Thanks, Josh, I'll pass this on! I'm familiar with Drupal and Wordpress for menus and plugins--I have a WP site of my own (augh, don't look, it sorely need updating, and I don't really write anymore), and EKU uses Drupal as its web platform (the discussion about adding databases via CCK was an interesting one).
For putting content boxes on pages--sounds like you got it. Give us a shout at supp...@springshare.com if you run into trouble. Thanks! On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 1:26 PM, Joshua Welker <wel...@ucmo.edu> wrote: > Cindi, > > Thanks for hearing our feedback. As I've said before, I have always been > impressed by Springshare's service. Now I am getting help without even > having to ask. :) > > Regarding 3, that sounds great. I have just been confused by the > documentation. It states that if my template uses {{content}} keyword, I > can't use the individual {{content_x}} keywords. But I thought the > {{content}} keyword had to be used to get page-specific boxes to appear. So > I need to remove {{content}} and replace it with {{content_col_1}} and > {{content_col_2}} etc? I will give that a try. I imagine it could solve a > lot of woes. > > Regarding 2, the remote scripts box would indeed be useful for a lot of use > cases, and I will certainly be using it once it is implemented. However, it > isn't a solution for libraries who want to use LG as their only website, as > it requires that you have access to another website with server-side > scripting capabilities. > > I still think a curated plugin ecosystem of some sort would be extremely > useful for a lot of things most libraries want on their website: > -a navigation menu builder like what is built into Wordpress and Drupal > (site-wide, not for a specific guide) > -a news feed that can show news in a slideshow format or in a blog-like > list > format > -a new books feed that pulls books automatically from something like an ILS > or discovery service > > I maintain websites for two libraries, and in both cases LG is used as a > secondary site alongside another web application platform (Wordpress for > one, Rails for another). These three features I think are making the > difference between using LG as the primary website and using LG as the > secondary website. > > Josh Welker > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of > Cindi Blyberg > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 11:47 AM > To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > Hey all, a few comments from the Springys. :) Thanks for this amazing > feedback on the tools that you need to make your jobs easier. We are > discussing internally and plan to come up with and add viable solutions to > the roadmap for v2--some of them will be CMS-only, be aware, when they > involve groups and such. Our goal with this product is to make it as > tech-friendly as possible and your feedback is extremely helpful. Keep it > coming! > > On to Josh's post, with specific answers to a couple of things: > > On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 10:27 AM, Joshua Welker <wel...@ucmo.edu> wrote: > > > 2. Lack of a plugin ecosystem and any sort of server-side scripting. > > This is a major one for me. This limits the site to mostly static, > > manually-added content. Yes, you can embed RSS feeds and iframes and > > javascript widgets from third-party sites, but if you want to do > > anything more complicated than that, you are out of luck. > > > > We do plan to reinstate the "remote scripts" capability that v1 had. It's > not plugins, but would this help with this issue? > > > > 3. Lots of tedious copy/paste work is required. Okay, not copy/paste > > per se, but if I want to change the boxes that appear in the sidebar > > column in a large group of guides, I am going to have to manually add > > and remove boxes on every single page. > > > > Not so! :) You can create a template that has permanent boxes by calling > those individual content IDs. Go to Help > Guide Templates > Customize > Guide Templates > Fine Tuning Content for more. Or > > http://support.springshare.com/libguides/guidetemplates/customizeguidetemplates#s-lg-box-3819 > (requires login--it's not a secret per se, but we can add more detailed > documentation up if we're not giving it away to competitors. ;) ). > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf > > Of Alex Armstrong > > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 4:50 AM > > To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > > > Brad, > > > > Sure, it's feasible. And it's much easier to do with LibGuides v2 than > > with v1. Whether it's a good idea or not depends on why you're > > considering building your site on LibGuides. Springshare provides > > amazing support, but the platform itself is limited. > > > > There's a trade-off to make regarding flexibility, complexity, etc. > > There's no efficient workflow that I've found. (There's no SSH/SFTP, > > no ability to tweak the CMS, etc. I'm currently drafting a description > > of my workflow, in the hopes of receiving suggestions for > > improvement.) A lot of what we do on LibGuides is a pretty stylesheet, > > precise content guidelines, and a lot of copy-pasting. > > > > I'm not trying to dissuade you. LibGuides has been incredible for us. > > I shudder to think where we would be without it. But we decided to > > build our site on LibGuides due to (ahem) local operational constraints. > > > > AFAICT, it seems that the bulk of your website is already on LibGuides. > > If you're reasonably happy with it, maybe take the plunge and see if > > it works for you :) > > > > Hope this helps, > > Alex > > > > On 2014-09-22 23:56, Brad Coffield wrote: > > > Alex, > > > > > > Thanks so much for sharing your new site built in LG2. I love it. > > > Simple, attactive, but very useable. It's very interesting to see an > > > honest-to-goodness "this actually looks like a real website and not > > > like just some libguide" library website built using lg. More and > > > more I'm seriously considering LG2 as a feasible option for our library > > > site. > > > Thanks! > > > > > > Brad > > > > > > On Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 3:29 PM, Joshua Welker <wel...@ucmo.edu> > wrote: > > > > > >> I was just curious in general. I'm always interested in data on web > > >> usability. > > >> > > >> Josh Welker > > >> > > >> > > >> -----Original Message----- > > >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On > > >> Behalf Of Alex Armstrong > > >> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2014 12:34 PM > > >> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > >> > > >> I was actually a bit coy in my previous post. Our old site was > > >> reasonably battle-hardened for usability. It's not like we > > >> transitioned from three-column layouts and guides with three rows > > >> of > > tabs > > >> or anything. > > >> > > >> I'm still trying to come up with tasks for testing. I suspect a lot > > >> of the big stuff will be OK while a lot of the small stuff will be > off. > > >> It's been really hard to test the latter. (And there is a glitches > > >> in our analytics so I'm also flying a bit blind.) > > >> > > >> Is there something in particular you're wondering about? > > >> > > >> Alex > > >> > > >> > > >> On 09/19/2014 07:50 PM, Joshua Welker wrote: > > >>> Nice job. I like the simplicity. Let me know how the usability > > >>> testing goes. > > >>> > > >>> Josh Welker > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> -----Original Message----- > > >>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On > > >>> Behalf Of Alex Armstrong > > >>> Sent: Friday, September 19, 2014 10:28 AM > > >>> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > >>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > >>> > > >>> Long time lurker, second time poster (if memory serves). > > >>> > > >>> We launched our new library website yesterday, which is entirely > > >>> built on LibGuides 2. You can see it here: http://library.acg.edu/ > > >>> > > >>> For simplicity’s sake we used only two templates: > > >>> > > >>> a full width template for single page guides (e.g., our > > >>> home page). > > >>> a content template that uses ~2/3 of the page for the > > >>> content and > > >>> ~1/3 for guide navigation. > > >>> > > >>> There are no dropdown menus anywhere, for the reasons people > > >>> mentioned, nor do we use two columns for content. (Some of the > > >>> landing pages use a small grid, but that’s about it.) > > >>> > > >>> We use LG’s built-in second column wrapped around an `<aside>` and > > >>> placed at the bottom of the main content for related info. Scroll > > >>> to the bottom of this page to see what I mean: > > >>> http://library.acg.edu/citations/apa > > >>> > > >>> I decided to keep the navigation menu on the right to emphasize > > >>> the main content. My guess is that this won’t work very well for > > >>> sections with more narrative. My inspiration (GOV.uk) uses wizard > > >>> navigation, which > > >>> LG2 supports. That may be a way of handling this issue. > > >>> > > >>> I put the site together with almost no usability testing. I’ll > > >>> have to grab some students in the coming weeks and find out how > > >>> bad things really are :) > > >>> > > >>> You can see a slightly abstracted version of the content template, > > >>> as well as other useful LG2 thingies in this gist: > > >>> https://gist.github.com/alehandrof/9f083aa03c287931d9f0 > > >>> > > >>> The design was written in Sass on top of an imported and > > >>> customized Bootstrap 3.2. There's an option in the LG admin to > > >>> disable the default Bootstrap and I only had to write a few > > >>> hundred lines to override aspects of the default LG stylesheets. > > >>> Because I built the design on top of Bootstrap there was very > > >>> little tweaking necessary for the admin side to work properly. > > >>> > > >>> Hope this helps, > > >>> Alex > > >>> > > >>> -- > > >>> Alex Armstrong > > >>> E-Resource/Reference Assistant > > >>> The American College of Greece Libraries, John S. Bailey Library > > >>> 6 Gravias Street | GR 153 42 Agia Paraskevi | Athens, Greece > > >>> Phone: +30 210 600 9800 ext. 1274, 1267 | Fax: +30 210 601 7795 > > >>> Email: aarmstr...@acg.edu > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> On 2014-09-19 12:31 AM, Joshua Welker wrote: > > >>>> That's a good idea. I changed the template using Bootstrap > > >>>> classes so that the sidebar will appear below the main column on > > >>>> small screens (< 1024px roughly). But I might consider hiding the > > >>>> side completely. > > >>>> > > >>>> Josh Welker > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> -----Original Message----- > > >>>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On > > >>>> Behalf Of Michael Schofield > > >>>> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 1:55 PM > > >>>> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > >>>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > >>>> > > >>>> I love your minimal template. We're experimenting with similar > > >>>> minimalism. > > >>>> If you all can't agree on the existence of the right column, you > > >>>> might compromise and use media queries to display: none; until > > >>>> the screen is sufficiently wide. E.g., 1140px so it will only pop > > >>>> on widescreen monitors and avoid almost all tablet orientations. > > >>>> > > >>>> Good work. > > >>>> > > >>>> -----Original Message----- > > >>>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On > > >>>> Behalf Of Joshua Welker > > >>>> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2014 2:43 PM > > >>>> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > >>>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > >>>> > > >>>> I am in the middle of building a very minimalist LibGuides 2.0 > > >>>> template to go with our new website. Here's the current status: > > >>>> http://ucmo.beta.libguides.com/test-guide. > > >>>> > > >>>> We are still torn on whether to have any side columns. We > > >>>> currently have a right column just for important site-wide > > >>>> information. We used the right rather than left with the > > >>>> rationale that it is not an essential navigation menu and that we > > >>>> didn't want it to be the first thing users notice. Content should > > >>>> come first. The fact that users will not focus heavily on the > > >>>> right-hand content is actually a good thing in this instance. > > >>>> > > >>>> I go back and forth on whether to scrap the side column. I am > > >>>> pretty adamant that there should only be one column for page > > >>>> content, although I am prepared to suffer the slings and arrows > > >>>> of outrageous fortune. > > >>>> > > >>>> Josh Welker > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> -----Original Message----- > > >>>> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On > > >>>> Behalf Of Brad Coffield > > >>>> Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 5:24 PM > > >>>> To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU > > >>>> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] LibGuides v2 - Templates and Nav > > >>>> > > >>>> Benjamin: "Unfortunately we have authors who want *three* columns > > >>>> plus left-nav..." LOL > > >>>> > > >>>> Margaret: Love the floating nav on that page. It's exciting that > > >>>> we'll be able to leverage Bootstrap with our guides now. Moving > > >>>> the entire library website to libguides CMS is looking more and > > >>>> more promising. > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> Some more thoughts: > > >>>> > > >>>> I'm no UX expert but is it generally agreed that left-nav is the > > >>>> much better choice? It seems like it to me. Given current web > > >>>> wide conventions etc. > > >>>> > > >>>> One big issue to switching to left-nav in v2 is the amount of > > >>>> work it's going to take everyone to convert all guides to the new > > >>>> layout. > > >>>> Which is one of those things that both shouldn't matter (when > > >>>> looking at it in a principledness way - that is, "Whatever is > > >>>> best for the patrons! No matter > > >>>> what!) but also does matter (in a practical way - that is, "OMG > > >>>> we are all so busy being awesome"). > > >>>> > > >>>> But part of me, when looking at other people's guides and my own, > > >>>> wonders if three columns isn't just a little TOO much for the user. > > >>>> How is one supposed to scan the page? What's the prioritized > > >>>> information? For a couple years now I've been eschewing three > > >>>> columns whenever possible. Do others agree that three columns can > > >>>> be info overload? > > >>>> > > >>>> Brad > > >>>> > > >>>> On Tue, Sep 16, 2014 at 4:32 PM, Benjamin Florin > > >>>> <benjamin.flo...@gmail.com> > > >>>> wrote: > > >>>> > > >>>>> We've been tinkering with our LibGuides template in preparation > > >>>>> for an eventual redesign of our site and guides, e.g.: > > >>>>> > > >>>>> http://libguides.bc.edu/libraries/babst/staff > > >>>>> > > >>>>> Some of our guide authors weren't happy with the LibGuides > > >>>>> side-navigation's single-column limitation, so we made our own > > >>>>> template, moved {{guide_nav}} off to a left column, and wrote > > >>>>> our own styles to make the default top-nav display as left-nav. > > >>>>> We've found that a 50/50 or 75/25 split next to the left nav > > >>>>> looks pretty good. > > >>>>> > > >>>>> Unfortunately we have authors who want *three* columns plus > > >>>>> left-nav... > > >>>>> > > >>>>> In general the LibGuides templating has felt modern and easy to > > >>>>> work with. > > >>>>> > > >>>>> Ben > > >>>>> > > >>>>> > > >>>>> On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 3:18 PM, Brad Coffield < > > >>>>> bcoffield.libr...@gmail.com> > > >>>>> wrote: > > >>>>> > > >>>>>> Hi all, > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> I'm finally diving into our Libguides v2 migration and I'm > > >>>>>> wondering if anyone would be willing to share their > > >>>>>> experience/choices regarding templating. (Or even some code!) > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> I'm thinking left-nav is the way to go. Has anyone split the > > >>>>>> main content column into two smaller columns? Done that with a > > >>>>>> column-width-spanning > > >>>>> box > > >>>>>> atop the main content area? Any other neato templates ideas? > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> We are in the process of building a "style guide" for all > > >>>>>> libguides > > >>>>> authors > > >>>>>> to use. And also some sort of peer-review process to help > > >>>>>> enforce the > > >>>>> style > > >>>>>> guide. I'm thinking we are going to want to restrict all > > >>>>>> authors to left-nav templates but perhaps the ideal solution > > >>>>>> would be to require left-nav of all but to have a variety of > > >>>>>> custom left-nav templates to choose from. > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> Any thoughts are much appreciated! > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> Warm regards, > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> Brad > > >>>>>> > > >>>>>> -- > > >>>>>> Brad Coffield, MLIS > > >>>>>> Assistant Information and Web Services Librarian Saint Francis > > >>>>>> University > > >>>>>> 814-472-3315 > > >>>>>> bcoffi...@francis.edu > > >>>>>> > > >>>> -- > > >>>> Brad Coffield, MLIS > > >>>> Assistant Information and Web Services Librarian Saint Francis > > >>>> University > > >>>> 814-472-3315 > > >>>> bcoffi...@francis.edu > > > > > > > > >