TCC Library LibGuide Best Practices: Page Design

• Your guide is an introduction to the best resources rather than an extensive list.
• The goal is a user-centered LibGuide, but if your guide is so detailed the reader can’t get through it, or so involved that you can’t keep it up to date, it doesn’t do you or the user any good.  Strategize to create minimal work for you to manage your guide’s upkeep.
• Writing for the web and for paper are different.  On the web, readers tend to scan information rather than reading word for word.

1. About Pages and Tabs

a. You have flexibility in the number of columns you use on each page of your guide. Aim for a balanced page, with a moderate amount of empty space. Remember the “F” pattern of web design. Empty columns should be avoided.

b. Avoid using sub-pages/sub-tabs.

c. Avoid using more than one row of tabs. If you have that much content you may need to consider condensing.

d. Keep tab titles to one or two words whenever possible.

e. Redirect tabs to other guides that have “Guide” after the tab name

• EX: Online Student Guide Last Updated January 2021

f. Redirect tabs to the Writing Center will say Writing Center Website.

Style Guidelines

1. Content font should be sized 12 pt.

2. Use colored font sparingly. If you must use it, ensure that there is enough contrast between the font color and the white background of the box.

3. Avoid writing words in all capital letters.

4. Avoid using fonts other than the default.

Need Help with Writing or Citations?
For help organizing your ideas or citing your sources correctly, Visit the TCC Writing Center.

Whenever possible, images should come from the public domain or Creative Commons.

All images and media should be accompanied by attributions. The attribution should be directly beneath the image, in the caption field, or located in the lower-left box on the page.

All images and media should be accompanied by alt text descriptions.

About Boxes

a. Break up your text as much as possible by using lists and images.

b. If you author your content in Microsoft Word use the Word copying tool to bring your content into the box.

c. If needed, provide citations for your sources at the bottom of the same box as the borrowed content. Place this information in 8 pt. font.

d. When including a Books from the Catalog box use the Syndetics book cover option or Amazon, if Syndetics is unavailable. Avoid using the default covers. Include the title, author, call number, and the permalink to the catalog record; other information should be removed.

e. Keep lists short, to 10 or fewer points. If you have many resource recommendations, try breaking the lists up into subcategories like “General” and “Specific.”

i. Order your lists by importance, rather than alphabetically, since users tend to select the first item in a list.

f. When writing for the web, use these guidelines:

i. Keep paragraphs short and scannable (3-5 sentences).

ii. Use bulleted lists in place of paragraphs when possible.

iii. Utilize F-shaped pattern for main/most important ideas and resources.

iv. Remember COS (Concise, Objective, Scannable).

v. Don’t waste text on explanation that will be self-evident once a user clicks the links.

vi. Use pictures and images whenever possible. g. All guide content should conform to the TCC Copyright Policy available at: https://guides.library.tulsacc.edu/copyright