related data, identifying specific areas to improve, and implementing necessary changes. This project will allow us to provide more enhanced user experience by making the website more responsive to user needs within externally imposed constraints. This poster will address how University Libraries approaches this project in phases through collaborations across the library’s departments including the Library IT, Communications, and Assessment.

Design & Methodology

We are employing a wide range of methods that best suit each phase of the project, including web analytics data analysis, website edit-a-thon, and usability testing etc. First, in the fall 2023, we looked at web analytics data of the library’s website to understand how users engage with our current website. Specifically, monthly pageview data from two web analytics platforms (i.e., SiteImprove and Google Analytics) were exported, cleaned, and analyzed for the period from January 2022 to October 2023 to identify which pages users most visited while on the library’s website. Second, early in the spring 2024, University Libraries held a website edit-a-thon event where all library employees were invited to review the library’s website pages and submit tickets to the library’s Communications Department if they have any suggestions for edits. For this, we created an Excel spreadsheet that listed approximately 400 pages and shared it with the library community for real-time collaboration. Using this shared document, library employees claimed pages they would like to review, recorded how many tickets they submitted for each page, and indicated whether a given page may be removed. Once those tickets with suggested edits were received, simple edits (e.g., broken links, typos) were corrected by our Web Manager, while edits that require more editorial considerations were handled by the Communications Department in consultation with relevant departments. For the next phase, we plan to conduct a series of usability testing once we identify areas to focus on based on findings from the analysis of web analytics data as well as suggestions for website content and pages. What specific usability testing methods to use will be determined later based on goals of each usability testing.

Findings

Preliminary findings from the analysis of our web analytics data indicated that there were slight differences between mobile users and desktop users (including laptop users) when it comes to most frequently visited pages. Ideally, we would create different website layouts for mobile and desktop versions, but the university’s mandated template does not allow this level of customization. Thus, we need to figure out alternatives to support both mobile and desktop users in designing improvements to our website. More findings will be available once we complete the work mentioned in the Design and Methodology section.

Action & Impact

Based on the findings from web analytics data analysis, analysis of suggestions for content and pages, and usability testing, we will prioritize sections of the website that we would like to address and develop a plan for each section. This plan will include specific activities that need to be conducted for each section (e.g., regrouping of pages, removal and/or addition of pages, implementation of certain elements or features, etc.) and their tentative timelines. Then, we will implement plans, starting with high-priority ones. In implementing our plans, it would be important for us to be flexible as this should be done in line with the university’s roll out plan.

Practical Implications & Value

This proposal will allow us to share our experience conducting a site-wide library website updates within constraints due to the required use of the university template across campus. This proposal also will share how we employed various methods from analysis of quantitative data to usability testing to achieve our goals at each phase of this work and what we learned from those experiences. For those who may consider working to improve their website at their organization, this will help with website usability methods and best practices. Furthermore, given that maintaining and improving a website to meet ever-changing user needs is one of major issues that every organization needs to address, this will provide a venue where the community can share their experiences and insights related to website maintenance and improvement in general through interactions with the presenter as well as with other poster session attendees, promoting mutual learning among community members.