Guidelines for Creating Educational Based Websites

Once you have compiled information and have decided on the audience or audiences you are trying to reach, a design must be chosen. Use a similar structural approach as a book layout with a title page, a table of contents, chapters, and bibliography.

• Establish a simple theme and keep opening doors for people. A strong theme can guide a visitor and glue a site together.
• Create a consistent look to your pages. Do things simply and cleanly.
• Be sure your entry page, or core page, is clear and loads quickly.
• Create a page that is an index for the rest of the pages.
• Put a navigation bar, that is, a link to the home page on every page in your site. Doing so will make it much easier for the user to to return to a known point and branch to other locations.
• Offer search capabilities if there are over 100 pages in your site, otherwise an index will work well for visitors to find specifics.
• Use graphics, but don't over use them.
• Include links to relevant sources and check them to make sure they're current.

Designing with text

Chunking: Group (chunk) information into manageable bits. Chunking information into smaller pieces helps readers get through the information more easily. You can chunk information by using short paragraphs, frequent headings, subheadings, and lists. Generally make each page not much longer than a couple of screen's length. Alignment is also important. Place text in such a way that it is easy to follow.

Text enhancements or contrast: Visual interest in text is important to hook the viewer and create memory links. Use enhancements like bold and italics sparingly. Using these too frequently can actually lessen the impact they're intended to create.

Writing conventions: Depending on how your readers found their way to a particular page, they may or may not have seen other pages in your site. Avoid using terms like as you read before, or see below. Use a link instead.

Designing with Graphics

Use graphics only when needed: Having too many graphics can clutter a page, not to mention the time they take to appear on the screen. Include graphics only where they are the most effective--where they really accentuate a point or where a picture is worth a thousand words.

Backgrounds: the only good background is a solid color or nearly solid, and white or a very light color is best. Most backgrounds interfere with the written content on the page.

Simplicity: Use the KISS principle, "Keep it simple, silly." Use simple designs rather than busy ones that contain numerous 3-d buttons, horizontal rules, borders, and colors.

"Using the Web for preservation is one way to help dispel the notion that preservation is only dealing with old books."

It is also a new avenue to teach care and handling techniques, instruct others, and share information with colleagues. (Moore, M., Drewes, J., in Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries, p.84). A well done web site is rewarding and yet there are many challenges involved in designing and creating a site. It requires a great deal of planning and work. See Preservation Web Sites.

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